A strange bird, but can it fly?
Guy S. Antoine
February 14, 2004

President Aristide's unprincipled ways of governing the state have cost him a lot of support at this critical juncture in our nation's history. It has been repeatedly stated that he only has himself to blame for the current crisis, where the United States, France, Canada, an armed insurgency, and a peaceful (ho hum...) opposition are all lined up against him in a merciless elimination bout. If Aristide were to assume full responsibility for the situation, this would exonerate his eliminators from any guilt in the matter. But, not so fast!

Whatever the actual "rapport de forces", to whitewash Haitians' participation in what is happening today on their soil is disingenuous. For the past 5 years or more, Haitians have mercilessly exposed their sores and weaknesses to the world and invited international meddling in their national affairs. While blaming the government for its intransigence and refusal to negotiate in good faith, the "Opposition" in Haiti has been nothing but intransigent and has demonstrated nothing but bad faith in its irrevocable decisions not to engage in negotiations with Aristide and not to participate in the electoral process. Call it "Option Zero". Call it "Ote toi que je m'y mette". Call it, realistically, "Nou deside pou nou fout peri ansanm pito nou kite w gouvène! [We have decided to perish together rather than see you govern.]" Well, it seems that the Opposition's "Genie" is just around the corner... No, it's already here.

To whitewash the participation of the Dominican Republic, which has invited a substantial influx of U.S. weaponry and military trainers in their country and added thousands of troops on the Haitian-Dominican border, supposedly to control the illegal Haitian crossover and the flow of drugs, is counterproductive. Funny how such notable reinforcements over the last couple of years could be so easily duped by a few Haitian policemen riding trucks of arms and ammunition across said border, policemen already well-known to the Dominican political, judicial, and law-enforcement authorities. Ah! No wonder El Presidente Hipolito Mejia hurried to make a speech, stating (after the fact) that the Dominican Republic would not allow mercenaries to cross its borders and proceed to the reinforcement of the rebellion in Haiti. Thank you, Señor Presidente. As President Aristide is fond of saying, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two wings of the same bird. While the U.S. is preparing for the eventual outpouring and interception of tens of thousands of Haitian refugees in makeshift prisoner camps at Guantanamo, the Dominican boat people are not waiting. It will be interesting to see how Attorney General John Ashcroft will react to the infiltration of Dominicans in the traditional boat people army. Will he think that they are all from Afghanistan?

To whitewash the participation of the self-proclaimed international community in the Haitian mess is equally disingenuous. So much has been written about this already, by people subscribing to various schools of thought. But let us divest ourselves of ideology for the moment, and simply trace the flow of dollars and francs over the last few years from point A to point B. Who has received monies in Haiti, from which parties, and exactly how have they been spent? Also let's attempt to resolve some key questions, such as: What did the French ex-ambassador to Haiti, Yves Gaudeul, know when he made the deadly accurate prediction that he was leaving the island to the storms that were soon to unleash upon it? Also: where does the FRAPH's "numero uno" Toto Constant lives, which government protects him from extradition, how did he manage to leave Haiti in the first place when the airport was already under the control of U.S. forces? Imagine, if you will, Saddam Hussein leaving Iraq aboard an American plane at Baghdad International Airport, and on his way to the U.S. to spend six months in jail and a comfortable and tranquil retirement.

Perhaps, the U.S. and France, the Dominican Republic and Haiti are four wings of the same bird? A very strange bird, indeed.

The Genie is out of its bottle. Can its handlers put it back? And on this 200th anniversary of Haiti's defeat of Napoleon's army, will we see the return of the French soldier on Haitian soil?

Imagine: U.S. and French troops side by side. "Reunited, and it feels so good..." Freedom fries, anyone?


Guy S. Antoine
Windows on Haiti
Social Commentary