25510: Vedrine (article) Haiti: goodbye to a repressive army (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>


HAITI: GOODBYE TO A REPRESSIVE ARMY
by E. W. VEDRINE
06-28-05

In interpreting some comments related to the Haitian National Police (“Police 
Nationale d’Haïti”, PNH), to certain critics, it would not be 100% better since 
both share certain D.N.A. No doubt that there is certain truth here (since many 
members of the defunct army have been recruited in the new police force) but to 
many of us, at least Ayiti Cheri will not waste millions and millions of green 
dollars in a-nothing-to-do institution that has so far contributed nothing and 
absolutely nothing to the country's development.

Knowing its history, that would not be the right choice for Haiti to keep on 
feeding such a repressive army whose sole enemies are the Haitian People. Doing 
that would be like keeping on eating a food that makes one throwing up all the 
time. Also, it would cause Haiti more problems of political instability with 
coup d’états back and forth. So, why should Haiti repeat the very same errors 
of the past? Any lesson to learn from that for a brighter future?

If we carefully read the Haitian Constitution of 1987, I pretty much doubt that 
it says somewhere that the army has to meddle in Politics (re: article 265 - 
The Armed Forces are apolitical. Their members may not be art of any political 
group or party, and they must observe the strictest neutrality). The army had 
“at least a last chance” under Aristide (back before September 30, 1991) to 
“start to improving itself” in the sense of trying to change it's mentality of 
keeping on acting as "restavèk blan" institution and being a repressive one at 
the same time, therefore this “negative” image has also influenced “few” good 
guys that were part of that institution.

Haiti never had “a real army” in the 20th century that was defending its 
interests (such as for instance: Defending the country in the event of war; 
Protecting the country against threats from abroad; Seeing to surveillance of 
the land, sea and air boundaries; At the well-founded request of the Executive, 
they may land assistance to the police when the latter are unable to handle a 
situation; Assisting the Nation in the event of a natural disaster; In addition 
to their regular duties, the Armed Forces may be assigned to development work 
(as clearly stipulated in article 266 of Constitution), but rather the 
interests of some foreign super powers - acting as  a “watch dog” for them and 
at the same time, an army that would somehow protected a corrupted elite’s 
interests. Clearly during the September 1991 coup, some of the elite members 
even made their vehicles available to the "escadrons de la mort" (death squads) 
of the army to patrol Port-au-Prince and persecute people in its poor 
neighborhoods just because of one sin committed: voted for candidate of their 
choice, Jean-Bertrand Aristide – besides financing one of the bloodiest coup 
d’éats in the country’s history that happened right before the “fiscal year” 
when paying taxes to the government would be due. “Paying taxes” was also 
crucial for the first democratic government at the time since all aids promised 
from abroad were blocked, which can be interpreted at the same time as a 
“challenge” for Haiti to learn how to grow up and not depending 100% on others, 
but alas a lesson that is never learned.

Haiti was certainly in a political dead-end. Any illiterate Haitian knows quite 
well these true stories about the army and one that was “neutralized” by 
Duvalier (in the early 60's when became a dictator). I use the term 
'neutralized' because he did not get rid of it, but instead had “full control” 
over it with the creation of the paramilitary "tonton macoutes" (also secret 
police under that brutal regime) and "spies" within the same army. That way, 
the Duvaliers had control over the intelligentsia.

In theories, of course, some people (who are against any real change to  take 
place in Haiti) would keep on talking bla bla bla... and trash talk to have 
these scary bloody boots back on the scene (for one reason or another) and at 
the same time, we don't forget that elections are not too far away and it’s a 
way to avoid discussing some of the “real issues” concerning Haiti’s future and 
development (e.g, Strategies for a political stability in order for the 
country's development to start taking place, Decentralization, Developing 
agriculture, Health care problem, Education, Justice & laws, Creating jobs, 
Solving the electricity problem, Building real roads... and other doing other 
things pertaining to the country’s infrastructure).

These guys (members of the defunct army) have only “one skill”: knowing how to 
shoot  and I would say “at Haitians only” because if someone pulls out a real 
fistibal (slingshot) at them, they would certainly drop their M-16 or run at 
full speed if hearing the noise of a “peta” (firework). Some important question 
that we may ask from this issue are the followings: Can Haiti learn anything 
from Costa Rica in the history of the army of the two nations?

What is to be done (in the sense of having a secured Haiti where everyone can 
live freely)? The answer is: “not just one thing” since there are too many. 
First the "army" issue out of the question; the next legislature should only 
vote for its total disappearance and have some amendments made in the 1987 
constitution for the benefit of Haiti’s development.

In the near future, it would not be a good idea to recruit "former members of 
the army" to become members of the police force (though that been done and it’s 
quite a mistake). As our Creole proverb teaches us, a dog that used to eat eggs 
never breaks away from that old habit. A strong and professional police force 
(with more members and all equipments needed to do their jobs) is really 
needed.

The new government (if for sure real and free elections will take place in 
Haiti at the end of 2005) can have a particular “trade school” for members of 
the defunct army to  learn some skills “free of charge” so that they will be 
able to work in the society and may be, contribute to the country's development 
and see the possibility of paying back those they owned some paychecks.

(E. W. Vedrine)