29669: Lucas Op-ed on Kidnappings in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Stanley Lucas <maloukwi@yahoo.com>

Continued Kidnappings in Haiti:The Necessity of a Meaningful Policy
to Crackdown on the Perpetrators of Violence
 By Stanley Lucas*

Two American missionaries have been kidnapped and released in Haiti. Four 
individuals allegedly are responsible for this barbaric action:

            1. Evens -- living in a marginal area of Port-au-Prince called 
Boston
            2. Amaral -- living in Belecourt
            3. Ti Blanc -- living in an area called Simon in Cité Soleil
            4. General Toutou -- who allegedly killed Jacques Roche a reporter, 
also living in
      the area called Boston

Throughout Haitian history political and criminal violence has been state 
business.  From Soulouque’s Zenglen to Aristide’s Chimères, political power has 
created, financed, and armed various groups to create an environment of fear 
and intimidation killing political opponents. While there are other armed 
groups involved, the current violence in Haiti is mostly to be blamed on 
Aristide’s Haiti terror network. More importantly this group appears to be 
spreading it’s wings and expanding its violent tactics into North America.

Since Préval’s return to power, these groups have been emboldened enough to 
build more than 60 new cells.  Meanwhile, the new president’s policy toward 
these groups is not clear.  Should they be treated like Hamas and Hezbollah or 
the Islamic warlords in Somalia and be allowed to integrate the political 
process – and thus legitimized?  Or should they be prosecuted by the law and 
brought to justice?

In order to avoid the strengthening of these extremists groups, President 
Préval and Prime Minister Alexis must draw the line.  The international 
community, MINUSTAH, has an ambivalent take on this issue giving the perception 
that the low intensity violence is acceptable.  In order to restore security 
and confidence for investment the government – and the international community 
– must define a clear policy toward these groups.  The most recent polls show 
that the vast majority of Haitian citizens supports an aggressive policy toward 
these terror groups.  Haitians are ready for change.  They are ready to build 
an economy and work to elevate their status from the poorest country in the 
Western hemisphere.  Without a meaningful policy to address these groups, 
investment will not come and progress will again be eluded.

The Washington Democracy Project is currently conducting an in-depth analysis 
of the situation.  We will release a comprehensive report in November detailing 
this phenomenon in Haiti, including its links to drug trafficking, the plot of 
the Haitian “homegrown terrorists” in Miami, its impact on the US 
anti-terrorism agenda, and democracy and stability in Haiti.

* Stanley Lucas worked on Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa and Latin 
America. Lucas is currently the Executive Director for for the Washington 
Democracy Project.



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