19053: Esser: US Should Play Productive Role In Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. E s s e r <torx@joimail.com>

02.23.04 @ 12:30 p.m.

The Sacramento Observer
http://www.sacobserver.com

US Should Play Productive Role In Haiti

By Bill Fletcher Jr.
SACOBSERVER.COM WIRE SERVICES

(NNPA) - I have no idea how the Haitian crisis will unfold by the
time that you read these words. At press time, rebels had overran
Cap-Haiten, Haiti's second-largest city, and were preparing to attack
the capital city of Port-au-Prince. A contingent of U.S. Marines had
been dispatched to protect the U.S. Embassy there.

The current crisis involves a very diverse and contradictory
opposition movement demanding the ouster of the duly-elected
President of Haiti: Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

In one sense, this crisis is one that has emerged since the
parliamentary elections of 2000. In another sense, this crisis is one
that has been playing out since the first election of President
Aristide in 1990.

Though democratically elected, President Aristide was overthrown in
1991 by forces representing the old dictatorial regime. A brutal
military dictatorship took power, crushing all dissent. In the face
of international pressure, the Clinton administration brought about
the return of President Aristide and the restoration of democratic
rule. The old regime, however, never fully accepted the change in
their circumstances.

The current situation emerged when President Aristide successfully
ran for another term of office several years later. Problems emerged
surrounding several contested seats in Parliament. Ironically, even
if these seats had been won by anti-Aristide forces, it would not
have changed the balance of power in Haiti. Nevertheless,
anti-Aristide forces cried "foul" and began a campaign to remove him
from office. Interestingly, on these and many other challenges, the
forces around President Aristide were ultimately willing to
compromise. Over the weekend, Aristide offered to share power with
some of his detractors.

Compromise has not seemed to be the modus operandi of much of the
opposition. Each time that President Aristide has agreed to
compromises aimed at resolving the growing tension, the official
opposition seems to raise the bar, demanding even more and greater
concessions.

This situation is not assisted by President Aristide himself and many
of the people around him. Policies, such as privatization, which were
ultimately stopped, alienated sections of his base. Human rights
abuses have been carried out while Aristide has been on watch, either
directly or indirectly connected to his political party (Famni
Lavalas). Some trade unionists have found themselves under attack by
government forces, both detained and harassed. At a minimum, there
are rogue elements associated with the government and party that are
presently out of control. At worse, a blind eye is being turned to
these abuses.

Aristide continues to enjoy considerable, if not majority support in
Haiti. He continues to be seen as the champion of the dispossessed,
the major reason for the support that he has gained not only in
Haiti, but overseas as well.

The other side - the opposition - simply wants Aristide out. They
have now been joined, or have themselves instigated, armed attacks
against the government in what may be a lead up to a full-scale civil
war. It is hard to believe that such a war would be anything but
extremely bloody.

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, the Bush administration has not
taken a neutral position on developments. Its attitude has ranged
from being chilly to being outright hostile to President Aristide. As
anyone who has followed events is keenly aware, the U.S. blocked
efforts to release more than $300 million in loans that Haiti
desperately needed. The rationale - and if this is not ironic coming
from the Bush administration, nothing is - concerned the election
irregularities in the 2000 parliamentary elections.

Thus, rather than working with both sides to find a mutually
acceptable solution to the heightening political crisis, the Bush
administration has, through its actions, been encouraging the
opposition to be obstinate. As long as the opposition can view the
U.S. as a potential ally against Aristide, their resolve is
strengthened to lengthen the crisis. The only possible objective of
such a course would be to provoke a military intervention by either
the U.S. or the Organization of American States. Under no condition
should such an intervention be permitted.

Haiti has been the U.S.'s outhouse for nearly 200 years, subject to
isolation, intimidation, invasions and domination, all because the
African slaves on that land, under the leadership of Toussaint
L'Ouverture, rose up and ousted the French colonizers. The Haitian
people need to be encouraged to work out their issues themselves, and
not based upon whether a U.S. bayonet is pointed at their collective
throats. If the Bush administration wishes to be helpful, they can
begin by offering Haiti - the poorest country in the Western
Hemisphere - a major foreign aid package to assist that country with
infrastructure development, public health, education and economic
construction. They could additionally offer unbiased mediation of the
current crisis.

Secretary of State Powell has said that no coup should take place in
Haiti, and that the U.S. government does not favor such a
development. This is an excellent statement, though at odds with the
Bush administration's multi-year hostile and finger-pointing stand
toward President Aristide.

Let's hope, however, that Secretary Powell truly speaks for the
administration on the issue this time. Let's also go one step further
and insist that the U.S. keep its hands off of Haiti.

Bill Fletcher Jr. is president of TransAfrica Forum, a Washington,
D.C.-based non-profit educational and organizing center formed to
raise awareness in the United States about issues facing the nations
and peoples of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. He also is
co-chair of the anti-war coalition, United for Peace and Justice
(www.unitedforpeace.org). He can be reached at
bfletcher@transafricaforum.org.
	 
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