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[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com

The Daily Camera
http://www.dailycamera.com
 
Haiti — a challenge or opportunity?

By Karen Ashmore and Karl Ferguson
March 3, 2004

Supporting democracy — isn't that what the United States stands for?
In Haiti, the first independent black republic in our hemisphere, the
U.S. seems to continue to fall short in its motto. In this 200th year
of celebrating its independence, Haiti finds itself again embroiled
in political turmoil that has left over 70 people dead and hundreds
injured in the past few months.

The administration of Jean Bertrand Aristide was elected in 1990 and
again in 2000.The political stalemate dates back to elections in 2000
that were contested by the opposition as unfair. No independent group
has ever proved the elections were rigged. The opposition, which has
no cohesive platform, has one agenda and that is the removal of
Aristide. Aristide was elected by the people and last week said he
will serve out the rest of his term which runs until February 2006.
Last weekend, he fled to Afrida. The opposition has argued that they
will not come to the bargaining table until Aristide resigns. With
the opposition not having a viable candidate to replace him or
pronouncing their position on how they would run the country, many
fear after Aristide left, there would likely be a power vacuum with a
return to martial law.

When Aristide was run out of the country in 1991 by a military
takeover, he ended up being put back into power by the U.S. in 1994.
He dismantled the military and put in place a police force of 5,000
to uphold the law in a country of 8 million people. The U.S. was
supposed to train and arm the police force but Congress cut that
funding, some say forcing Aristide to look elsewhere for protection.
Over the past few years the government has funded thug groups for
protection and intimidation. One of the leaders of these groups in
Gonaive was killed, most people believe, by the government last
September. Since then, Gonaive, the fourth largest town in Haiti, has
had constant demonstrations which culminated two weeks ago when rebel
forces stormed the police station and took over the city. Since then
this rebel uprising has spread to a number of other towns, including
Cap Haitien, the second largest city in this embattled country.

We can't support democracy part-time in this country. We helped a
democratically elected president return to power and then we failed
in following up with the support and means for Aristide to run the
country. Whereas the current government has been guilty of many
crimes, a major one is suppression of anti-government sentiment. As
we know _ true democracy should allow for people to voice their
opinions whatever they may be. The opposition has also been guilty of
human rights abuses but this is where grassroots democracy comes into
play.

The Lambi Fund of Haiti has been supporting the popular democratic
movement in Haiti since 1994. Lambi Fund's mission is to support
communities as they administer small-scale development projects to
address their communities' needs and improve their standard of
living. These projects give members the chance to rise out of poverty
and to voice their opinions in the larger society. Lambi does not
support political parties but supports communities in helping them
realize their potential and worth.

We can't afford not to support the democratic process in countries
like Haiti, but we also can't do it haphazardly when it suits our
needs. We need to focus on fair trade policies with our global south
partners as well as assisting governments in developing all the forms
of government to allow for a democratic system to flourish. As
individuals, we need to support organizations that help teach
democracy from the ground up.

Submitted by Karl Ferguson, a resident of Louisville and the
Executive Director of the Lambi Fund of Haiti, and Karen Ashmore, a
resident of Broomfield and the Associate Director of the Lambi Fund.
The Lambi Fund is an international organization founded in 1994. Find
out more at www.lambifund.org.

Copyright 2004, The Daily Camera. All Rights Reserved.
.