30781: Morse (rambling) the disappearing "A" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

oloffsonram@aol.com

There seems to be a contingent of folks that would like to keep Aristide 
relevant. Most of them live abroad and most of them are not Haitian though over 
the years they have probably become very fond of Haitians. "A" will only become 
relevant if he can some how rekindle a sense of destabalization in the country. 
I'm glad someone who never comes to Haiti is writing a book about the "Coup" of 
1994. I'm sure it will be exciting and thought provoking. I hear people go to 
St Kitts when they want to get in touch with their proletarian roots.

 When I travel around Haiti, I find the people of Petionville to be the most 
"paranoid" right now.

 I don't know who is responsible for deciding what areas should be in the "RED 
ZONE" but just to make it clear, unlike hotels in the GREEN ZONE, No Generals 
have been shot and died at the Oloffson, No hotel owners have been kidnapped at 
the Oloffson, and no demonstrations have ended up in the Oloffson swimming 
pool. The last time a mob gave us trouble at the hotel was January of 1991 (the 
Lafontant coup). Since that unfortunate incident, the only times we've had 
trouble have been because the Haitian police or the Haitian army or the Haitian 
government have tried to intimidate us and our views of freedom of speech. 
Recently, 2004, when Leon Charles was chief of police, masked policemen dressed 
in black, would frequently come into my hotel, armed to the teeth. I had the 
opportunity to go to Washington and relate my experiences at the Harry Truman 
building. Coincidently, Leon Charles was soon transferred out of the country as 
was the American Ambassador.

I find that when I look back on the past twenty or so years, 
Cedras/Lavalas/Latortue were basically one and the same in their disrespect for 
the Haitian constitution and the rule of law, for their support of corruption 
and drug dealing and their basic disregard for human rights. I hope we have 
turned the page and are moving forward.