23560: LOCCM: Re: 23552: Severe: Reply to 23538/ Adding to the Tedium

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: LOCCM@aol.com
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I am not involved in politics in Haiti in any way but would like to
comment on
one issue that you touched on and that is "popular mandate".  I have
thousands
of friends in Haiti since I spend so much time there, but do not know even
one
person who would welcome former president Aristide back.  They might
complain
about the present situation but still do not want to return to the
sutuation
that existed before Aristide was "kidnapped".  A few hundred or thousand
criminals who rob and kill with guns provided by a previous administration
can
cause havoc and make it look like the popular sentiment favors Aristides
return.  The popular mandate is conprised of millions of oppressed
individuals
striving to find enough food today for themselves and their families.
They are
invisible because they are not in the streets rioting or even
demonstrating.
Their voice is not heard but in sheer numbers they overwhelm the few who
used
to get paid to do Aristides bidding and now are desparate because they
have no
income other than money stolen.  They realize that their only hope is for
Aristide to return and resume paying them.  They are willing to do
ANYTHING to
see this happen.  The uninformed would say "they just need to get jobs
like the
rest of us".  Those of us living in Haiti know that this is a sad joke.
John Ba Mwe