23168: (Hermantin) Miami-Herald-Stability of Haiti rests in international community's h (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

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Posted on Wed, Sep. 15, 2004


HAITI
Stability of Haiti rests in international community's hands




Answer from Dan Erikson, director for Caribbean projects at the
Inter-American Dialogue: It is becoming increasingly clear that the
international community is struggling to translate its promises of manpower,
money and commitment into a reality for Haiti. Without a greater commitment
of troops, the so-called ''illegitimate actors'' that preside over much of
Haiti are almost certainly here to stay. Sadly, however, the security
shortcomings are likely to be replicated soon in the economic arena. Last
July, the international community promised Haiti an eye-popping $1.3 billion
in foreign aid. It is not clear that the interim government and other
Haitian agencies have the capacity to absorb and utilize that money
effectively. As a result, the aid flow is likely to proceed slowly, thereby
undermining the Haitian government while allowing the armed groups and
criminals to further solidify their power base. In the meantime, many
ordinary Haitians are forced to scrape by on less than $2 a day.

>From Eddy Lagroue, president & CEO of Datasys International Inc. in Haiti:
There are many issues to consider when we refer to security in Haiti, as it
has several causes -- the most common one being poverty. Because of the
economic degradation and stagnation caused by the nation's poor governance,
the new, temporary government and the international community are facing a
series of challenges that should be addressed from many angles in order to
avoid another explosion and a threat to the peacekeeping force, which is
doing tremendous work in terms of stabilization. Nation-building projects
and additional troops for better territorial coverage are the two vital
components to have this country back on track while preparing for new
elections. One will not work without the other, as this country's violence
is more likely poverty-related than anything else. Both the economic support
and the present security forces are not enough, and if both are slow to
arrive more violence and instability will be on the horizon.

>From Diego Arria, a member of the Advisor board and director of the Columbus
Group: The truth is that the U.N. and the United States have helped to
shield the failings of the Latin American countries to assume, effectively
and honestly, their collective responsibilities within the inter-American
system. Haiti, after all, is in the Caribbean, not on some faraway
continent. Even though Haiti is part of the Americas, the general impression
in the region is that its problems are, and should essentially be, of
concern only to the United States. The fact that Haiti is a black republic
and also the poorest member of our community has everything to do with it.

Portions of Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor run each
Wednesday and Saturday.

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