22517: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Coalition seeks social change (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Sun, Jun. 27, 2004


HAITI


Coalition seeks social change

A Haiti-based coalition calling for social change found a listening audience
in South Florida. Still, the challenges of convincing all Haitians to
sign-on remains great.

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES

jcharles@herald.com


In a country where a minority control most of the wealth, and family name
and color often define class, their challenge is a tough one: Convincing
their fellow Haitians they are ready to help create economic opportunities
and social access in the hemisphere's poorest country after 200 years.

''Haiti has been a society of exclusion and disparities,'' said Edmond
Dupuy, a retired Haitian businessman and member of Group 184, the
Port-au-Prince-based organization that helped oust former Haitian President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide earlier this year. ``It's also been a society of
suspicion. Today we have to build a society of trust.''

But building trust and tolerance in a highly polarized society where the
elite has long been despised and criticized for what some consider a lack of
civic involvement won't be easy, as Dupuy and others learned Saturday.

Members of Group 184, a coalition of 184 groups that united in Haiti to
force changes under Aristide, spent three hours inside an auditorium at
Barry University discussing their vision of a post-Aristide Haiti.

'NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT' That vision, outlined in a document the group calls
the ''New Social Contract,'' asks for all Haitians to unite to remove social
and economic barriers and create a new nation where diversity in color,
class and political thought is respected.

While the audience of 200 Haitian Americans included many of the so-called
bourgeoisie, it lacked many of the skeptics and critics. For instance,
noticeably absent from the room, were South Florida's Haitian-American
elected officials, and many of the activists who have championed the causes
of Haitian migrants and other less privileged Haitians.

Outside: diehard Aristide supporters who shouted obscenities at those inside
and beat drums. Though they numbered only about three dozen, they represent
some of Group 184's toughest audience both inside and outside of Haiti, as
the coalition attempts to convince all Haitians that now is the time to
truly create parity in the country.

''They murdered democracy in Haiti,'' said Lucie Tondreau, an Aristide
supporter. ``No death contract. You cannot have democracy with a coup
d'etat.''

`CARAVAN OF HOPE'

Saturday's meeting at Barry University was part of Group 184's ''Caravan of
Hope'' campaign, which visits Orlando today. While Saturday's discussion was
lively and informative, it was clear that Group 184 has its work cut as it
hopes to rebuild the momentum it had prior to Aristide's Feb. 29 ouster and
win over converts.

''This is the responsible elite,'' declared coalition member Yannick Lahens.
``The Social Contract is an ambitious project, but we are not afraid. It
will effectively bring about a cultural revolution.''

In order to revolutionize Haiti, however, the coalition must remain outside
of politics so that it can push for good governance and change, said Andy
Apaid Jr., coalition leader. ''We will not become a political party,'' said
Apaid, who insisted that they will not endorse any presidential candidate.

Abel Zephir, who has lived in Miami for more than 20 years, said despite
Apaid's assertions that the coalition's motives are not political, he cannot
ignore the fact that Group 184 remains one of the most powerful groups in
Haiti today, and it was its radicalism that toppled Aristide.

``The private sector and the people must come to a decision on how to
govern. It cannot be done half way.''

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