Since its hard-fought independence, two centuries ago, Haiti has apparently stalled in the slow lane of history. International affairs consultant Henry Gill reminded us that, where Haiti is concerned, you're dealing with a population with a fortress mentality, a population that lives within its history and glories in that history. In fact, having been pauperised in almost every other sense, all it has left is its history."
Interestingly, a young woman, Sarodji Bertin, who represents Haiti in the prestigious Miss Universe pageant, according to a Kimberly Castillo story, had a mouthful to say about being able, on an international stage, to counter much of the negative image that has been associated with the land of her birth.
It's common knowledge that Haiti is "less well known for the physical beauty of its people than its abysmal poverty, illiteracy cruel dictatorships and corruption." According to the Haitian beauty queen: "Haiti is a country made up of resilient people, has inspired beautiful artwork and has at its roots, a vibrant culture and customs." Not withstanding her obviously displayed patriotic fervour, some people might have a problem with her being light-skinned, an educated professional, of mixed ancestry and having had a privileged upbringing. Not the typical Haitian, they might suggest. However, Ms Bertin may have unwittingly made the point that Haiti needed someone for the presidency who has studied and been in politics. We're not in a place right now where we can just try people out." Well said, miss!
Which brings me to the case of deposed Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide who has just returned from imposed exile and promoted himself as "a potent symbol of democracy" (his word.) He claims to have been kidnapped. Another "version of the truth" is that he willlingly resigned when his personal safety could not have been guaranteed and he was afforded "safe passage to a safer haven." I suppose that we'll have to wait until all those involved throw some light on what actually happened in their respective memoirs. But we can speculate, can't we? Bearing in mind that Aristide has been thrice democratically elected by wide margins and thrice deposed, there are inevitably mixed signals as to whether the irrepressible Aristide has returned "a sadder but wiser man." Aristide claims to be motivated by "his love for his people. Come to think of it, which politician isn't?
The popular wisdom, among politicians and even some academics (who presumably ought to know better) that unqualifiedly equating of Aristide with Haitian democracy is, in my view, perhaps a hasty, however well-meant, over simplification of the Haitian conundrum. That does not of course, mean that his political base is in decline or that he might not even still be a political force in Haiti to reckon with, for good or ill, depending on one's perspective. The stark reality is that democracy cannot thrive in the absence of democratic traditions and structures. To some, he may still be the knight in shining armour, champion of the poor. To others, he may well be seen as a dangerous, irresponsible demagogue and catalyst for anarchy.
On one of the occasions when he was deposed and in "political orbit" and his friends, international supporters and apologists were apparently willing to move heaven and earth to have him reinstated as president, Latin America's highest-ranking Catholic official, Cardinal Nicolas Lopez Rodriguez, the leader of the Dominacan Republic's church and president of the Latin American Episcopal Council branded the proposed return of the Haitian leader as "a big blunder." Opined Cardinal Rodriguez: "Aristide's return may be a solution for the United Nations, for the Organisation of American States for the countries that supported the agreement (to have him reinstated) but not for Haiti.
Reflecting the conservative Catholic hierarchy's disdain for the populist former priest, Rodriguez admitted: "My opinion of him (Aristide) has not changed. He is inexperienced in state affairs, insensitive, incompetent." According to a subsequent Cana-Reuter report (Trinidad Guardian July 24, 1993) Aristide had an emotional reconciliation with businessmen likely to help smooth his return to power. In Miami, about 180 Haitian businessmen gave a standing ovation and then sang Haiti's National Anthem when a former leading critic, Raymong Roy, president of Haiti's chamber of commerce and industry and Aristide embraced.
This rapprochement presumably has its genesis in the crippling and devastatng effects of economic sanctions, that incidentally were generally the leverage used to take Aristide's chesnuts out of the fire.
Whereas Aristide's allies often alleged that many of Haiti's leading businessmen supported the September 1991 military coup that toppled Aristide, the impending economic disaster and political chaos had probably driven home the point that Haiti's unfortunate and desperate "boat people" were not the only ones occupying a leaking and possibly sinking vessel. Sadly, I ask myself, "Why can't a chronically ungovernable Haiti see its way to move from physical manumission to genuine emancipations?"