7521: The Situation in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: patrick sylvain <sylvaipa@hotmail.com>


The situations in Haiti were complex and are complex.  Indeed, there is a 
charade going on and this situation of lawlessness is absolutely ridiculous. 
  In a true republic, the constitution would have been the referee.  Is the  
parallel government unconstitutional? Absolutely. For the constitution 
recognizes only one government that has received its mandate from the people 
and certified by the electoral counsel. Is the parallel government a threat 
to the internal security (law & order)? Absolutely.  As long as they are 
referring to themselves as members of a provisional government and have 
chosen a national president; then, they are in direct violation of the 
article 57 and 58 of the constitution.  However, the Convergence Democratic 
(CD) has the right to exist and operate as a legal political party that 
stands in opposition, politically and ideologically,  to the government.

Cleverly, for as far as I am aware, Gerard Gourgue as never refer to himself 
as the parallel president of the republic.  Instead, his title is president 
of the CD.  If true, he has the legal rights to operate and challenge the 
government from a moral, ideological and even political stand point for as 
long as they remain within the parameters of the constitution.  As for the 
government, they can only operate within the context of the constitution. 
Thus, the executive can only suggest or request an arrest through the 
Judicial branch…  Unfortunately, what we have is a desperate and infuriated 
president who is delegating some of his ministers, senators and Fanmi 
Lavalas’ Popular Organization (OP) to incite violence and using languages 
and political acts that fall outside of the legal  framework.  Thus, if
connections can be established between the OP’s riots/violence and the
president, it would be sufficient ground for impeachment.  For he would be 
in direct violation of his executive mandate and prerogative.
Unfortunately, Aristide has gotten the nationalist-populist-patriarchal 
pyrexia burning inside of him and he negates the intelligence of the
thousands of observers as well as the standing constitution.
Interestingly, it is his so-called intelligence (byen konte mal kalkile) of 
wanting all for himself that got him into this mess.  If he did truly 
believed in the democratic principles, he would have campaigned for his  
"Fanmi" and for himself.  More than likely he would gotten the majority of 
the seats that he sought.  Unfortunately, the "Fanmi" had to be fraudulent 
the night after the election.

The events of May 21st were the catalyst of this current situation; however, 
the split within the Lavalas movement occurred since 1990 with FNCD (Evans 
Paul & Turneb Delpe).  Between 1995 and 1999 the divorced of most Lavalas 
supporters/members had taken place when Aristide became a one party-man. The 
traditional PAPA of the Fanmi.  As Amy Wilentz and many others do know, 
Aristide is a very stubborn person who only tolerates those who will be 
obedient and subservient to his cause.  Senator Gilles for example is one of 
those front man who acts on the orders of his boss.  Nonetheless, rationally 
or irrationally, a great portion of the population who voted, voted for 
Aristide and he is the constitutional president. However, because of the 
lack of democratic practices and behind-the-door politics/politricks, 
Aristide is slowly digging a grave for himself.  A) He had no business 
meeting with the CD two days prior of assuming his role as president. By 
meeting with the CD and agreed to negotiate on the ten contested senatorial 
seats he by  de facto accepted the fraudulent claimed against his party; 
thus, legitimizing the CD.  B) By bringing all of the murderous macoutes
into the government, Aristide gave a big slap to democracy and to the
thousands who died and suffered for the first government.  Keep in mind, no 
substantial justice was rendered on behalf of the coup victims and military 
coup took place prior to the termination of the constitutionally mandated 10 
years that the macoutes were required to stay out of national politics.  C) 
By making so-called concession to the CD, which started really empty-handed, 
he has empowered or loaded the CD’s deck.  Remember, the CD was viewed as a 
joke by most. Now, it is a major contender. All because of Aristide’s, 
supposedly, political genius. The Convergence called bluff and Fanmi 
responded.  Now that Lavalas cannot reshuffle the deck in light of its 
seeming "defeat,"  it is calling on its partisans to disturb the game or 
burn the house (casino) down.  Hence, democracy is out of the window and 
"Gwogrenn/Krazegrenn" a la chimère style is ready to burn down school with 
hundreds of children.

See, the problem is: we were never taught the power and beauty of the
Constitution.  Instead we were taught to fear the bayonet.

I do hope that Aristide would constitution survive to finish his term in 
office and I would also hope that he will remember his inaugural speech when 
he stated that he was the president of all Haitians and wanted to establish 
peace and justice in the country. This hope is cast in pure naiveté, on the 
contrary. It is a way of affirming my belief in democracy and in truth. By 
serving his time and making or correcting his mistakes Aristide's deeds will 
become his witness and the people, hopefully, will be able to judge him.  
There is nothing more powerful than uncensored History.

Assuming that he pursues a politic of "doublure" (tèt Kòk mouda Pentad) a la 
macoute-populist style and uses the state to enrich himself and his allies, 
than I hope that for the first time in our history the constitution would be 
used to judge him and those around him who are found guilty of violating 
Haiti's penal code.

In hope of democracy and peace,

Patrick
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