What's going on in Haiti? (MERGED)

[Nadia_H]

What the heck is going on. The national tv headlines, when they may be bothered to report on this forgotten place, simply state "Violence continues". Even BBC stated that. It's been continuing for the past ten years hasn't it ? *confused* What's the background to this? Rebel groups - who are they really????? - are calling for President Aristide to step down. Why the hell doesn't he just step down if his country is teetering on the brink of social collapse for the past x number of years; once you reach a point where the majority of your own people do not endorse you, what is the point of continuing?

Apparently, there is rampant unemployment and poverty hence the discontentment with the present regime... but could any other government really do better in Aristide's place? Not all the rebel groups have resorted to violent means in demanding for him to step down.

Anyone know what's going on and how likely is it that he will step down ? Should he step down for the present and future political/social stability of the country?

[ZulfiOKC]

Nadia_H ji, most of the violence/terrorism which is going on in the fractured state of Haiti is because of the elections which were held in the year 2000, in which current president Aristide took power. A lot of rebel groups claim that those elctions were marred with violence, and fraud tactics, hence making those elctions null. President Aristide refuses their concerns by saying that those elections were held under the U.S., U.N., EU supervision and were by large FAIR ELECTIONS.
I'm not sure if the current government is going to step down or not, but I did listen to their violent rebel comander, and he did'nt seem any different from a war lord. So, IMO, I seriously doubt it that the rebels would be able to change anything in terms of lowering the extreme poverty ratio in Haiti. IMO, the major players in the world like the U.S., France, EU, U.N., Organization of American States should facilitate a dialouge b/w the rebels and the government so the peace can be given another chance, and thousands of lives can be saved.

[spoon]

What's going on in Haiti? The same thing that's gone on in Haiti for the last 200+ years.

This recent uprising is officially caused by the elections like Zufi said.. but the rebels are more criminals than ideological revolutionaries so elections seem to be just a pleasant excuse. Aristide is corrupt, his government is as well so even if Aristide weren't corrupt he wouldn't be able to do anything useful. There really is no potential leader that stands out as someone that can affect change for the better there. Quite a sad picture.

I, myself, would endorse the idea that's been floated around of an international trusteeship for places like this. Haiti needs training wheels. They haven't been able to go anywhere on their own since independence.. before then wasn't exactly pleasant society either, but, with the knowledge and morals of the modern world, international guidance doesn't seem so bad. Can't be any worse than native rule.

[Nadia_H]

hmmmm. i see. Thank you for the informative responses, ZulficOKC and Spoon

No i agree with the perspectives about the rebels... they don't seem like any ideological revolutionaries to me either.

As usual, it's just the poor who suffer. There was a food distribution center, they were showing on tv, where there was a stampede to get access to the bags of rice/flour. Rebels just stood around, doing nothing - their hands were tied anyways, the crowd became too unruly, they had no power/control over it. And they've erected barricades in the middle of the country on important roadways - which is hindering food distribution efforts by the WFP and FAO. So much for their blasted ideology.

Aristide should step down, hand over power to a UN-sponsored interim authority, something along the lines of what Spoon mentioned.

[ak47]

U.S. Tries to Mask it's Role - Haitians resist coup attempt

February 26, 2004 - As heavily armed gangs led by paramilitary death-squad leaders from former dictatorships take over a broad swath of Haiti, vowing to topple the government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and lynching scores of his supporters, the question being asked in the popular movements of the region is: What role is the U.S. imperialist government playing in all this?

Washington is being careful not to take credit for the coup attempt, which was launched on Feb. 5 in the northern port city of Gonaives. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Feb. 17 that there was no "enthusiasm" in the Bush administration for intervention.

Not everyone in the State Department had gotten the word, however. An Australian newspaper, The Age, reported on Feb. 17 that "U.S. Ambassador James Foley today said Washington wants 'radical change,' even while Powell has said the United States does not support Aristide's ouster."

No end to U.S. intervention

The truth is there has already been plenty of U.S. intervention, both covert and overt, aimed at replacing the Aristide government with one deemed more compliant by the big business interests that run U.S. foreign policy.

The U.S. has led an international conspiracy to deprive Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, of any aid money. Haiti has been on the hit list of the major capitalist powers ever since its successful revolutionary war of 1804, which simultaneously liberated the country from French colonial rule and freed its population from chattel slavery. Its deep poverty comes from a two-centuries-old economic blockade.

This was reinforced after the election of 2000 when lending institutions controlled by the U.S. held up a $500-million loan Haiti desperately needed. The intent was clear: to put pressure on the Aristide government to either capitulate to the capitalist globalizers' demands or be ousted.

The stated U.S. diplomatic position has been to recognize the Aristide government while giving aid and comfort--and a significant amount of money--to groups Washington dubs the "democratic" opposition. There is another, more sinister history of U.S. intervention in Haiti, however.

The Haitian people, who are highly conscious of what goes on behind the scenes regarding their country, know that Washington has long had secret deals with their tormentors, beginning with the bloody Duvalier dynasty that ruled Haiti for 29 years.

They also know about the secret files that were spirited out of Haiti in 1994 by U.S. troops when they returned Aristide to office after he had been overthrown in a military coup. Those files are believed to contain information about the covert relations between the CIA and the Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti (FRAPH), a nice-sounding name for the death squads that operated during the 1991-94 military regime.
U.S. Tries to Mask it's Role - Haitians resist coup attempt

Another regime change at the insistence of the Globocops USA, Arisitide has since resigned and the US has now asked the rebels to lay down there arms.

Just another day at the office for the puppet masters!

[Imdad Ali]

Your source is biased

[Ohioguy]

It must be the oil.....

[ak47]

Originally posted by Imdad Ali:
Your source is biased

Yes of course the Globocops america are no where in sight in haiti are they!

[Malik73]

Re: U.S. Tries to Mask it's Role - Haitians resist coup attempt

Originally posted by ak47:

Another regime change at the insistence of the Globocops USA, Arisitide has since resigned and the US has now asked the rebels to lay down there arms.

Just another day at the office for the puppet masters!

Maybe, maybe not.

But what do you actually know about Haiti, and it's recent history, especially the nature of the Aristide government? In fact what do you actually know about the Haitian people and society?, because I think if you had a wider understanding of Haiti in general you would find that many people (and foreign states) are to blame for the mess that this country has been in for a long, long time.

[zman]

Just heard it on NPR that there are allegations that Aristide was taken by the US marines at gunpopint.

[ak47]

Originally posted by zman:
Just heard it on NPR that there are allegations that Aristide was taken by the US marines at gunpopint.

what a surprise not!

Guy Philippe, the rebel leader was trained by US special forces and was sent back to haiti in early 90's, he is also a well known cocaine smuggler and leader of death squads!

Perfect criteria if you want to be the next mercenary puppet paid by the Globocop USA.

those who claim the idea that the US has nothing to do with this coup is just plain silly even rumsfield on the News could'nt keep a straight face when probed!

"I know nothin" was his claim yeah right!

[Marathi Maanus]

It is said US abducted Aristide as he was not ready to leave.

[underthedome]

The U.S. took the lead in sending in troops and the U.N. Security Council followed the U.S. shortly afterwards by approving international troops. The U.S. should be praised for their actions, seems you have things backwards ak.

[Talha]

is France sending the troops? i heard about it they will - well who cares The Few The Proud has taken over yet again

[Malik73]

Originally posted by Talha:
is France sending the troops?

Yes, it has. An advance guard of French soldiers and American marines have arrived at Port-au-Prince, while Canadian special forces have been despatched, and troops from Chile are on the way.