24186: Senou: (discuss) The Haitian dilemma (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Senou <senou@yahoo.com>

The Haitian dilemma

Various Emissaries are voicing their concerns about
the Haitian crisis and many said that the problem of
Haiti is not military but economic. If the Haitian
Diaspora were organized, we could have come to the
rescue of the Haitian people back home.

 The two latest natural disasters that hit Haiti
recently had added to the misery of the Haitian
people, Haiti has been a disaster area for over 200
years and after seeing the response to the tsunami
disaster and the European response to the Ukraine
contested election, the Haitian people got the message
crystal clear. In Ukraine, France and many other
European countries sent diplomats; in Haiti, they sent
“Batons”, gas lacrymogene and soldiers.  We are not
being seen as partners but as former slaves.

Haiti is on the verge of becoming the next Lebanon in
the region and every single element is present to make
the land of Toussaint Louverture “A no-man land”. Who
is responsible? Great question but wrong time. If we
are not careful, we are running the risk of having
foreign troops in Haiti for the next decade and their
presence are not going to reduce the insecurity
phenomenon. Haiti does not have a military problem but
an economic dilemma and the world has no plan to bail
us out. Brazil, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina and many
other countries are voicing their frustration but they
cannot really assist us economically.

In order to solve a problem, on needs to identify it
but what happen when the person is indeed the problem.

Haiti and South Africa could have become the two best
buddies in the world since both face the same
problems. South Africa has responsible leaders and the
Haitian people are still looking for a leader.

The world was prepared for a bloodbath after Nelson
Mandela emerged from jail and became the first
President of the post apartheid era in South Africa.
Those who believe in revenge had many reasons to be
concerned, but personal vendetta can destroy a
community, a state or a country and we are witnessing
it in Haiti today and in our respective community in
the U.S. and Canada. The first gesture Mandela did as
he was getting out of jail was to shake hand with a
person who used to mistreat him.

One man or one person can make a difference. Today,
South Africa is not a no-man land because of its
leaders. Nelson Mandela did not seek revenge to the
contrary he had created a Reconciliation Commission.
I thought that this current Haitian administration
that landed in Haiti from nowhere could have put aside
any animosity toward each other and unify the Haitian
people.

A reconciliation commission similar to South Africa
should have been created and give a general amnesty to
all Haitians and ipso facto give the country a second
chance. Unfortunately, the Haitian people live in the
past and they are not willing to forgive one another.

After the departure of the former Haitian president, a
coalition government with the protagonists inside
Haiti should have been created with all parties.
Remember, anyone rejected may become a danger for any
system; therefore, we shall include everyone. The
current Haitian President made the right call in
asking the deposed president to play a role in helping
reducing the insecurity phenomenon and I urge the
Haitian inside Haiti and the Diaspora to put aside
their indifferences and work together for the well
being of Haiti.

At this present moment: Successful congressional and
presidential elections are Haiti’s best hope

As a Democrat, I believe election is the only way to
change government or elected officials in a democratic
country. We need to stay away from emotion and deal
with the present situation as it is and not as we wish
it to be. A civil war is in our doorsteps and may be a
credible election may prevent the “inevitable” from
taking place in the land of Toussaint Louverture.
Again, the election may prevent a civil war but it is
not going to resolve the eternal problem of Haiti that
has not yet been addressed.

We are in a situation that does not benefit anyone;
our country is occupied in the year that marked our
200 years of independence. It is not the time to lay
blame on anyone but we shall together find a peaceful
way to remedy the situation and regain our
independence.

The Haitian Diaspora has not yet organized itself in
the United States and Canada and in various parts of
the world and consequently it cannot assist Haiti in
this fragile moment and this is due to our behavior
and mentality. During the “congrès of Arcahais” on May
18, 1803, there were educated people present but they
chose Dessalines who did not know how to read and
write as their sole leader and He accomplished his
task successfully. Each of you has something that you
can do better than anyone else and none of us is a
“Toutist”. We have tons of educated people and why we
are in this mess. Many Haitians succeeded in the U.S.
and Canada and group these Haitians together the
OUTCOME is not going to be different from what we are
experiencing today.  My friends, in order to be a good
leader you must be a good follower since leadership is
a learning behavior.  We have hundreds of Haitian
organizations or clubs in the U.S., Canada and many
other countries and most of them have the same mission
on paper. Now, why they cannot team-up and create a
link among them and in that process create a greater
Haiti in the Diaspora. We all can learn from each
other and we all can bring something positive to
assist first our community and then the motherland. We
cannot talk about helping Haiti if we cannot assist
those people who are struggling in our communities in
the U.S. and Canada.

Today, we can say that the difference between you and
the others are too big and therefore, there is no need
to join force. The protagonists in Haiti said the same
thing and today the country is occupied.  It is about
time for Haitians to learn and understand the language
of compromise.  Today if there is something pertinent
to communicate to Haitian only in New York, Miami,
Atlanta or your area, which organization that has a
link with all the others in your respective area? Your
answer is I don’t know. Now, go ask the Jews the same
question, they will send you to the Jewish Federation
of Greater Atlanta or NY, or NJ, or Boston, or Miami,
or Tampa.

I know that there are some people that you will never
want to talk to directly and today you may regret from
ever meeting them. They did you wrong and they may
talk negatively about you behind your back. They may
try to undermine you and they are today your worst
nightmare. Today, I invite you to initiate contact and
use the back door diplomacy, you will need these folks
and do not try to avoid or ignore them. Most of
organizations within the same city are born out of
conflicts and they provide the same service. The new
comers may tend to ask this question: why they do not
join force? And this is where I ask each and everyone
to be more tolerant toward one another. We all made
mistakes and we all said stuffs that we were not
supposed to say in the past. We do not understand how
to protect a friendship even though we met in most new
cities as adults.  And now, I bring this dimension,
which I call Respect and if we respect each other, we
can become more tolerant toward one another other, and
we will be able to compromise among us.

Today, we need action; frankly, we have been talking
for the past 200 years and by now we have a Ph. D. in
talking and not even starting grade school in action.
And nothing will be done without taking concrete steps
to normalize the relations between you in your people
in your respective community. The Jewish Federation of
Greater Atlanta is not an organization with friends
only; it is ideal to be among friends only but
according Matthieu 5:46-7 Si vous aimez ceux qui vous
aiment, quelle récompense métritez-vous? Les
publicains aussi n’agissent-ils pas de même? 46 Et si
vous saluez seulement vos frères? Que faites-vous
d’extraordinaire? Les païens aussi n’agissent-ils pas
de même? Et pour conclure Mat 5:43-44 vous avez appris
qu’il a été dit: Tu aimeras ton prochain et tu haïra
to ennemi. 44 Mais moi, je vous dis:< Aimez vos
ennemis, bénissez ceux qui vous maudissent, faites du
bien à ceux qui vous haïssent et priez pour ceux qui
vous maltraitent et qui vous persécutent>

(Now before you go regional or national, establish a
link or seek tie first with the willing people within
your respective community and together we will connect
Atlanta, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, New
Orleans, Montreal, Paris, Dakkar, Boston, Los Angeles,
Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville, Chicago and so
on: do not come alone (Coalition only))

Joseph Alfred
P.O. BOX 1022
Douglasville, GA 30133-1022
Email: joe_Alfred@yahoo.com
Sunday, January 30, 2005





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