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27285: Ives (reply) to Simidor (27232), Dailey (27228) and Chamberlain (27222) Re: Haiti Progres vs. Batay Ouvriye (fwd)





Ives replies:

Well, well, well... what have we here? Simidor, Dailey AND Chamberlain all standing together. Kind of proves my point about the convergence of right and ultra-left, I think. Let me respond to their points one by one:

Simidor tries to deflect the "silly notion" that "Batay Ouvriye helped overthrow Aristide two years ago and is now getting paid by the Bush administration for their efforts" by pointing at Aristide again. In previous posts, he said the Lavalas Family PARTY received "millions" from the U.S. government. Unable to respond to my repeated requests for proof of this assertion, Simidor has morphed his charge to saying the "Lavalas regime accepted millions." That's a big difference when a GOVERNMENT receives "aid" for public projects, etc. and when a private PARTY or ORGANIZATION receives "support," as the 184, Convergence and Batay Ouvriye have.

Furthermore, much of the U.S. assistance "to Haiti" during Aristide's truncated 1994-1995 administration (one assumes this is the period Simidor refers to since even he is surely aware of the aid embargo from 2000-2004) was NOT to the central government, as it was during the Duvalier years, but rather to US NGOs and US contractors. This is part of imperialism's new paradigm to keep central governments -- especially suspect ones like Aristide's -- weak and dependent.

Simidor admits that "BO is to receive additional funds from the Solidarity Center" (some $100,000 as researcher Jeb Sprague revealed in Haiti Progres last week). He then says that he would never "accept NED money for the meager work" he does, but implies that it is justified in Batay Ouvriye's case because they are "organizing desperately poor workers in desperately poor Haiti." He admits that "some" of the Solidarity Center's reasons for funding BO are "not so innocent," but insists it has nothing to do with BO's stance towards Aristide. (I think it has everything to do with that stance.)

To cover Batay Ouvriye's back (and his own), Simidor contends that nobody is to blame for Aristide's ouster. Aristide overthrew himself with "his own stupidity and greed" and "the kind of alliances he chose to make." Washington, Paris, Haiti's bourgeoisie, and the ex-soldiers and Macoutes in the DR apparently had nothing to do with it. Would even a child believe this?

Yes, in Haiti Progres, we have "exposed Lavalas corruption" time and again, as Simidor says. We are not, as Simidor charges, "denying it today." Does that prove that Aristide was corrupt? Does that mean that the coup was justified? No and no.

There was indeed a "big imperialist la-di-da plot against Aristide," Haiti's elected and constitutional president. This is why Haiti Progres, despite the many just criticisms we have made, rushed to Aristide's and the people's defense. It is a matter of principle. And we knew the coup's result would be the horror we see in Haiti today.

Although imperialism's central role in overthrowing Aristide is clear to all, "Batay Ouvriye has not changed its practice or its line in the intervening period -- Haiti-Progres did." This is correct and precisely the point. Ossified in sterile dogma, Batay Ouvriye and Simidor remain on the "ultra-left," attacking imperialism's target and OBJECTIVELY serving Washington's interests. Hence, the grant money.

Despite the (new?) revenue stream, it is absurd to say that "Batay Ouvriye has gone through a period of rapid growth" making the "very envious very mad." BO is as unknown and marginal as ever. In my experience, most Haitians have never heard of it, and those that do know it, see right through its infantile slogans.

Peter Dailey's post is startlingly bitter and vindictive. Perhaps this is because of the critique I made of a book-review-cum-baseless-diatribe he made some years ago. His assertions, as in his "review," are just not true. Suggesting that Ben Dupuy "helped to bring Aristide down" is just laughable. In the months leading up to the coup, Aristide had no more spirited defender.

And where did Dailey get this "selling out the Abner Louima movement" charge? First time I've heard that one. I think he's confused. I certainly NEVER saw Dailey in any of the many commuity mobilizations and meetings that Haiti Progres helped organize following the Louima torture. In fact, I've never seen Dailey (except at a Marx Aristide's funeral) in the Haitian community, period. This despite his supposed "25 years" on the scene.

Concerning Dailey's rehash of the de factos' "corruption" inquiries, I think the interview with Ira Kurzban that HP published some weeks ago adequately lays that to rest.

Dailey is really swinging wildly when he accuses Ben Dupuy of getting paid by the Aristide Foundation to carry out "Political Thuggery" with the JPP's Rene Civil. Where does he cook up this nonsense?

The charges in Dailey's last paragraph are as far-fetched as they are untrue. Calling Hatii Progres a "cult," the PPN "non-existent," Ben Dupuy a "self-promoting bloviator," etc., etc. He even gets the wardrobe wrong (Ben leans towards ties, scarves, and guayaberas, not "Nehru suits.") My, what petty (and erroneous) detail! What vitriol!

Finally, Greg Chamberlain has seized this opportunity, as he has done over the years, to refresh the ancient rumor -- originally concocted, I believe, by the late rumor-monger and ill-fated politician Rene Theodore -- that I sit on some banking fortune. Sadly, it is not true. But even if it were, it would be beside the point. There are well-to-do individuals throughout history -- Frederick Engels and Fidel Castro come to mind -- who devote their lives and their capital, however meager, to the people's struggle. The more power to them. I only WISH I had a banking fortune to contribute.

To all the gentlemen, from the both ends of the spectrum, let's drop the ad hominem arguments. They don't stamp their feet and demand to know all the finances of Paul Denis, Hubert Deronceray, Evans Paul, Serge Gilles, Himmler Rebu and a host of other politicians and pundits when they make outlandish accusations against Aristide or Dupuy. Simidor comes closest to debating the issue of NED funding of BO on its merits, but can't resist casting the occasional stone that there is something "sinister" in Jeb Sprague's perfectly justified, carefully documented, and extremely edifying revelations.

Kim Ives