14051: (Arthur) OAS' Einaudi on what needs to be done (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Organization of American States

www.oas.org

ADDRESS BY THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES, LUIGI R. EINAUDI

NOTES FOR A STATEMENT TO THE PERMANENT COUNCIL ON HAITI


Washington, December 9, 2002

Mr. Chairman,

The situation in Haiti is extremely worrying. Over one month past the agreed
deadline of November 4 for establishment of the Provisional Electoral Council
(CEP), Haiti is at an impasse.

Resolution 822 of September 4 made clear that obligations had been assumed by
a number of key actors, both within Haiti and without. The primary
obligations assumed by the Government of Haiti were to pave the way for the
holding of elections in 2003. Successful and credible elections were widely
seen as the gateway to a strengthened democracy and to renewed economic and
social development. In order to hold such elections, a credible electroral
council or CEP is a must. The agreed procedure called for nine previously
identified and agreed entities each to name one representative to the CEP.

Mr. Chairman, I regret greatly that it has to be said that since September 4
the Government of Haiti has not done enough to convince the entities
concerned to name their representatives. Resolution 822 did not require that
all obligations be completed by November. But meaningful progress was
essential, not merely words.


Unfortunately, the payment of Reparations issue has not been completed.
Significant progress on dealing with those responsible for the events of
December 17 has not been made—almost one year after the events! The so-called
“political cases” have not been reopened or otherwise tackled. The security
climate has sadly worsened. Disarmament is only too obviously still a major
problem—we need look no farther than Gonaives where a fugitive from justice
whom the Commission of Inquiry had implicated in the violent incidents of
December 17, 2001 is effectively in control of the streets. And Government
supporters with limited democratic credentials have been allowed, some would
say encouraged, to harass opposition supporters, retaliate against
demonstrators, and threaten the press. If we are engaged in a process that
will lead to credible elections, then this situation, whose continuance has
obvious implications for an electoral campaign, is unacceptable.


Meanwhile, some sectors have taken advantage of the inaction of the
Government to change course from formation of the CEP as the first step
towards elections to the mobilization of the population to bring down the
Government by mass protests in many parts of the country, beginning in Cap
Haitien. Some of these have been well handled by the police, some not so
well. In many cases there have been subsequent and undemocratic reprisals
against those involved. Then on November 22 and on December 3 government
supporters reacted by taking things into their own hands, in the first case
tying up Port au Prince for a day with barricades and burning tires, and in
the latter case leading to violence which reportedly injured over 50 persons
in Port au Prince. Democratic opinion in the country, and elsewhere, is
understandably outraged.


The result is an increasingly polarized country. Opposition forces are
calling for the resignation of the President; some are refusing to consider
holding elections with Aristide in office. The relatively few voices calling
for calm, and for a return to the path laid out by Resolution 822, are
finding it increasingly difficult to be heard; and indeed are often
criticized for their efforts to build up the center and avoid the
confrontation which some extremist groups on both sides appear to seek. The
Special Mission and the Government have developed excellent Terms of
Reference for election and security work; these now risk being swept aside by
events.


The anti-democratic elements on both extremes are the ones whose voices are
loudest at present. This is of course a recipe for disaster and, I fear,
further social and economic degradation.


I continue to believe that the course laid out by Resolution 822 is the right
one for Haiti and for the international community. But I have to tell you
that it is becoming increasingly difficult to see how it is going to be
followed.

I would like to think that in the days ahead you and your governments will
find a way to urge democratic leaders across the political spectrum, among
all the political parties, especially the Fanmi Lavalas and the Convergence
Démocratique, and including as well the churches and civil society:


· to reflect hard on the implications of the course Haiti is lurching onto at
the moment, and its potential for worsening the lot of each of them, further
shattering their political hopes and ambitions—to say nothing of the
wellbeing of the longsuffering Haitian people;

· to recognize that potential donors and investors will not look kindly on
further disruption and uncertainty in Haiti, and that the international
community has no plans to send in troops to rescue Haitians from themselves;

· to examine coldly whether their associates are as democratic as they
profess to be, and, if they are not, whether they can in fact be
“controlled” in the days ahead;

· to ask themselves what they can do in the next day or so to strengthen the
political center in Haiti, recognizing that it is not necessary to love
either the Fanmi Lavalas or the Convergence Démocratique in order to do so;

· to act very specifically to prevent anniversaries such as December 17 from
being used to envenom the situation even more; and finally

· to find a way to reach agreement promptly on formation of a credible new
Constitutional institution: the CEP, while pursuing expeditiously the other
elements of Resolution 822.

Clearly, this also absolutely requires that the Government steel itself
immediately to take the hard decisions now on Reparations and on a shortlist
of significant actions to begin meaningfully to implement its other
obligations under Resolutions 806 and 822.

Now is the time. With each day of delay the costs for the Government and for
the country go up.


Thank you Mr. Chairman.

http://www.oas.org/library/mant_speech/speech.asp?sCodigo=02-0484



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