18049: Esser: Opposition leaders responsible for Haiti's political violence (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dominique Esser <torx@joimail.com>

The Miami Herald
Opinion
Posted on Tue, Jan. 20, 2004

Opposition leaders responsible for Haiti's political violence

The Jan. 12 article Aristide scolds armed backers neglects to mention the
role of the opposition coalitions, Democratic Convergence and Group 184, in
perpetuating the current volatile political situation.

The story notes that the opposition has refused to participate in balloting
because of concerns about fraud. However, the ''fraud'' consisted of a
technical disagreement over whether eight senatorial candidates in the May
2000 legislative election should have advanced to a run-off election.

Seven of these senators have since resigned at Aristide's urging. The
opposition leaders continue to brandish the claim of fraud to block progress
toward elections simply because they know that they have no chance of
victory. A U.S.-sponsored poll in 2000 showed only a 4-percent credibility
rating for the opposition leadership.

The opposition's unprincipled intransigence has plunged Haiti into
stalemate, creating widespread resentment among Aristide supporters at the
paralysis of the democratically elected government and producing a political
standoff that is ripe for violence.

Blame for the current unrest must be placed where it is deserved. If
opposition leaders truly want to see the end of the recent violence, they
should stop blaming President Aristide for it.

Instead, they should announce their willingness to proceed immediately to
parliamentary elections.

JESSICA LEIGHT, research fellow, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, Washington,
D.C.

© 2004 The Miami Herald and wire service sources.
All Rights Reserved.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/7750474.htm