Friday, February 20, 2004
Haiti - News Summary Haiti Links
Haiti - News Summary Haiti Links
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Haiti's latest disturbance as of 02/20/04 - has the Government of the Republic of Haiti maintaining control of most of the western half of Hispaniola [Haiti proper] but with a state of gangster led rebellion in at least one department: Arbonite - Gonnaive its capital - in the Arbonite River Valley. As of 02/20/04 that gangster held group had declared a secession (AP & Reuters wire report via YAHOO news) and planned to cultivate the rice growing valley to sustain itself declaring Gonnaive its capital. That group led by a Mr. Chamberlain, and Guy Phillipe - both exiled figures of the old Haitien Junta and its old thrown-out corrupt police force returned after gangs overthrew the smaller lesser armed Haitian National police force in Gonnaive. Coming from the Dominican Republic - Phillipe and Chamberlain are seeking to kill or elimnate the smaller police force in norther Haiti centering at cap Haitien - Haiti's second city. By news reports they have killed 50 or more -manly police officers -some of whose bodies were mutiliated and dragged and paraded through the streets as exemplars of terror. By obvious plan they expect to secure the north and a supply corridor to the Dominican Republic. Gonnaive at the estuary of the Artibonite has water access. The DR has allegedly interned remaining armed Haitiens and declared no refuge for those rebels. The rebels and their gang leaders were subject to arrest for earlier murderous coup activities and crimes. Amnesty in Haiti is limited by the current Haitian Constitution which commands a life imprisonment without commutation for treason. President Aristide- a former Roman Catholic priest and leader of the majority Family Party is President in his first term under the restored constitution and his term ends in 2006. President Aristide is democratically elected; his minority opposition is constitutionally loyal and non-violent. President Aristide also appoints the Haitian Prime Minister who serves with the consent of the Haitian Congress; and the Commander in Chief of the Security Forces; the armed forces have been materially reduced to avert their interference with civilian government, as in Mexico and Costa Rica. The police force sought to maintain civil safety and to back the government in crisis is evidently uderarmed and attacked for its inability to wholly police the nation from episodic gangsterism. The President may declare a state of siege with the concurrence of his prime Minister; the Security Force Commander and the Prime Minister. As of this evening 02/20/04 - the Government have rallied a civilian force which barricaded main roads into Cap Hatien and is adequately controlling the sothern half and central sectors of the country and the Port au Prince area. Guy Phillipe - one of the rebel comanders is formerly Police Chief of Cap Hatien and past involved as was Chamberlain with death squads via para military forces. Haiti a Catholc country is currently in the first week of Carnival and heavily dependent on tourism. The US and other nations are warning their nationals to leave or to avert travel to Haiti due to the current crisis risk. Haiti's opposition - though loyal to the Constitution has received mixed US funding in part from the US (some CIA) as has President Aristide's party & community for nation building -mainly in the past before restoration - but by one report ("Axis of Logic") - more mney has poured from the USA to a pro-business community to fund a political opposition party for better business hospitality in this Bush admnistration. By most reports -Haiti's normalization with business investment has never been given a chance - this government of President Aristide is 3 & 1/2 years old and is facing the same challenges he and his Family Party faced when toppled by coup after UN sponsored elections in 1991 - save the armed forces are largely dismantled. The UN restored the civil government in 1994. By news reports the poverty standard of living in Haiti is $1 per day. The international community has attempted to intervene with the opposition and President Aristide in Haiti with proposals ranging from a police force assistance (via OAS) to a UN trusteeship (a UN colony). Haiti has never been colonized and has been independent since approximately 1803 - US intervention has varied and the US participated in the last UN Peacekeeping Force; and once occupied the country in the 20's and 30's to secure customs revenues for national debt maintenance (the intervention style of that period). Never save in default self-sufficient in food (with no autarky sought) Haiti grows rice and table food staples -squash-tropical sweet potatoes- corn but insufficiently to feed itself without importation. Its past income earners have been tropical fruit exports and sugar; and at one time it was a primary maker of baseballs (as many stitches as beads on a rosary "Bull Durham") for that sport. Most differences with the US Bush Administration have been over the inadequate security for local business & investment protection. Relations with the Dominican Republic have been good - but place two labor heavy poor nations at odds for employment -with Haiti supplying cheap labor to the DR. The exiles with smuggled arms entered Haiti from the DR over the mountains and its passes - where by news reports border passage can be purchased for as little as $1 a person. Phillipe & Chamberlain with others - in criminal exile had received informal asylum from the Dominican Government and face arrest by Haiti. Article summarized from news sources: AP; Reuters; CBS; PBS; BBC; UN-OCHOA; "Axis of Logic"; links at the site above. |
// posted by scotty of course @ 7:30 PM 
