14728: Hermantin: Miami-Herald Editorial-TWO-TRACK HAITI POLICY (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Miami-Herald Editorial



Posted on Fri, Feb. 07, 2003

TWO-TRACK HAITI POLICY
CONGRESSIONAL, WHITE HOUSE ACTION NEEDED

The federal government, in a report last week, acknowledged that the Haitian
government had ''failed demonstrably'' to fight drug trafficking. The report
noted that President Jean-Bertrand Aristide even failed to remove several
police officers linked to drugs who were identified by U.S. anti-drug
agents. The report is just the latest sign of Haiti's failed political
system.

Nevertheless, the U.S. government continues to insist that the dysfunctional
Aristide government cooperate with the United States in the fight against
drugs. That's not going to happen without a different approach that includes
helping the government overcome its ineptness.

The same can be said of the Bush administration's policy toward Haitian
asylum seekers. The policy is designed to discourage people from leaving the
island. But the White House does little to change the conditions that force
Haitians to flee their country. Thus, in both instances, the
administration's goals are at odds with its actions.

Despite Mr. Aristide's early promise as a populist, democratic leader, his
government has slipped into a familiar pattern of violent political turmoil
that has been the hallmark of nearly every government since Haiti achieved
independence almost 200 years ago.

The signs of political unrest are everywhere. Political violence dominates
every aspect of Haitian life, from cradle to grave. In a report released
yesterday, ''Refugee Policy Adrift,'' the Women's Commission for Refugee
Women & Children says that U.S. policy is making Haiti's bad situation
worse. The report documents the slow collapse of Haiti's fledgling
democracy, marked by an escalation in recent years in political violence and
human-rights abuses. The upheaval is creating a crisis that could lead to an
exodus of Haitians from the island, warns the report.

Yet, U.S. policy punishes Haitians fleeing the violence with interdictions,
arbitrary and lengthy detentions, expedited hearings and denial of full
access to the U.S. asylum process. The report notes that Haitian women and
children refugees have often been subjected to the same harsh treatments as
men. South Floridians already are familiar with the details that support the
report's conclusion. More than 200 Haitians picked up since December 2001
remain in detention; only a handful have been granted asylum.

At the same time the White House refuses to offer Haitians or the Haitian
government anything other than token assistance. In addition to being the
wrong approach, the U.S. policy is discriminatory. No other asylum seekers
are subjected to the same treatment as Haitians.

It's true that some refugees may be fleeing Haiti because of its desperate
poverty. But political violence has increased dramatically, and many
refugees flee for fear of government persecution, just as they do in Cuba,
Venezuela and other countries.

The U.S. policy is cruel, duplicitous and wrong. Congress and the Bush
administration should review and fix the policy so that it matches U.S.
goals for transparency and democracy.







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