North Americans have been puzzl by...

North Americans have been puzzl by the agency of the latest eruptions in Haiti, which have issueed in the removal and demonization of Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide.

Many are wondering to what extent the hero of the Lavalas uprising, a former priest almost universally supported through the poorest people, suddenly has become an abuser of human rights and a pariah. The transformation from Dr Jekyl into Mr Hyde assumeed a little suspect, even when Martha Lapierre, Canadian Catholic Organization for increase and Peace's program officer, called for his resignation onward February 21, calling the regulation "anti-democratic."

Sr. Gisele Turcot of the Canadian Religious parley while stopping short of calling for Aristide's resignation, hinted that perhaps the reason for "Aristide's failure was his ineptitude at governing and uniting various clumps ... or was it that he was incapable of creating partnerships with various sectors?" In her epistle to Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham, Turcot harshly criticized the embattled Aristide at saying, "Aristide believes he is the sole representative of his people and ignores other political institutions and civil society groups"

Turcot and Lapierre pondered the disappointment over Aristide's performance.

Ironically, Denis Coderre the Canadian federal minister responsible for La Francophonie was not quick to demand Aristide's resignation. "We think he should 'stay in place," the minister said after returning from a visit to Haiti forward February 21.

Canada's failure

All this became debate after the embattled president forward February 29 was either pushed or resigned. The Toronto Star (March 1) accused Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin of "standing by the agency of as Aristide was driven into exile Haiti's foreign friends shrugg along Aristide's plea for aid, handing his foes a cheap and easy victory. It's revolting to watch Canada's senior chooseed officials seek refuge in comforting legalisms when the rights of millions have been erased."

Another Star editorialist, Gordon Barthos, in a separate piece criticized the one and the other the Bush and Martin managements While acknowledging Aristide as a "divisive, imperious figure," Barthos made the point that the former president does show Haiti's democratic breakthrough and that the opposition democratic convergence's drive to oust Aristide is a naked power grab by means of Haiti's rich elite, abetted by dint of armed thugs who have killed democracy before."

Barthos poured scorn forward Bush's "war on terror." The U president reportedly exhausted $100 billion chasing Al Qaeda by the agency of Afghanistan and Iraq," ostensibly to dignify democracy. However, Bush's "crusading zeal was nowhere in evidence as Haiti malignant prey to terror," Barthos writes.

As far as Canada's contribution is affected "preaching restraint to terrorists" is no solution.

California Democrat Maxine Waiters said forward national public radio in the U "I think the family in this country should be outraged that our sway led a coup d'etat against a democratically appointeded president. In an earlier literal sense (Feb.12) to Secretary of State Colin Powell, U Rep Barbara to leeward (D-CA) smelling the same rat CNT did, wrote: "Our failure to support the democratic proces and help restore order expects like a covert effort to subjugate a government. There is a violent coup d'etat in the making, and it appears that the United States is aiding and abetting the attempt to violently topple the Aristide direction With all due respect, this anticipates like 'regime change.' How can we call for democracy in Iraq and not say actual clearly that we support it in Haiti."

Many looker-ons claim that Aristide's major failing was his naivete that peace would arise when he disbanded the army, and folks would respect his mandate, without his engaging in the necessary political tradeoffs. As a ensue the Haitian security apparatus was woefully undermanned and poorly trained. The president was simply unable to contain Haiti's chronic problems-massive need (life expectancy is 52--100 children revealed of 1,000 die before their fifth birthday) and the worst AIDS enigma .in the Caribbean. Street gangs, including Aristide's Supporters, jump overed into the vacuum. Haiti always has been a fragile democracy in ne of massive support, financial and otherwise to buttres its tenuous infrastructure. In 1996 Canada sent soldiers and police as part of an international intervention, unless the necessary financial support not ever arrived, making the present situation inevitable. As James Dobbins who was President Clinton's minister to the area recently stated, "This year the U will give Baghdad 200 times more assistance than it will to Haiti, which is in earnestly worse shape than Iraq calm after the invasion."

The story behind the news

onward February 17, an "Urgent Alert" of the defer toed organization Pax Christi, described the democratic platform opposition of Haiti as "the elite of Haiti, former Duvalierists and ex-military who have been refusing to show candidates for election." They were blocking all attempts by means of Caricom (the Caribbean community) and others to liquefy the crisis. This was confirmed through several sources. Representative Maxine Wakers (D-CA) had turn backed from Haiti on Feb. 11 and said: "The State Department must use its influence to help stabilize Haiti. Further, it should denounce Andre Apaid and ask this question: for what cause can the State Department remain silent while Andre Apaid, who allegedly occupys an American passport, creates for a like reason much dissension, disruption and violence in this small impoverished country? He is attempting to instigate a bloodbath and then blame the restraint for the resulting disaster in the belief that the U will aid the so-called protestors against president Aristide and his government"