18003: (Arthur) Haitian Times editorial - "let the democratic process run its course" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Editorial - The Haitian Times - 14 January 2004

The Heat is on

For about a month now, Haiti has seen weekly protests whose numbers are
swelling by the week. While tens of thousands take to the streets, what is more
telling is the tens of thousands more who stand on roofs to applaud and to drop
water for the people. We believe that the marches would be larger and more
significant if the government would allow the students and the political
opposition to choose their routes. The police, controlled by the government, refuse to
allow the marches to go through the poor neighborhoods as a way to discredit
the opposition as a "tiny elite minority" with no popular support.

While the leadership and some of the marchers are indeed from the upper
class, a great number of folks are from the masses and more are likely to join. The
government knows that and is doing its best to ensure that the marches fizzle
or are discredited. The opposition is resolute and appears determined to keep
the heat on until Aristide resigns.

We don’t believe that the President’s departure would be the best thing for
the country. At this point, the opposition has managed to do a formidable
task, weakening Aristide. This is something that seemed impossible even two months
ago. Now that they have leveled the field somewhat, the opposition must let
the democratic process run its course despite what they may think of the
government. We have said many times that the problem in Haiti doesn’t rest on the
shoulders of one individual and that Aristide’s departure is insignificant. In
any case, it doesn’t appear that the embattled Aristide will go anywhere unless
he’s leaving for a state visit, as he did this week for Mexico.

The opposition should seize on this opportunity to structure itself so that
come election time, they will have the organization and political apparatus to
offer a true alternative to Lavalas. As it is right now, Lavalas’ structure is
tenuous at best and centers around one man, Jean Bertrand Aristide. We
believe in democracy and at this junction, Haiti appears be crossing the road in the
right direction.