18030: erzilidanto: Ltr to editor responding to Dewine piece (Miami Herald) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Erzilidanto@aol.com

Miami Herald

January 17, 2004

Letter to the Editor

Haiti's reality

U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine in his Jan. 13 Other Views column, "New policies needed
-- or leadership change", squarely blames Jean-Bertrand Aristide for the
political quagmire in Haiti. DeWine's approach is irresponsible and could fuel
more political violence.

Haiti has an astronomical unemployment rate. Some people with little in their
wallets can foment trouble to advance their agenda. Does political violence
fit the government's agenda or that of opposition groups?

An unbiased approach would address the roots of the problem, but not call for
a coup d'etat or, euphemistically, leadership change. As long as every
political party leader is also the chief executive of a nongovernmental organization
receiving hefty foreign donations, and as long as playing victim of the
current government can facilitate a U.S visa, faking political persecution will
remain an incentive.

DeWine says that many parents are too fearful to send their children to
school. He fails to mention, however, that those who call to boycott schools
drop
off their kids each morning at the exclusive schools, such as Sacred Heart.

Dewine's frequent trips to Haiti should have given him a better picture of
the situation there.

BRUNEL DOMINIQUE, Miami Shores