16509: Senou: 12 Days to Go (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Senou <senou@yahoo.com>

 12 Days to Go

We waste our valuable energy in complaining and
blaming others. Instead, we need to use that energy to
do something “Good” and “Positive”.   It is easy to
blame others for our failure. We live life forward and
no matter what happened in the past, we would continue
to live it forward. Now it is up to you not to live
“dans l’irréalité du présent”. It is up to you to stop
dreaming and fantasizing on how life could have been.
Yes, our ancestors did accomplish something in their
era and we are a living proof of their efforts. Haiti
is born out of a Union.

On May 18,1803, you can celebrate the Flag and ignore
the signification of that important date, but myself I
believe from the bottom of my heart that my ancestors
did the ultimate sacrifice to leave us this country
that used to be called the Pearle of the Caribbean.
For those who are old today and incapable of reversing
the course, you are not responsible, and do not blame
yourselves. No one can seriously blame a single
individual for this harsh misery and for our state of
poverty.

Today we have to accept the fact that we fail as a
nation and need to get together to start something
new. Yes, we can go back somewhere in our history and
try to replicate what our grandparents had
accomplished.  And we do not have to go too far to
resolve the most
pressing problem about the 2000 congressional
election.

In 1990, the CEP of Sabala organized the first free
and fair election in the free world; therefore, no
country in the world can dictate to us or tell us how
to organize a presidential or congressional election.
We have credible people in Haiti who can reiterate
that exploit.

The behavior and the action of most Haitian leaders
make us look like a bunch of fools who don’t know what
we are doing; this is sad and pitiful.  Clearly, there
were irregularities in the last congressional
election. They are supposed to have a redo in the
affected areas only. Period. And move on.  A few days
ago, someone asked a question on Corbett’s list: After
so and so, who else? Plenty.  People die all the time.
 Are you going to tell me that if you die you are not
going to have a replacement? Nonsense. Not only are
there plenty, you might find a better one. Will there
be a candidate that is going to act like a democrat
and not going to fill his/her pocket? Well we have an
answer to that question. Yes indeed, Nissage Saget of
Saint Marc and Dumarsais Estimé were the first two
democratic presidents of Haiti. And we have a lot more
who are currently living in Haiti who can put in place
a democratic regime. What you see going on right now
in Haiti will come to a past.

For instance, the former Haitian army had some good
folks who were doing their job: General Abraham, I
still call him general and he is a general. Commander
Raoul Guillaume and Ramice Saint-vil of Ouanaminthe, I
still call them as they are supposed to be called, and
when Haiti is ready to put in place some structure,
they have to call these folks and many more. Despite
what you heard about the Police National, there are
some
Good officers who are doing their job.

It is the same thing in the US, Canada, France, and so
on. You expect to have bad apples everywhere. Police
brutality is common in the U.S. Lately you saw a
police officer slam a small boy on the police patrol
automobile, and the Jury found him not guilty. This is
Bachelor in Sciences at its best.  You have the Rodney
King saga, Mr. Raymond a Haitian immigrant who was
killed in NY and they released his juvenile record,
which is
illegal, and so on. Drugs disappeared in the police
precinct in Miami and many other places.  Police set
people up.  Clearly, there is no difference between
police officers in Haiti and the United States. There
are plenty of good ones and a bunch of rotten apples
everywhere.

This is another story

Haiti is an independent country in the world of
Nations. It is a member of the United Nations, the OAS
and the Caricom; therefore, it would be in Haiti’s
best interest to respect the international norm.

In 1991, after the coup de force against a citing
president, the United Nation voted to return that
president to power. It took three years, but it was
done. After the 2000 congressional election, there
were negotiations to remedy the situation, and OAS
voted resolution 822 that was accepted by the current
Haitian government, the Convergence and the
opposition. That resolution set some guidelines to
organize this upcoming election.

Pretty soon, the Haitian saga may spin out of control
and organizing an election outside 822 may spell
trouble. And this can lead to unintended consequences.

12 days to go and each sector is playing the
wait-and-see game and this is dangerous.
What is the General going to do? Will he find support
within his own administration? One thing remains
certain, nobody shall take lightly his warning and it
is a big mistake to do so. Did he speak for himself
when he made that announcement at the OAS meeting, or
did he deliver a message from his government?

12 days and counting, the people are waiting. What is
going to take place? Nobody knows. In the meantime,
average Haitian citizens are preparing for back to
school while some people are trying to avoid the
capital with the anticipation of a long summer.

This generation can spare the country from another
Humiliation. The world is not grateful to Haiti, and
Haitians are not taking at hands their
responsibilities. After organizing the first and free
election in the free world, nobody expects this
nonsense-taking place in Haiti. It was too good to be
true.  The first independent Black Country in the
world had organized the first free election in the
world in 1990. It was a chance and Haitians were not
prepared to make it a tradition.

Democracy works when people pay attention and
establishing a democratic system in Haiti.  With this
high level of illiteracy, it may be tough. Even the
United States is not a democratic country, but a
representative republic where the person who is going
to be the president is controlled by a few. The
founding father of the U.S. constitution did not want
the people to vote directly for the president, and to
prevent it, they put in place the Electoral College.
These folks after the election can vote for anyone and
it is legal. It is law of the land. The Californian
voters are going to remove Mr. Davis from office and a
famous star may have a chance to win; it is legal and
we must respect the constitution of the state of
California.

Haiti has its laws and we must respect them, and at
the same time, Haiti must respect international law
and international agreement. OAS charter does not
allow that organization to intervene military in any
country and this must be respected. At the same time
that organization does not have any intention to back
down and may decide to use Haiti as a test ground for
further conflicts. Remember, the United Nation was not
created to wage war but that organization is being
used to do just that.

4 months before celebrating its 200 years, and each
day is a new day. The Haitian crisis can spin out of
control at any given moment. In 12 days, we expect to
hear from the General or the OAS then we don’t know,
we just have to wait.

 Will the Haitian leaders in Haiti act in good faith
to assist Haiti? Will these current leaders from the
Opposition, the Government and the Convergence spare
us from another humiliation?  Can we see a last minute
surprise? Well it might take a miracle, but I strongly
believe that Haitians can pull up a big surprise. You
are the descendent of the “bravest” people in the face
of the earth. You are not just anyone, you are the
first black independent nation in the world, and you
are the second independent country on this continent.
Haitian people, show to the world that you are a
nation. Show the world that you can reiterate what
your (our) ancestors had done 200 years ago. Today,
Haitians need to bypass personal interest and see the
country first.

Joseph Alfred, Educator
P.O. BOX 334
Smyrna, GA 30081


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