Haiti – on the edge of disaster again
By Sir Ronald Sanders
The Kaieteur News – Haiti – a country to which every other country is indebted to slavery – is once again in turmoil.
Therefore, no country in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) should stand idly by, while Haiti is slipping into further disaster, slowing its already poor economy and depriving the Haitian people of hope for a better future.
Of course, no country should interfere in the internal affairs of any other state. CARICOM has never done that. In times when the organization has played a role in resolving political, electoral and constitutional issues in a CARICOM member state, it has done so at the invitation of the Government and other political parties. This happened most recently in Guyana, where CARICOM played a pivotal role in maintaining democracy and ensuring the credible outcome of elections.
Non-interference in the internal affairs of a state should not be construed as endorsement. And when conditions reach the point of loss of life, friendly states should only do their bit to help achieve peace and help resolve the issues that cause violence and destruction. Although the Haitian government may not agree, the country’s current circumstances are shouting for remedial action.
CARICOM was therefore right, on February 11, to issue a public statement, “Encouraging all parties to engage in meaningful dialogue in the interests of peace and stability,” and “Strongly urges that steps be taken to foster a safe environment, a return to normal life and building sustainable democratic institutions. ”
Since October 2019, when President Jovenel Moïse postponed parliamentary and local elections, there has been no legislature in Haiti. The President has ruled the country by decree, in violation of its Constitution. Even at the civic level, when the terms of the elected Mayor expired, Moïse appointed persons of his own choosing.
Furthermore, in the absence of a legislature, which is required under the Constitution to approve appointments to independent organizations and law enforcement agencies, including the Police, President Moïse has unilaterally placed preferred individuals. For over a year, these circumstances have upset opposition parties as might be expected, but they have also caused outrage among human rights groups at home and internationally.
More recent events in Haiti, however, have attracted strong criticism of Moïse. The most compelling condemnation came from seven members of the US House of Representatives (US). In early February, they wrote to the Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, demanding Moïse’s departure “In accordance with the Haitian Constitution.”
For several months, the contention was made by political and civil rights groups in Haiti, which ended in accordance with the Constitution, which ended February 7 – five years after the last elections in November 2016. It has argued that, despite the position set forth in the Constitution regarding the life of the President’s term, he is entitled to remain in office for another year, as he did not take office until February 2017.
In a situation where President stewardship has brought peace, economic development, and social progress, Haitian society may have gone along with Moïse’s views. Unfortunately, the situation on the ground in Haiti has been very different. Moïse was not a popularly elected President. The turnout for the 2016 elections was low. His actions, since then, especially his decree ruling, further weakened his approval.
In this atmosphere, the country slipped into lawlessness – Moïse’s ruling party allegedly seized some of it. Kidnappings and killings harassed rich and poor alike and maritime gangs controlled areas driving fear into communities. Massacres occurred in neighborhoods where opposition to Moïse is strong.
All this led to street protests, which the government met with an iron fist. In recent weeks, Police have fired live ammunition into crowds, killing and wounding people including two journalists, one of whom is in critical condition.
During this, on February 7, Moïse alleged that a conspiracy was to be demolished. Police arrested and detained 23 people, including a former presidential candidate, a high-ranking police inspector and a judge on the country’s highest court. In addition, Moise arbitrarily sent three judges to the Court of Justice in retirement. One of these judges was collectively named by the opposition parties as Haiti’s “Acting President” – as was the case with Juan Guaidó of Venezuela. The U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a statement questioning the merits of the act to de-judge the judges.
Several non-CARICOM countries, looking for a solution to the current problem, are doing what they usually do – focusing on Presidential elections to end the conflict.
The problem is that there are no credible electoral machines in Haiti, including no up-to-date and verifiable electoral list. Moreover, Moïse appointed a Committee of his associates to make recommendations on institutional and political reform, including the provisional electoral council (CEP), which administers elections.
The much bigger problem is that he intends to hold a referendum on April 25 on a draft constitution that his Committee has drafted. Among other things, the draft constitution will set the stage for Presidential and other elections. The process has no credibility and no support from opposition political parties and civil rights groups, and, as such, will continue to awaken protests and crowd demonstrations.
Haiti needs the help of honest brokers and intermediaries, including President Moïse and all other actors – political and civil – to help create agreed conditions to remedy the institutional issues, including the electoral machinery. Without it, the situation is that Haiti will get worse.
No country or organization can force itself to assist Haiti. The Haitian players must invite such assistance. Until they do so, all organizations, including CARICOM and the American Provinces Foundation, should express their concerns and stand ready to help the people of Haiti, who deserve the opportunity for a better life.
(The author is Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador to the United States and the American Provincial Institute. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and Massey College at the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own .)
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