The Courier: Building on Stability

Report

Issue Nr. IV (N.S.) – January/February 2008

Building on Stability

A look at the political upheavals of the past puts into perspective the current relative stability in Haiti. For the government it is an opportunity, with needed donor support, to consolidate its administration and take steps to restart the economy to alleviate poverty.

Street corner in Les Cayes.

Tainos, relatives of the Arawaks of South America arriving in 2600 BC, were the first known inhabitants of the Hispaniola Island. One of the most revered to this day was Queen Anacaona or ‘Golden Flower’ who ruled over Xaragua, one of the five kingdoms of the Hispaniola led by caciques (Chieftans).She was one of the last to succumb to Spanish influence on the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 but at a meal for the Spanish new governor in 1503, her followers were arrested and executed. Anacaona fled but was captured and hung in Santo Domingo. It was estimated that originally there were between 100,000 to 1 million Tainos on the island who were gradually wiped out upon Columbus’ arrival through epidemics and enforced hard labour. But still Haiti’s Taino descent is still reflected in the country’s culture whilst some Haitians claim blood ties.

African slaves were brought over by the French colonists in 1520 and inhabited the Western portion of the island. In 1731, the Spanish recognised the French colony Saint Domingue and a border was drawn up alongside two rivers.
Several slave leaders, including Francois Dominique Toussaint l’Ouverture won freedom from their masters and France abolished slavery in 1803. The white heart was symbolically ripped out of the French flag by rebel leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines and the red and blue stitched together, and the Haitian flag, ‘Liberte ou la Mort’ hoisted. On January 1804, after a decisive battle with the French, Dessalines announced independence in Gonaives and the African Haitans took control of the island restoring its Taino name ‘Haiti’, or “mountainous land.”

20th century

Fast forward to the 20th Century and the strategic importance of Haiti as a shipping route. Connecting the newly opened Panama Canal led to a US invasion in 1915, the occupation lasting until 1934. Several coups later, the dictatorship of Francois Duvalier took hold in 1957, his support coming from burgeoning middle class and rural poor. Reinforcing his power with the ‘Tontons Macoute’, named after the fictious Uncle Knapsack who carried off children, they were allowed to extort cash and goods from the population and in return loyally protected their President. Jean-Claude ‘Babydoc’ Duvalier succeeded his father upon his death in 1971. In 1986 ‘Babydoc’ fled to France. A period of instability followed from 1986 to 1990. Faced with the return of Duvalier’s supporters, the Supreme Court ordered elections in December 1990 when a young Priest, Jean Bertrand Aristide, broadly supported by civil society, came to power in September 1991 under the banner of ‘Lavalas’, meaning ‘flood’. Current President, René Préval, was his Prime Minister from February1991 to September 1991.

Just seven months in office, a coup staged by General Raoul Cédras was immediately condemned and an economic embargo was imposed and maintained until October 1994, when Aristide returned with US backing. Aristide was barred from seeking a consecutive term in the 1996 Presidential Election won by René Préval, who in 2001 became the first democratically elected leader in the country’s history to complete a mandate.Artistide remained a popular figure forming the ‘Fanmi (family) Lavalas’ party, and the Foundation for Democracy giving interest free loans for business and support for health and education. He was elected President in November 2000 winning 91.7% of the vote. The 200th Anniversary of the country’s independence was marked by civil protest forcing Aristide into exile on 29 February 2004, although he claims he was made to leave by US fear of unrest spreading. Boniface Alexandre became interim President with the task of organising elections within two years.

On 7 February 2006, René Préval once more became President, elected for the period 2006 to2011 under the broad movement of LESPWA (Hope) which pulled together several political parties and civil society groups. His was a slim majority of 51.21%, after blank ballots were counted, requiring the support of other parties to form a coalition government.

A changing country

“Things are changing in our country. Politics can be done in a different way. The country cannot, at the slightest opportunity, topple over into instability,” said Préval in his annual opening speech to Parliament on 14 January 2008. He outlined some of the main economic challenges and need for state modernisation to cement security, including changes to the justice system, the need for credit and investment (see article on industry) and reliable and properly priced energy.

The presence of the United Nations Stabilisation Force for Haiti (MINUSTAH) has largely been responsible for the return to stability. Although there are still too many kidnappings, said the President, whose perpetrators should be brought to justice.

Following the departure of ex-President Jean Bertrand Aristide, a UN Security Council Resolution in June 2004 mandated a force to stabilise the and to help the transitional government hold elections. “Armed gangs were holding the country at ransom,” said David Wimhurst, MINUSTAH’s Director of Public Relations, speaking at its headquarters based in Port-au-Prince’s former Hotel Christopher.

MINUSTAH currently numbers 7060 military personnel, mostly from Latin America, with a large contingent from Brazil and 2,091 police officers (UN figures November 2007) helping to build a Haitian police force. MINUSTAH’s new commander since September 2007 is Tunisian Diplomat, Hédi Annabi. Wimhurst explained that some force was necessary to clamp down on gangs responsible for violence and kidnapping. “It took three months to break up the gangs, some lives were lost and 800 arrested in Cité Soleil,” added Wimhurst.

Since February 2007, it is easier to circulate in Cité Soleil. MINUSTAH’s actions will, “create a space for longer term development to take place,” added Wimhurst. “The only way we can leave the state is if a fully professionally equipped police force is at the service of the state.” To date, 11,000 Haitian police officers have been trained whereas at least 20,000 are required. Wimhurst said that MINUSTAH is also funding 16 boats to patrol Haiti’s Northern shores, a drop off point for illegal narcotics.

Dynamic diaspora

A recent report by the NGO International Crisis Group (ICG) says that the government should encourage Haiti’s 3 million diaspora to invest more in the country whose remittances came to US$1.65 billion in 2006 amounting to 35% of the GDP. ICG’s senior analyst, Damien Helly, said this economic contribution should be reflected in the political system by facilitating voting abroad and allowing dual citizenship and diaspora representation within Parliament, which is likely to require constitutional reform. The paper also calls for a diaspora task force mandated by Haitian officials, all political forces, civil society and the private sector, to draw up a 10-year strategy backed by international support.

Important too for the country’s future is a bi-national strategy with the Dominican Republic despite international condemnation of the violations of rights of Haitian workers in its neighbouring country (see article by Pierre Gotson). In March 2008, the 3rd edition of a bi-national fair on eco-tourism and cultural links will take place in Belledère, Haiti, jointly organised by the Dominican body, la Fondation Science et Artand. ‘Fondation pour le Développement du Tourisme Alternatif’ and San Pont Ayiti, explained Dr. José Serulle the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador Haiti (FONDTAH).

Decentralisation of government is progressing in stages following the election of mayors. Haiti recently hosted the 23rd edition of the World Mayors Conference in Côté des Arcadins; the subject, strengthening of municipalities. Individual projects such as the study of the InterAmerican Bank (IDB), by the Haitian consultancy Société d’Aménagement et de Développement (SODADE), on the development of Les Cayes from flood defenses to a marina, is but one example of individual projects country-wide aimed at developing regions explained SODADE’s Marc Roger.

Good administrative practices

In his speech to Parliament, Préval also stressed modernisation of ministries with technology and the need to register all business entities. “We need to regain good practices in administration lost during the Duvalier years,” explained Price Pady, Haiti’s National Authorising Officer (NAO), responsible for coordinating and approving donor projects. Budget support to improve the capacity of ministries is an important part of donor planning in Haiti (see article on 10th EDF). “We see budget support as an instrument of intergovernmental dialogue. This dialogue is about priorities and policies identified by the government,” said the EU’s Head of Delegation in Haiti, Francesco Gosetti-di-Sturmeck, announcing additional budgetary support in October 2007.

Improved education is seen as key to building up the country’s skills base. 40% of the population over 10 can’t read or write, Minister for Education, Gabriel Bien Aimé, told us: “To change this we need more qualified teachers more adequate facilities, classrooms and teaching materials,” that would complement the EU’s funding for teacher training colleges (see article on EDF). Minister Bien Aimé wants to reverse figures whereby 80% of education is currently provided by the private sector and just 20 by the public sector. It will mean increasing the annual budget spent on education to 8% in 2008, 13% the following year, to gradually bring it up to 25%, putting spending on a par with most countries and achive the eventual aim of “education for all,” said the Minister.

Debra Percival

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