6992: land reform

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: mark gill <doctorgill@clas.net>

someone mentioned the issue of land reform in Haiti..........first, while it
began under Preval, i am not aware of its success.......

however, land reform is a basic feature of liberation theology and Aristide
has long been associated with this brand of theology.

this subject is important in that normally, when
"land reform" is mentioned, it denotes efforts to return land ownership to
the "masses", thereby giving them a "stake in the system"...........

historically, the "masses" in Haiti have been outside the political system.
land reform is the most salient way this can be changed.  of course,
considerable opposition is to be expected, just as it has been all over
Central America.

if Aristide sincerely wants to upgrade the life of the "average Haitian", he
will provide a strong focus on such reform.  he can do this without the help
of "international assistance"........i say this in that most articles
written about Aristide these days depict him as having little hope of
success without such assistance......while this is certainly true in many
ways, although they need not be recounted here, the issue of land reform is
mostly an internal concern and can be accomplished without outside
help.......

as a caveat, however, it should be mentioned that such reform is not without
peril, and internal dissension.  however, any movement away from oligarchy
is fraught with peril.....

m gill