27251: Vedrine (article): On Coalition of presidential candidates in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

“How much will Haiti benefit from a coalition of presidential candidates the 
eve of its presidential elections?”

Emmanuel W. VEDRINE,
December 2005

Not long ago in November, nine different candidates (from different political 
parties, some independent) got together in an official agreement to form a 
coalition with the goal to win the elections in the first or second round. 
Observers can ask a bunch of questions about such a strategy and why at this 
particular time.

The funny thing to take into consideration: is this coalition a strategy for 
the smart guys to get a piece of the cake? Here, nobody can deny that there is 
a sense of “unity”, but it is really to save Haiti? Going back to colonial 
times when the blacks, mulattoes, and the maroon military officers were 
fighting each other, Dessalines (truly in his heart) was trying his very best 
to show them that their common enemy was rather France and united them against 
that enemy. That “unity” the father of Haiti dreamed of, in a sense, had become 
Haiti’s motto “L’union fait la force” (Union is strength). At the same time, 
some of these high-ranking officers were also thinking of their own advantages 
(in the sense of what they would benefit after the Haitian Revolution).

Dessalines has quite a large social plan in mind that would also benefit 
everyone, and among his plan was to “pay back” the little soldiers who also 
fought fiercely in the “Bataille de Vertière” Battle (Nov. 18, 1803). Well, 
some (of these high ranking military officers) did not like Dessalines’ plan 
(such as “land reform” which would somehow empower the laymen). It did not 
please these men for they would lose certain benefits) and this somehow, 
contributed a great deal to Dessalines’ assassination on October 17, 1806.

So, why do these candidates wait at the eve of the presidential elections to 
form such a coalition? Why not some months ago? That’s somehow, reminds of us 
of the “Group 184” that rallied against Aristide in 2003, pressuring him to 
leave power (though the latter never wanted to) and then once Aristide was 
forced into exile (by the United States, France and Canada), the bond that 
existed among them for that sole purpose wasn’t there any longer, giving an 
idea that they were temporarily united for personnel advantages, but not to 
really solve Haiti’s problems since corrupted members of the elites (with 
economic power) who never try to help or to contribute to Haiti’s development 
were also part that that group. They, somehow, manipulated the mass to follow 
them, hoping that they would do something to better their economic situation.

Going back to the question related to these candidates, the answer is as clear 
as water: there is really no vision to save Haiti. Everyone feels that they are 
qualified to be president or this is the only post they can have to do 
something great in order to pull out Haiti from the cliff it has fallen. How 
long will this coalition last is quite an interesting question? The answer, 
without any doubt, would be “short” since the strategy is to have one of their 
candidates win the elections and then include members of their parties in the 
new government. Despite all, we can still see somehow this idea of “unity”, but 
will it be a real one (in case if one of the coalition member wins) for we can 
foresee fights among these same members for “X” and “Y” posts that they would 
love to have in the dreamed New Government even they are not qualified to 
fulfill their tasks.

The philosophy of ‘unity’ is seen across the board if there’s going to be a 
run-off where one member of the coalition will be part of the second round. 
That member will, of course, get the support of the remaining “eight”. But what 
would happen if no member wins? Another important question to raise? If a 
member wins, will this Coalition Government really work together toward saving 
Haiti? Toward Haiti’s reconstruction (by sharing their “plan of government” of 
which most of them don’t have)? Will they be there just to put their friends, 
and members of their own parties in key positions (even if they are not 
qualified to do the job, something that we’ve seen before in the Lavalas 
Administration)? Will they be able to stick together for at least one year 
without fighting each other for their own interests? These are the key 
questions to be asked while the manipulated majority of the innocent poor 
people will be going to the poles to vote. But really, voting for whom? Voting 
for what? Who is going to really have power? Power to do what? Is it power to 
work together for a new Haiti? The Haitian people would have to wait and see 
since they have been really patient for over two hundred years.

So far, we’ve seen the formation of one coalition that implies somehow that 
these candidates, smell something. Hm! Quite a smart move! There’s a sort of 
“fear” that forced them to form a block, and there is also the possibility of a 
second coalition to be formed. Yet, we don’t know who would be in it, and there 
are still some candidates who are running as independent. And again, we can 
still question the purpose of that second one we have in mind. If it is formed, 
will their members really have a vision to work together to save Haiti or to 
save their own interest? Due to the political reality in Haiti, most Haitians 
have been forced to become “St. Thomas” (in the sense of the American saying, 
“I am from Missouri, show me”) or they would have to see first before they can 
believe. I was quite delighted to discuss some of these issues with Professor 
Marc Prou (University of Massachusetts-Boston) who keep tracks of what has been 
going on in Haiti’s politics. (E .W. Vedrine).