#5195: Slavin on Opposition to Aristide (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: pslavin@unicefusa.org

On the discussion of one-time Lavalas supporters now publicly criticizing, 
Messrs.  Hyppolite and Chamberlain have gotten into it over the Rev. William 
Smarth. I must say Smarth's name stood out to me on the petition signed by 
intellectuals condemning the current electoral and governing climate. One list 
member has apparently identified Rev. Smarth as the brother of former Prime 
Minister Rosny Smarth (President Préval's first PM). While that is, of course, 
accurate, Rev. Smarth has made his own significant contributions to the 
majority rule movement. As a member of the Holy Spirit Fathers, his order was 
expelled by François Duvalier. That by itself places him at a high alter. But 
the Holy Spirit Fathers in exile, led by Smarth's close friend, the Rev. 
Antoine Adrien, a titan of late 20th century Haitian history, championed the 
fight to bring due process to the cause of Haitian refugees in the United 
States AND resistance against the Duvalier regime. Since 1986 and the order's 
return to Haiti, the Holy Spirit Fathers have taken on heroic causes to bring 
majority rule to Haiti –– to Rev. Adrien's negotiations with Gen. Abraham to 
install Ertha Pascal Trouillot as President (a move that led to the Dec. 16, 
1990 elections), to publishing "Libete," Haiti's first general interest Creole 
language newspaper, and –– without re-checking my memory –– to Rev. Adrien and 
Smarth driving Aristide to safety through Duvalierist road blocks on the road 
to PauP from Gonaives (a detailed account of this can be found in "The Rainy 
Season"). And, I might add, Rev. Smarth remained in Haiti during the Cedras 
years. If President Aristide ever had a kitchen cabinet, Rev. Smarth was at 
that table.