27355: Hyppolite Pierre (comment) Haiti and elections (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Hyppolite Pierre <hpierre@irsp.org>

I promise that I'll try to make this ... a quicky. 
I got an email this morning, suggesting that someone tried to assassinate 
presidential candidate Renà PrÃval while he was on a campaign tour in 
Ouanaminthe (a norther town not far from the DR border). Yesterday evening, I 
got another email suggesting that Epicurian Baby Doc Duvalier is about to 
return to Haiti. Two interesting (although not directly related) sets of 
events. 
Well ... I am not particularly opposed to the return of anyone to Haiti. If 
that is part of a comprehensive an intelligent peace between parties from an 
elected political regime (parliament and the executive branch), with the 
support of civil society and under a different set of rules, I am all for it. 
However, it seems clear that once again, the traditionalists are up to their 
old tricks. They sense the likelihood of PrÃval being elected president of 
Haiti. They therefore are acting as "agents provocateurs". Their goal is to 
encourage many elements in the population (especially amongst the poor) to 
revolt and rebel so there can be more blood and chaos. Therefore, once more, 
the elections that have already been postponed four times, and which are 
scheduled for February 7 could be postponed. It is irrelevant to them that 
Duvalier may even be killed in the ensuing mayhem and chaos. In any case if 
Duvalier were to return under the present circumstances, my advice to all of 
those who are on the terrain and know what is going on would be, to stay calm 
and call publicly for everyone not to react violently. 
Let's make one more thing clear. I am not interested into who is the next 
president of Haiti. I couldn't care less. I am much more interested in the 
composition of the next, 48th legislature. I do not particularly care that 
PrÃval may even be the next president of Haiti. It is nevertheless clear, that 
again, the assassination attempt against him is due to the traditionalists' 
fear of losing the elections. Well ... they should have shown rectitude and 
discipline from March 1, 2004 on, instead of further disenfranchising the poor 
and arresting former politicians under false pretense of "public clamor" 
(Jean-Juste) and "genocide" (Neptune). 
What seems clear to me at this point, is that we've had two pivotal dates in 
our history that are essential for the poor: January 1, 1804, and December 16, 
1990. 
December 16, 1990 was even more relevant because, the vast majority of the poor 
had decided from then on, even though thus far it's been an ill-managed 
victory, they had decided that from now on, they will become part of the 
political process. Their voice will be heard through elections, not selections. 
The traditionalists are now on their last throes. They've realized that truly, 
it may be over. Well ... it is probably over. Well or ill-gotten wealth, they 
have plenty. They have different passports, green cards, visas, houses on the 
hills, vacation homes, beach houses, businesses in Haiti and of course in the 
Dominican Republic. They still exert enormous power with their powerful friends 
well-heeled at home and abroad. They enjoy social recogniction unimaginable to 
the poor, even under a potential PrÃval presidency. I wonder why these 
traditionalists refuse to give to everyone else in the country, and also the 
Diaspora a chance. 
A potential and some might even say, probable PrÃval presidency clearly is no 
equivalent to the unconscionable Francois Duvalier and his "VÃpres 
JÃrÃmiennes". After all, there are plenty of black Haitians among their 
midst. Why do they refuse to give a chance to others, to not even live 
comfortably but simply, hope? Hope that maybe in 1, 2, 3 generations, with a 
structured form of government that abide to process and democratic rules, their 
sons and daughetrs too may have a visa, or a house on the hills, or simply the 
chance to eat 2 meals a day and graduate from high-schol? Why are they so 
selfish? Why? Why? 
The tragedy of it all is, that it's only a very few of them, a few members of 
the elite who are so gun-ho on the aberrant form of political thievery. I can 
tell you for sure, that it is not our entire elite that is so vulgar, crooked, 
and relentlessly stupid and selfish. The more vocal among them give a bad name 
to an entire class, among whom you can and will find elements who want to 
adhere to the rule of law and are tired of their kins' tendency towards 
thievery and dishonesty. That's the tragedy of it all. 
I know that I am not even a voice in the debate, but it's tiring. It is simply 
sick!! Call me chimere if that will make you feel better but please, give the 
nation a chance at peace and prosperity. Give it a chance. The entire nation 
has tried your way for nearly 200 years; we have all been victim of it, 
including yourselves. Now it's time to give democracy a chance. Just think for 
once with the brain, and use reason to guide your actions. 
Best regards,
Hyppolite Pierre
IRSP
http://www.irsp.org