a90: to: Dorce and St-Vil (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Joe Allen <jaallen1@bellsouth.net>

To: Dorce and Saint-Vil

This is in response to the very emotional replies Kathy Dorce and Jean
Saint-Vil offered to my posting "No comments".
    Jean please drop the "my people" line; it is not necessary, and it is a
little too dramatic  .  Despite what you seem to think, I am a "natif-natal'
born ,raised, educated at all levels in Haiti; I am a Haitian citizen  and I
am well aware of our history and know the terrain quite well.   My way is
also "a" Haitian way Jean, although not necessarily your brand.
    Kathy and Jean essentially have the same position, if my take is
correct:  The criminal attacks against the convergence and other politicians
in the opposition are not only understandable, they are legitimate and are
the proper response to the threat posed by the coup agaisnt Aristide and a
dignified way of eliminating all"enemies" of the Lavalas movement.
    So far, I am leaning towards believing that some elements of the Lavalas
if not Aristide himself are behind this affair; however, I keep an open
mind.  For the sake of this discussion, I will concede to Kathy and Jean
that Aristide was the victim of an attempted coup. The central point I want
to make is this:  even if one were to subscribe to the theory of a coup, the
attacks against Convergence would still be criminal. Furthermore, the
Lavalas camp appears to have tried to eliminate or intimidate its opponents
during the crisis, which by the way is also criminal.  Victor benoit's wife
in her press release identified a white Nissan with an Official lisence
plate #0824 as one of the cars that the arsonists used to come to her
house( I sent the release to both of you). The fact that the mobs that
perpetrated these acts (sorry if you find the term offensive, I think it is
appropriate) may have been manipulated/paid by the Lavalas or engaged in
spontaneous outbursts is not even relevant when we consider right and wrong
issues.  If the actions are unlawful and uncivilized, they should be
condemned.
    A question for the two of you; how do you connect the current events
(coup attempt) with the members of Convergence?  Kathy laments that I do not
show the same indignation when the convergence behaves undemocratically.
You may not like their politics, and I have criticiced them at times, but it
is still democratic to choose the wrong approach to solving issues.  The
convergence so far has not attacked anyone, stolen from anyone or
intimidated anyone.  This is a small group without parlementary
representation, that has no official function, has little support among the
people, but with enough PR skills to portray Aristide as an autocratic
politician and managed to expose him, convincing the big powers (his bosses)
that he is not to be trusted.  How can they be undemocratic? Give me a
substantive analysis preferably without name-calling.
    I shall remind you that Aristide did not condemn the violence; he merely
asked to stop it, for now, I guess until it needs to be resumed for whatever
reason.  By the way, in my posting I said there was no "Pe
Lebrun"(necklaces); unfortunately there where two poor souls burned to death
in Gonaives by the pro-Lavalas thugs.
    It is my opinion that the Aristide Government may come out of this
crisis scaring the opposition "to death", but it has once again commited a
blunder.  It lost credibility that was already in short supply.  The net
sesult is that the opposition will be able to portray Aristide, with reason,
as autocratic with solid anarchic tendencies.  The people of Haiti will at
some point realize that they have placed their trust in someone who is
performing poorly and in the final analysis appeals to their worst
instincts.

   Joseph A. Allen DDS
    Miami, FL