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a57: Find Long-Term Solution (fwd)
From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>
Find Long-Term Solution
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
Posted December 19 2001
The Bush administration should take the latest coup attempt in Haiti as a
sign that it needs to focus more attention on a longtime Caribbean trouble
spot.
On Monday, gunmen stormed the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince, killing
at least four people. In response, supporters of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide took to the streets, attacking the headquarters and homes of
opposition leaders. Haiti's political climate, normally volatile, is now
near explosion.
In Afghanistan, the United States has learned that it needs to drain the
swamp that breeds terrorists. Haiti is the neighborhood swamp that breeds
boat people and refugee crises for South Florida and Caribbean neighbors.
The Bush administration has wisely vowed not to repeat the mistake of
neglecting Afghanistan, which is what happened after U.S.-backed forces
repelled Soviet invaders during the 1980s. A stable Afghanistan is in the
United States' best interest. The same principle needs to be applied to
Haiti.
Certainly, any U.S.-led international plan to develop and stabilize Haiti
won't work unless Haitian leaders cooperate. So far, they have not. Aristide
and the opposition Democratic Convergence are locked in a 19-month standoff
over disputed May 2000 parliamentary and local elections. These elections
gave the ruling Lavalas Family party near complete powers. But the
opposition charges the voting was rigged. International observers found that
seven senators declared winners during the first round of voting should have
faced runoffs.
The dispute is holding up about $500 million in foreign aid for Haiti, the
Western Hemisphere's poorest country. The Organization of American States
has been trying to negotiate a settlement between Aristide and the
opposition, in order to release frozen aid. OAS mediator Luigi Einaudi has
been to Haiti numerous times over the past year to work on an agreement, but
none has materialized.
Both sides in the dispute have behaved selfishly. Aristide's party, however,
has agreed to hold new elections for the seven senatorial seats and
undertake other electoral reforms. The opposition has refused to compromise,
although Aristide also has shown little tolerance for his opponents.
Something is needed to break this logjam and give the suffering people of
Haiti some hope. It may take greater support from Washington for OAS efforts
in Haiti.
One thing is clear. U.S. policy toward Haiti cannot be focused on putting
out fires. President Bill Clinton sent American troops there in 1994, to
restore a democratically elected government. President Woodrow Wilson sent
the Marines in 1915 to deal with another crisis -- the Marines stayed until
1934. A long-term strategy is needed to put Haiti on the right track.
Copyright © 2001, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
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