#3438: and chiefdoms in Haiti : Grey replies to Richman

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Racine125@aol.com

<< The New York Times on Saturday informed us that Haiti's political system is
 a chiefdom run by "chiefs."  News to me. >>

Of COURSE it is a chiefdom.   That is what I have been talking about.  
Instead of the Haitian Constitution, which applies to all citizens equally, 
the guiding principle in Haitian politics is the aquisition of power by any 
means at all.  This power is then used to obtain material wealth, again by 
any means at all.

Remember the little vignettes I gave you already, from when I was with the 
UN/OAS Joint Civilian Mission?  Here they are again:

"Does Aristide have the right to say, 'Don't vote for Frank Romain'?", I once 
asked a seminar group.  "Yes of course, that is freedom of speech."  "Good!  
Does Frank Romain have the right to say, 'Don't vote for Aristide'?"  "NO!  
NEVER!  Aristide is good!  Frank Romain is frekan, se pou fout le kaotchou!"  
(Translation, Frank Romain is fresh, and we should give him tires [meaning, 
burn him alive].)

You sit and observe a voting station, and as you watch, the same people go 
back and vote over and over, provided with lime and Fab to remove the 
"indelible ink", and fresh voters registration cards, from the fanny pack of 
the little ward captain - and EACH CANDIDATE has his own army of them!

That is exactly what the "chiefdom" comment is about, and people who claim to 
be "friends of Haiti" without being willing to confront this phenomenon are 
no friends at all.  I, however, do NOT, and have NEVER, claimed to be a 
"friend of Haiti", or a "friend of the USA" for that matter.  I am a friend 
of human rights and justice, and a Mambo of the Vodou.

Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra", 
     Good is rare - Haitian Proverb

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