I hate to beat the drum of bad news about Haiti yet again, but I'm not going to be dishonest either. So, a year after Aristide's departure (which may be the safest and most truthful way to describe what happened), what has happened recently?
- Rebel soldiers still refuse to disarm and insist on reviving Haiti's disbanded (and unneeded) military.
- The police are shooting peaceful demonstrators.
- Violence still rules the day.
- Aristide insists that he is still president.
- Aristide's foes aren't necessarily happy with the status quo.
Whatever good intentions Aristide may once have had (I remember being impressed when he was first elected and commented that his election was not important, but the one following his was), if he really believes in what he once believed in, then he needs to step aside. Any honest political movement is greater than any of its leaders. If he doesn't move aside, then Lavalas, the party he founded needs to drop him. Haiti doesn't need larger than life leaders; the country needs honest, dedicated leaders whose primary allegiance is to their causes, not to the cult of personality.
I've been pondering Haiti's situation and the only solution I can see is massive emmigration, on the order of 50%. The land is so denuded and the culture so broken I can't see the country coming close to the $20/day mark anytime this century.
The only (!) problem is finding a home for 3-4 million Haitians.
Posted by: Tom DC/VA | March 02, 2005 at 09:08 PM