COHA: Analysis of Haiti’s Political Deadlock Dead Wrong by Stanley Lucas

On August 30, the Council on Hemisphere Affairs published a partisan piece on the political deadlock in Haiti see: http://www.coha.org/haitis-chronic-crisis-of-leadership/ .  Their analysis misses the heart of the deadlock.  COHA goes through the ludicrous mental gymnastics of trying to overlay US-style conservative versus liberal politics.  Rather, the issue in Haiti boils down to old, corrupt politics versus Martelly’s change agenda, see:

 http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/07/inites-deadlock-last-ditch-effort-to.html .  There is no need for the mental gymnastics to try to overlay US-style conservative vs. neoliberal politics on Haiti’s situation. 

 Preval’s INITE Party is in Parliament due to rigged elections so they can preserve the old style corrupt system that is in place, and they are blocking anyone they see as a threat.  Rouzier was actually rejected officially on “political” grounds.  That’s a constitutional violation.  He submitted all the necessary documentation required by the Haitian Constitution (see article 157 and 137), so COHA’s point about doubts surrounding Rouzier’s citizenship is baseless.  Gousse also gets smeared in this piece. The Lancet Medical Journal report was widely discredited as a partisan report aimed at rehabiltatings the public image of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and elements of his political party, Fanmi Lavalas, see: http://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article5133  

Haiti’s biggest and most respected human rights watch organization extensively investigated Gousse and cleared him of any human rights abuse allegations.  That’s a fact, see: http://www.hpnhaiti.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3576:gousse-non-coupable-de-violation-des-droits-de-lhomme-plaide-le-rnddh&catid=1:politics&Itemid=1 .  The speculation over Martelly’s strategy for picking Prime Ministers is preposterous.  Martelly is trying to put in place a Prime Minister that is aligned with his vision for Haiti and someone that is a new face.  The Haitian people voted for change and they will accept nothing less.  That is it. 

This analysis then goes on to point out that Martelly has little support among the people based on low voter turnout in the run off election.  It does not mention that the Haitian people had little confidence in the process after the spectacle of corruption that occurred during the first attempt at elections and the significant threats of violence to those who did turnout, see: http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/01/haiti-pre-and-post-electoral-updates-by.html .  But the current poll numbers speak for themselves:  Martelly’s current approval rating stands at 77%; Parliament has a 3% approval rating.  That’s the fact. 

Finally, this report goes on to lament the lack of leadership in Haiti and insinuates that the Haitian people are longing for a return of Aristide.  Actually, there were very few people who turned out at the airport for Aristide’s return.  But the people did manage to loot his house the day he returned.  Taking everything from silverware and mattresses to the bananas and mangoes on his tree.  How’s that for a supportive welcome home?  People suffered under Aristide through violent political campaigns and greed.  According to the Haitian GAO, Aristide made off with $350 million in stolen funds.  That’s the fact, see: http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/03/truth-about-aristide-mob-boss-or.html

Aristide, Preval and INITE have all had their chance to make positive changes in Haiti and failed preferring instead to enrich themselves at the expense of the Haitian people.   This “analysis” seems to be incredibly partisan and biased and unfortunately nothing more than an attempt to undermine the efforts of a popular, new President trying to undo 40 years of corruption.