14706: Vilaire: Haiti Nouvel Ordre Unitaire (HAITI NOU)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Vilaire@aol.com
----------------------------------------

"Yo" is gone; please leave "Nou" alone!

Excuse my tardiness in responding to the latest "initiative" presented
under
the guise of a certain HAITI NOU. It seems to me that this so-called idea
(a la
Gerard Gourgue for President) has found its rightful place in the dustbin,
and
that's for the good and well-being of us all. In the unsigned document,
there
are all sorts of grand references to transparency, responsibility, honesty
and
blah, blah, blah. Yet, the initiators of this document lack the basic
courage
to identify themselves. All this, mind you, is done in the name of a very
mysterious "We" (Nou).

Sadly, this is reminiscent of how the pronoun "They" (Yo) has been
misused,
vandalized, bastardized, and ultimately stripped of any significance. "Yo"
is
almost universally reserved for gossiping, spreading rumors and dispensing
the
ever-present Zin: Yo di (they say); Yo mechan (they are wicked); Yo kraze,
yo
boule (they crush and burn). Under the banner of "Yo," anyone can do and
say
anything, with the full knowledge that s/he will be guarded by the mask of
anonymity.
Now, I'm afraid the much valued and respected "We" (Nou) is under attack,
and
may suffer the same brutal fate as the much maligned "They" (Yo).

We read from the HAITI NOU document:

      2. WE, by all accounts, proclaim Haiti a collapsed state...
      3. WE, by recalling that Mr. Aristide is holding on to a mandate he
      acquired
      under rigged conditions...
      4. WE, as responsible citizens, therefore, collectively, resolve to
      impose
      on Mr. Aristide his resignation...
      5. WE, seek to put in place a new political and economic order in
      the
      country...



Finally, we get a hint as to who might be lurking behind this scheme, but
it's
not totally clear:

      8. ...A transition team to be formed comprising of no more than 5
      members to
      assume... the day-to-day care of the nation.  Members
      of the team are to be drawn one each from the following
      organization/
entity, namely, Initiative Societe Civile, Union Patriotique,
      Convergence
      Democratique, Organization of Peuple en Lutte, and Police
      Nationale.



Excuse me, but if you're motivated by a real desire for unity and
inclusiveness
don't you think this "team" is devoid of representation? To say nothing of
other political parties (PPN, Fanmi Lavalas, MIDH), this "team" includes
no
representation from peasant associations, women's groups and labor rights
groups. Also, isn't a bit disingenuous to include members from the CD (a
coalition) as well as members from OPL, the primary group within the CD?
By the
way, you forgot to include representatives from the U.S. Embassy and
IRI...

Look, I understand it's a free world and all of us are at liberty to do
anything, but please, amend this document so that, if for no other reason,
the
much respected, elegant and responsible "Nou" does not follow the path of
its
colleague "Yo."

Best Regards,
Marx-Vilaire