Which Way Is Haiti

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Rene Preval is finally elected president.

Having seen his lead falling below the fifty percent that would automatically force him into a second round of vote, his supporters took to the streets and defied the electoral authorities, which have eventually been forced to proclaim him president.

Most candidates, even though not agree with the council's decision, recognize that Preval would have at any rate won the presidency since he, in most polls, appeared to be the likely winner because Haitians do not always divorce with those who cause their demise.

Because poverty and illiteracy strike Latin American majorities without a clear leadership for change, and the spread of voting choice, the electorates aim at moving to the left. Haiti, the politically weakest state, stoically follows its own course for alternative.

For approximately twenty years, following the fall of Duvalier regime, Haitians have been the targets of political and social hardships.

Preval and Aristide held power for thirteen years and, governing with a primitive style, they are accused responsible for much of the current problems.

Having been misled by conventional politicians, who overthrew Aristide, the people step back further in their selection of Lavalas leaders as their government for an unspecified time. Governance inconsistency was clearly a part in both Aristide and Preval administrations that led to the collapse of the nation's economy.

Not aiming at modernizing Haitian politics to increase the living standard, the new president can expect future popular unrest and the departure of skilled workers to industrial countries.

Nevertheless, the make up of the Haitian electorate will unforeseeably be unchanged.

As observed by many, Lavalas dominance has formally been maintained through speeches and promises to the poor majority and informally by the use of violence and terror.

Such governing manners prove destructive to the old republic in the Western Hemisphere.

Both Mr. Aristide and Preval present chronic discourses that give rise to class-consciousness within the highly poor population.

In many instances, their use of meaningful popular proverbs in their speeches often resonates with popular groups.

Their speeches tend to heighten the spirit of the poor majorities without any clear vision.

Paradoxically, armed groups like "Domi Nan Bwa"(Sleeping In The Three) in Miragoane and "Lame Cannibal" (Cannibal Army) in Gonaives both of which armed and trained by Aristide, conducted drug trafficking and atrocities towards opponents; and organized crime issue remains always unresolved.

Unlike Latin America's numerous enlightened leaders, Haiti seems to be moving away from a political orthodoxy to renegade groups.

Undoubtedly, the return of Preval only ignites a much more organized lavalas for an undiminished fear among opponents, who contributed to the downfall of previous regimes.

Will Preval rebuilt the Haitian state destroyed by his main supporters: the chimeres, drug traffickers, money launderers, kidnappers, and arsonists, which cause the most capable Haitians and businesses to flee?

Will he restore order and modernize Haiti's institutions, much like the army, an effective police force to insure that the UN forces deoccupy the country to return those soldiers to their respective countries?

Will Preval set the course of an electoral council to organize permanent elections, to allow all parties to compete?

Like Aristide, Preval has no strong leadership and political program capable of changing Haiti's image.

Reforming the antiquated educational system, recruiting an acceptable number of teachers, building schools in all rural sections, expanding college education to thousands of high school graduates, creating local projects for young people, facilitating adult education, along with joining all the country's regions with modern roads should be of a vision of any modern
administration.

Nevertheless, Mr. Rene Preval has proved incompetent during his previous five years tenure as president.

Haitians deserve a government that enhances social justice and progress.

Unlike Aristide, who is tolerant and vocal in violence to his opponents, Mr. Preval is shy and tranquil in violent acts. Intolerant to his critics, he used Lavalass supporters as a buffer to those who opposed him. His name was mentioned among those who paid kidnappers to commit themselves against civilians for ransom in Cite Soleil.

During his tenure as President (1996-2001), Haitians witnessed a high volume of violence caused by Preval/Aristide supporters.

Radio and televised media were aggressed and shut down; drug dealers carried enormous profits, and the Haitian slum dwellers were infested by drug use causing a moral decline in their communities.

Politically, the previous presidency of Mr. Preval was as tact in its totality and was seen by many as a hold-on for Aristide grip to an eventual return.

When he assumed control of the presidency, Preval had no clear program in sight.

The army that was already dismissed by Aristide was not replaced.

Mr. Rene Preval took office with a police force of 1800 officers and ended his term with only 2,500 members.

Hence, the country with a population of 8,000,000 was left with no armed protection.

The vast and porous Haiti's coast has been unguarded due to the absence of the military and a sizable police force.

Clearly, the absence of a political vision was totally absent during his reign.

He prevented senatorial elections from taking place in November 1997 and 1999 when he realized that his party would not gain a full control.

After these events, he dismissed the remaining functional parliament and governed by decree.

At that point, almost all of the country's political and economical institutions were collapsed and Preval was left with a free hand to forge the fraudulent May and November 2000 elections that drawn enormous protests, leading to chaos all over the country.

With no clear alternative to the decline of Haitian State after the fall of Aristide, Haitians once again have selected Mr. Preval as their president.

The Haitian election conclusively, despite unspecified irregularities, was free and fair. People were given the right to choose.

Now, that the selection of Mr. Preval has already been made, and a second round for parliament and municipal elections in sight, it could only be wished to see a different society emerging from foreign occupation to an acceptable democracy.

However, giving our experience with Aristide/Preval, one has to wonder whether such a country rich in history will follow the good examples of the enlightened world

Yvin E. Fanfan, March 31 2006, 5:11 PM

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