27735: Craig (news) A post-election agenda (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Dan Craig


A post-election agenda
Published: February 13 2006 02:00 | Last updated: February 13 2006 02:00
Financial Times
ft.com

The United Nations appears to have scored a success in Haiti, the western 
hemisphere's poorest and most socially divided nation. Haitians last week 
defied formidable logistical barriers and fears of violence to vote in a poll 
that was as clean as could be expected.

The result is still uncertain but there seems a reasonable chance that the 
contest will eventually produce a clear winner who will enjoy a strong mandate. 
In any event, the new government should enjoy more legitimacy than the 
ineffective transitional team imposed following the ousting of former president 
Jean-Bertrand Aristide two years ago.

But for both Haiti and the interÂnational community, elections should be the 
beginning not the end of the story. If democracy is to be consolidated Haiti 
needs to rebuild its barely functioning institutions. The UN - which meets this 
week in New York - needs to renew and then revise its mandate to help prepare 
for a long-term commitment to help Haiti meet these goals.

An immediate priority will be to help broker consensus among competing 
political leaders so that the electoral process can be successfully completed.

The new government needs to show some economic results quickly in order to 
build up confidence. The world can help by ensuring economic aid is disbursed 
more quickly. Only about half of the more than $1bn (Â600m) in multi-Âlateral 
assistance agreed 18 months ago has been spent. Quick action to establish 
visible progress by rebuilding roads and other infrastructure would help 
generate a sense of forward momentum.

The UN's stabilisation mission of 9,000 soldiers and police should stay in 
Haiti to provide security for the immediate future. But in the longer term the 
Haitian state will disintegrate unless it is able to establish a viable system 
of public security.

Networks of political and criminal gangs have penetrated Haiti's police force, 
which - according to its leaders - is responsible directly for nearly a third 
of all crimes committed in the country. The authorities must vet all existing 
officers and purge units of criminal elements.

Reforms of the courts and legal system are also essential. These will take time 
but the reform process must be started quickly to build up confidence in the 
rule of law.

The international community - and especially the US - can also help clamp down 
on illegal drugs. In recent years Haiti has become a transshipment point for 
traffickers in cocaine and other illegal drugs. The amounts of money involved 
mean that traders can easily buy off police officers and other officials.

Historically, Haitian leaders have had so little confidence in the state that 
they have set up their own private armies. That pattern must be broken if Haiti 
is to have a viable future.



Find this article at:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/f8fa05d2-9c34-11da-8baa-0000779e2340,s01=1.html