In a Democracy Now! exclusive, South African ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, says President Aristide did not request asylum or exile in South Africa, nor did the South African government deny him asylum or exile as alleged by the US State Department and The New York Times.

The US government/corporate media psychological operations campaign against Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been in full swing for weeks. Aristide has been portrayed as “fleeing Haiti” “abandoning his country” and “resigning” his post. Over the past 24 hours, a very different picture has emerged. As we have reported extensively on Democracy Now!, it is becoming very clear that Aristide was forced out of Haiti in what can only be called another U.S. coup; that he was threatened by US officials and that he was taken to Africa against his will.

Over the weekend, as Aristide’s whereabouts were still unknown, the psy-ops campaign intensified. The New York Times and other corporate media outlets quoted unnamed “senior State Department officials” as saying that Aristide was denied exile in South Africa. In a front page article yesterday, the Times said President Thabo Mbeki did not want to provoke a political controversy in South Africa.

Democracy Now! has learned from the South African ambassador to the United Nations, Dumisani Kumalo, that President Aristide did not request asylum or exile in South Africa, nor did the South African government deny him amnesty or exile as alleged by the US State Department and The New York Times.

• Dumisani Kumalo, is the South African ambassador to the United Nations.