The term of Haitian Provisional President Jocelerme Privert
ended on June 14. At the opening of the General Session of Haiti’s parliament,
the General Assembly confirmed and announced that the mandate of Provisional
President Privert was over on June 14. They took the same action at the
conclusion of President Michel Martelly’s term on February 7. On June 17, the
Judiciary issued a statement also confirming his term was over on June 14 and
stating that they do not recognize his authority.
Yet, Privert delivered a speech on June 15 announcing he
would remain in office as the interim president in order to maintain stability.
Violence has ensued as Haiti heads down the well-trod path of another dictator.
His actions will accomplish anything but stability. In his
120 days in office, Privert failed in his sole mission: organize democratic
elections. His mandate was to organize runoff Presidential elections on April
24 so that a new democratically elected President could assume office on May 14.
Rather than organize the elections, he spent the 120 days
using partisan tactics to organize a coup on behalf of his – and former
dictator Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s – Lavalas party. It became apparent early in
his term that elections were not forthcoming and that this delay tactic would
be implemented.
So what is the official process? At the end of Privert’s 120
day term, parliament has the responsibility to replace Privert. The Prime
Minister and the cabinet assume a caretaker role for the government. In
February, when Martelly departed office as scheduled, it took the Parliament a
week to select a provisional President. Parliament has already initiated a set
of political consultations to replace Mr. Privert, and, to ensure that
non-elected officials do not decide the fate of the country, they have ordered the
Prime Minister not to undertake any decisions beyond the daily functioning of
the government until parliament ratifies the next steps. This is an automatic
process.
The Judiciary also called for a meeting between the three
branches of Government, the Prime Minister as the representative of the
Executive Branch, the two representatives of the Legislative Branch, the
President of the House and the Vice President of the Senate and the President
of the Council of Judicial Powers in the perspective to find a solution in case
of Privert continue to undermine quorum to prevent the General Assembly in
parliament.
But instead of respecting any of Haiti’s institutions, Mr. Privert
has decided to make a power grab and remain in office. This sets him up as the
defacto President – an action that will most certainly not be tolerated by the
Haitian voters.
Privert ignored the Parliament’s order and called for them
to take action to extend his term in office. Meanwhile, he is working actively
to undermine and dissolve parliament. He has ensured that several senators will
not sit for quorum so that the senate is unable to take legal action. The
deputies are less amenable to his agenda and are therefore being threatened. Deputy
Romel Beauge was already the subject to heavy machine gun fire at his home, and
Deputy Price Cyprien President of the Justice Commission was attacked by
Privert's personal security.
In anticipation of the coming protests, Privert has imposed
a curfew, arrested democratic activists, fired machine guns at the KID party
headquarters of Evans Paul, and threatened other political activists. After
failing to secure arms shipments from Venezuela and Cuba, he and his acolyte
ransacked a National Police walking off with 75 Galil automatic rifles. Those
rifles have already been distributed to the so-called chimeres – or hired guns -- working for him.
Around the country Privert’s new Delege local representatives of the President’s office and Commissaire du Gouvernement, local
prosecutors, are conducting systematic repression in order to secure the coup. They
attacked TV Plurielle because the owner publicly characterized Privert’s inner
circle as “scary” in reference to their abysmal track records of human rights
violations and violence.
Privert has a history of defaulting to violence when the
political winds do not blow his way. In 2004, according to human rights and
Haitian justice system records while serving as Minister of the Interior, he
was involved in the Raboteau massacre in Gonaives and Lascierie in Saint Marc
resulting in the murder of about 85 people.
Before Haiti suffers another Privert sponsored and executed
bloodbath, action must be taken. In case of a stalemate the Haitian people will
almost certainly take action to prevent the rise of yet another Haitian
dictator. What will the international response be? That is one of the critical
and decisive factors yet unknown.