18772: Erzilidanto: Responding to Marina (Corbett: 18721) on the question of transparency (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Erzilidanto@aol.com

Re - 18721: Marina: DISCLOSURE of All funding information
In a message dated 2/17/04 11:31 AM to Ezili Danto, Marina at
<marinawus@yahoo.com>, writes:

<< I believe that the people of Haiti are owed an

explanation and have the right to ALL information on

the finances of their government and the members of

that govenment. >>

I agree. I reiterate something I've been saying for years - Haiti has an
authentic electoral democracy. There's no transparency, their little open civil
society participation that i've seen other than the public communication Forums
that are televised. But the fault is not all with Aristide or the government.
Though when asked questions on finances and other particulars, I agree, those
questions should be answered and verifying documents made available if it
would not jeopardize Haitian national security. But the media in Haiti has not
done it's job in giving the Haitian people facts and figures. Except for one or
two journalist, the prime example being the late Jean Dominique, the concept of
"investigative journalism" doesn't exist in Haiti today. To the best of my
knowledge, the media in Haiti seem much more interested in "bri lari" and
partisan issues and propaganda then in reporting "news."

Marina writes:
<<If the govenment was given/loaned funds to do certain

projects, why is it not as simple to disclose it?>>

Why not indeed. I don't have the answer Marina. However if you would be more
specific, that is tell me what loan to Aristide's government you are talking
about in particular and when doing this term of office said loan was given, I
will e-mail your question to some insiders I know and attempt give you their
responses.

Marina writes:
<<If the Foundation Aristide is functioning just like

any other foundation, why is it not disclosing what

should be part of the public domain?>>

That seems also like a very legitimate question. I don't have the answers. I
am not privy to information about the details of Lavalas that is not already
out there in the public arena. But I do advocate for and defend the civil and
cultural rights of Haitians at home and abroad. In that capacity, I have stood
for the rule of law, for transparency, for the right of all Haitian citizens
to influence, through democratic means, the mandate of Aristide or whomever the
Haitian people have elected to office. They serve us and have the duty to
listen to our concerns, not just, for instance ask the Diaspora for money and
lobbying help when they are in trouble but ignore us when comfortable, or, for
instance, bring people out for the vote, then, when in office, refuse to listen
to their questions or concerns. I advocate for these civil rights to be
respected. For a judicial infrastructure to be built as well as for Haitians to
themselves "ask what they can do for their country, not what their country can do
for them."

Marina, at http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=714#714 , I've
written and still contend this:

"ANY Black leader that is demonized outside of the context of the white
system which created him/or her (whether legitimately demonized or not), any such
demonization ALWAYS trickles down to demonizing all African peoples
individually and as a group NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, and, always leaves the Man, in his
self-created position of hero, forcing our innocent children to wholly imbibe
images of Black as morally repugnant, wicked or at the very least it makes
us-Blacks feel uncomfortable, guilty and grateful for His compassionate
intervention where we have no real need to be grateful, ashamed or guilty at all. This
blueprint must be decimated."

(http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=666#666 Under Pwoblèm Ayiti:
responsabilite yon grenn krityen vivan? P. 3, posted Mon Jul 28, 2003 5:04 am
Post subject: It's Not In The Past - The Blueprint is still being followed.)

Marina writes:
<<Since you seem so well informed and well plugged I

would expect that you would answer some of the

questions raised by Pierre Jean and many others.>>

I did answer Pierre Jean questions and sent my response to the Corbett List.
It was not posted.

My only suggestion is this, I write in the windowsonhaiti forum. I like that
format because I can always go back and send the links to people and make
references and see immediacy without going into archives the thread of thoughts.
That works better for the way i think on paper. For anyone may just go to the
"Voices" Forum, click on the "Ezili Danto" name and you'll some of what I've
written, in our discussions, on Haiti and transparency, globalization and
neocolonialism in Haiti. I don't get to see a lot of what's going on on Corbett,
thought Bob Corbett has been generous enough to post most of the pieces I've sent
him and I've appreciated the platform as it reaches a whole lot more people
than the Forum I write for. But, if any one has any further question,  please
know I may not see them, and, if the webmaster at windows doesn't mind, ask me
your questions there. And I'll try to get to them to the best of my abilities.

Further, about Marina's question on transparency:

Marina, all this, media professionalism, Haitian literacy and Haitian
literacy with working within a non-oppressive political and social infrastructure,
like transparency and more civic participation is something I am willing to give
Haitians time to grow into.

After almost two hundred years of Haitian-government sponsored oppression of
the masses in Haiti and suppression of their freedom of speech, I suppose it
will take sometime to get it right. But, transparency and participation
requires that all Haitians marshall their individual talents and do what's important
for the COMMON GOOD of our people, not what serves personal fiefdoms and
self-interests.

Accusation, counter-accusations, violence and the continuous Haitian
fratricide - only one entity benefits from all this: and it's not the Haitian public
at large.

Marina, I stand for the rule of law. I teach that it is against this new
generation of Haitian's religion to promote Haitian fratricide. Thus, when
responding to our situation, I start with this: Si ou se Ayisyen, ou se pitit manman
mwen. But I balance this common ground with these two beliefs: 1) if a public
figure or anyone who wants to be leader, with power over the destiny of
Haitians is not subject to transparency and accountability, who is?, and 2) Pwoblèm
Ayiti se pa responsabilite yon grenn krityen vivan - that is - all of Haiti's
problems do not stem from a single individual, Aristide.

Because the development of transparency, participation and media
professionalism in Haiti must always be seen within the globalization structure that
affects everything in Haiti and the world.

Failure to understand that there are forces, beyond plain intransigence and
the Aristide government's own lack of managerial, technical expertise and
man-power and resources which also affect the Haitian people's march towards making
their electoral democracy into a more just, transparent and participatory
democracy, failure to factor in these neocolonialism forces, is, nothing less
than, willful blindness and deliberate sabotage and collaboration with said
anti-Haitian forces.

The world economic system we live under, now called, "globalization," which,
in its application in the developing world is simply "financial colonialism"
doesn't thrive under transparent and participatory democracy.

It thrives on electoral democracy to give the semblance of legitimacy for
their profit-over-people big-business agenda to press their Breton Woods agendas
more effectively.

Thus, the media in Haiti is the first sector USAID/IRI and/or USAID's
"Democracy Project" will train to espouse its own interests. Thus, Haitian journalist
learned "U.S-pragmatism." Their Pepe education gives us Pepe journalism. They
learn to survive by not rocking the status-quo-boat. This is not particular
just to Haitian journalist as we see what's going on with our own corporate
news monopolies in the U.S. and their "embedded" government links, business
connections, consulting contracts, et. (For instance GE's ownership of media raises
question about said media's ability to report on GE wrongdoing, if any, etc.)
But as, some have pointed out, for these journalists, as for Aristide, the
bottom line sometimes, is not about ethics and morality. But about protecting
one's job and livelihood. Thus, decent people everywhere must not only
understand the complicated frameworks but push to unravel it and get people to develop
different value systems.....

For the message this U.S. society, pop culture and its media sends out, is
:Don't try to do any real journalism that's not in line with the political
beliefs of the publisher or owner who is giving you your paycheck. This is not
particular to journalist, teachers don't teach for fear of losing their jobs,
professors stay within their fellowship granting paradigms, etc......  Fact is,
those who have done it, will tell you: Going outside the beltway, gets you
nothing but grief, isolation and poor. Well, this happens in Haiti also.

Thus, I contend Haitians need safety, stability, security in more than the
physical way. We need it psychically. One of my writing themes is "we have the
power but not the psychology.

How can people more develop this emotional muscle and capacity? By repeatedly
going beyond our comfort zones -that means repeatedly engaging in acts of
courage.

Speaking more than the "bri lari" is an act of courage in Haiti because you
are liable to get killed for going against the grain. Doing investigative
reporting and setting forth hard facts, is an act of courage. Going back to Haiti
and spending dollars in Haiti and encouraging other to do so, is an act of
courage given the framework and propaganda. Do a documentary, write a book. Learn
Haitian drumming, dancing, folklore. Teach it. Talk to the people. Tell their
story to the world yourself.

Don't ONLY rely on the Haitian government for developing a more open society
in Haiti. Going beyond the traditional Haitian script and box, with one's
individual talents, resources and skills are acts of faith and courage. Haiti
needs more of this in order to move its electoral democracy towards a transparent
and participatory democracy.

And, I believe, there are many Haitians out there, who are not visible to us,
who are in fact, moving forth and creating the new paradigms needed for
Haiti's children to emulate. As, I've written: Rooted in our history and in
fearlessness is our way out.

(See, http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=696#696, and,
http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=701#701 )

Here are some further quotes from Ezili Danto that touch on the transparency
and participation issue:

There is a web of repression in Haiti. I written about that web of US/Euro
repression in Haiti thus:

"....... How the Euro/Americans play Haitians from both sides with their good
cop/bad cop strategies. Elites vs. disenfranchised majority. Disenfranchised
majority and the merchant class elites vs. different sectors of the old
Haitian land-based oligarchy. For instance, destroy the agricultural elites in favor
of the assembly plant /merchant class while using the Haitian people's thirst
for empowerment, justice, transparency and participation, to keep both
Haitian elite sectors in check, but always increase or minimize the power of the
Haitian elite, army, police, and aid’s organizations, as necessary for pushing
forward a US/USAID agenda, keeping Haiti simply a service area, a haven for US
exploitation." http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=546#546

So the question is again this; "How do Haitians, the wealthy few, the
wannabees, the Diaspora, the simple peasant, how do we Haitians, of all hues and
classes, move forward while simultaneously, publicly exploring, and addressing our
national divisions, weaknesses, pathologies (i.e. corruption, in Haiti, and
our lack of a political history with civic duty) without continuing to make it
easier for the powers-that-be to take advantage and exploit our situation? I
think by starting to do a better job at looking outwards together. That’s my
opinion."

I’ve written in another post dated June 8, 2003, at
http://haitiforever.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=434#434:

"(a)ccording to the apostles of worldwide neo-liberalism (globalization) the
role of government is simply to protect private property and enforce
contracts. Political debate is limited to minor issues."

***********
Marina, I commend you for your stated interest in transparency. That's a
principled goal. Be an instrument of that transparency. Pick a topic and research
it yourself keeping in mind the overall structure and foundations within which
Haitians are working in today. Each one teach one. Kenbe djanm.

Ezili Danto