19395: Raber: Thought on the morning news (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: P&M Raber <raber@valkyrie.net>

I woke up this morning and did what I have immediately done the last 10 days
or so: checked the morning news on Haiti.  There were images of armed
Aristide supporters riding in Garbage trucks, SUV's and pick ups leading the
violence and looting in PORT-AU-PRINCE.    I though Aristide was still in
charge in Port-au-Prince?  I thought all the police had fled to Port?  I
thought all the CIMO's were in Port?   In the past few years, whenever there
were some violent incidents in Haiti,, it was always blamed on some sort of
"opposition" trying to make the government look bad.    Today, I think the
entire world is seeing what all of those living in Haiti have been seeing
all along:   The government gangs have been responsible for most of the
crime in the cities all these years.   Aristide would always find a way to
condemn the  violence but justify the behavior behind it.  Today, he has the
guts to blame the civil society and convergence for saying the same thing
about the rebels.  The difference is that a few years ago, the chimere would
have listened to Aristide to stop while today, the political opposition has
no authority over the rebels up North.   Today, I don't believe that
Aristide has any power over those chimere anymore.  how does he expect to
become a person of authority in Haiti (if the blans help him), if he can't
even control Port-au-Prince?

These last few years, he systematically ignored all the recommendations by
foreign countries and the civil society for changes to be made in the
country (excuse: he is the president elected by 75% of the people and father
knows best).  He has publicly blamed the US and France over and over again
for all the ills of Haiti.  A real diplomat and leader knows that private
thought need to be kept inside.   The key to leading a country is to include
everyone no matter what your personal feelings are about them.  SURPRISE,
SURPRISE!  Today the political opposition in Haiti will no longer make a
deal and the BLANS are not coming in to save Aristide's skin.

In the late 1990's already, I was in Port-Salut, Aristide birth place.  I
always enjoy talking to locals wherever I go.  The conversation eventually
turned to Aristide and the locals angrily said "don't bring up this man's
name".  I got similar comments many other places in the country side.  One
man even suggested that the ills of the country were the fault of the upper
class because of their failure to use their money to pay their own chimere
to overthrow the Lavalas government.  His supporters were generally young
men ages 16 to 25 with little of not schooling.   Aristide has lost support
outside of Port-au-Prince long time ago which is why all those towns fell so
easily.   In Port, his support is in the slums.  Any Haitian who has a job
(even in APAID's sweatshops)  is mot likely wanting him out so their life
can have a chance to get better. Anyone living outside the republic of
Port-au-Prince wants him out.   Some may still like him but want him out.
Everyone sees that there is no future with him.   Arisde's advisers
(including the congressional black caucus) need to be honest with him.  What
you want to do and what you must do are not the same.   With Mildred beeing
American, Aristide can in just a few years be an American and run for office
to contribute his extreme talent to the congretional black caucus.