20720: Ives: Re: 20647: McCalla: Haiti: What of the Rule of Law? (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: K. M. Ives <kives@toast.net>

McCalla's statement is one of the most absurd things I've read in a long
time. He says:

"We strongly condemn the unholy alliance which the interim government has
struck with the Gonaïves rebels. We note that such unholy alliances, in
place since 1994 when President Aristide returned from exile, have weakened
rather than strengthened law enforcement and governmental authority. We note
with alarm the apparent acquiescence of international community
representatives to a wrong-headed strategy that among other things increases
the risks to international peacekeepers."

Who is he KIDDING? The UNHOLY ALLIANCE is exactly what the U.S.
("international peacekeepers") concocted to drive Aristide from power! It's
OPEN CONNIVANCE not "apparent acquiescence" of the U.S. and its allies.

McCalla continues:

"We call on the transitional Haitian government to reverse course and state
forthrightly that criminality and warlordism have no place in Haitian
society, and to take the steps necessary to re-establish state authority.
This includes an aggressive disarmament campaign with the active support of
international peacekeepers and police forces. We call on Haiti's
international allies to also disassociate themselves with thugs and to
redouble efforts at peacebuilding by committing more troops and accelerating
their deployment to the country."

Reverse course? Disassociate themselves? Oppose criminality and warlordism?
It's precisely through criminality and warlordism that the current de facto
government came into power, for Chrissakes! Re-establish state authority?
Good luck after they've pumped tons of guns and thousands of dollars into
the slums to whip up the most desperate strata against the government. Let's
see them put that genie back in the bottle. Finally McCalla calls for a
BIGGER OCCUPATION of Haiti, rather than for Haiti's self-determination. And
this in the bicentennial of Haiti's independence.

The call I heard the large Haitian contingent at the massive March 20 march
in NYC was "US and France, Out of Haiti!" That seems more appropriate. I
think the "international community" has done quite enough.

Kim Ives