Thursday, March 04, 2004
Haiti's Democracy Nightmare
Haiti's Nightmare Democracy
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Summing up Haiti's democracy tested nightmare - at a critical anniversary and popular holiday time -- heavily armed rebels -mainly para-military and old Haitian army veterans -crashed and killed through Haiti's DR border in the North -made asweep to its fourth largest city - Gonnaive - on the seacoast wherin one rebel leader established a 'republic' backed by his clan in his home territory - the Haitian Governemnt unable to rally with its thin force lost to carnival and 'rebel change' fever and ceded the north and northwest to outgunning and better armed and experienced insurgents. Lootign and pillaging and vengeance killings rampant - the rebels dictated an ultimatum to the civil government in the South -which began unequivocally seeking immediate international military and police aid. The aide promised earlier in the prior week 800 special police from the OAS never materialized. The Dominican Republic closed its northern boredr and received some fleeing or border crossing police and Haitian officials to asylum or interned them - including one group of Haitian Police in hot pursuit. Haiti's rebels then capitalized after seising Cap Haitien -a profitable tourist center and the second city and its international airport with a choke point at Mirebelais to reinforce and blockade the north and the capital. The American Ambassador with 50 newly arrived Marines and the additional 5 people as security specialists (the US Office of Security Coordination at the Embassy) confronted the President with his situation -negotiated a truce of two days to stall the rebel advance - a US military response -now delayed was a day away by ship - more nearby by air - along with France. The UN Security Council again approached by CARICOM for and with Haiti finally resolved a peacekeeping force this past Sunday which would not reach Haiti in time. If the President wished a bloodbath -his firepower was concentrated in Port au Prince at the Palace - but that wold cost his urban supporters and worsen damage possibly his life. The clencher was early Sunday morning pre-dawn -when the Haitian television station was assaulted by explosions which knocked out that communication point -as a nearby reminder - blocks from the palace - lke a military unit would -- and the President was given the worse case for an immediate asault particluary his Palace and life and was rushed with his wife to a US Marines exit and aircraft with a resignation readied and allegedly witnessed. The option of resignation was always Aristide's but should never have been by arms - but was. Why the arms -and why the leukwarm response during the Carnival season is unanswered. Only the seaport of St Marc and the South and the yet unengaged Port au Prince district were in government hands - -the police only rebuffing and effective as a small army -and Haiti has no government army - at St. Marc. Mr Aristide much loved and hated - was left as solo leader with a few remote men and is police strength at the capital. Expectedly, he spared the people more blood. No coup or rebellion of this kind could or is supposed to happen - it did. Haiti will have another or an indefinite international protective force dometically or a constitutional armed force with its national police. Haiti's budget cannot afford $300 million. Sadly the media while also reporting the rebellion -joined a chorus of reports critical of Aristide -the man who materially made democracy happen in Haiti. He was filmed the week before at the capital Carnival events instead of attending to the rebellion's capture of Cap Haitien. Obviously a patient delegator - he was owed more. Worse -his liason to the gangs -once a euty police director and Cabinet deputy minister for social affairs defected to Cuba -leaving motly armed gangs and a dispirited police force to protect the capital and the rest of the country. Behind this were enspirited former military men probably obeying their own and the minds of the old Haiti miitary dictators -especially General Prosper Avril -the one they freed Saturday during the time buyig 'truce' by springing Haiti's National Penetentiary. A full security failure - and a loss for a country which expanded its schools - decreased illiteracy by 40% -stayed poverty and starvation with more to do - -restored a better tourism trade -and voted in a popular majority government. Haiti nver seeking much - was owed much more. In the end Aristide remebered the only thing he could do alone to save a form of his country realized from dreams - he left office. The rebellion is cooling temporarily now -- a UN force there now -- to help keep order - after $300 million in damages - over 100 dead -and virtually all the countrys' prisons emptied by criminals freeing drug dealers and former dictators. The latter still had the will, money and latent power to buy these events (and someone did) from the National Penetentiary. Small countries like Haiti need international help -police -military -and finance --and before a country or government is put to the blade. Half of the rebels at 25 are middle aged Haitien men - life expectancy averages 54. |
// posted by scotty of course @ 10:46 PM 
