From: rhinoceros (rhinoceros@freemail.gr)
Date: Sat Mar 06 2004 - 19:37:02 MST
[Casey]
Aristide has been in hot water over his election in 2000 because of voter fraud charges. During the period just prior to his second election in 2000, opposition groups protested and boycotted the elections, altogether. While he did garner 90% of the vote, the voter turn out was a measly 5%.
[rhinoceros]
http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/election.watch/americas/haiti1.html
<begin quote>
Presidential Candidate: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE
Party: Lavalas Family Party (FL)
Valid Votes Received: 2,632,534
Percent of Valid Votes Received: 91.81%
<snip>
Population and number of registered voters:
* Population: 6,867,995 (July 2000)
* Number of registered voters: 3,668,049 (1995)
<end quote>
[rhinoceros]
What was the source of the 5% participation claim? Those elections were heavily monitored, although not up to par with the "age of the computer".
[Casey]
He's also been known to say some not so nice things, for example "The burning tyre, what a beautiful tool ... it smells good. And wherever you go, you want to smell it". This refers to an execution practice that gained popularity in South Africa, called "necklacing" - where a petrol-soaked tire is placed over a person's neck and set a flame.
[rhinoceros]
This does not sound good at all! What is the source of this?
[Casey]
Aristide, a former priest, has used violent rhetoric in the past to subjugate the people of Haiti. The aforementioned quote is clear evidence of his lacking human decency.
[rhinoceros]
This may well be so. But you should realize what this is without a credible source for the previous one.
[Casey]
Why should the US support such a man?
[rhinoceros]
Sure, they shouldn't support such a man. Although they often do.
[Casey]
Why should the US support a man who according to Gerard Pierre Charles, an opposition leader, has said "He succeeded in cloaking the country in terror". Charles, if you are unaware, had his home attacked by the Chimeres - the group that Aristide has armed. In fact, Charles has said, "He became worse than Duvalier". Tell me what is worse, having a leader like Aristide in power, or not?
[rhinoceros]
Wait a minute. Of course, no people should have a leader such as the one portrayed. But... "cloaking the country in terror". What was the country like without Aristide? A fairyland? It is understandable that Charles would be upset, having been targeted by paramilitaries, the ones siding with Aristide (I read Aristide disbanded the army after the 2000 elections) but sympathy does not make Charles' arguments any more valid.
Also, did you read Colin Powel's recent statements where he "dismissed" the rebel commanders who "triumphantly" entered Port-o-Prince? A good thing, since they have been reported as members of "death squads" in the past, but didn't Powel sound like an employer? I sincerely hope that the term "democratic opposition" in Haiti really amounts to something, but from what I have seen so far I am not sure it has anything to do with Bush's actions.
Moreover, I keep reading accounts of American M-16s finding their way through Dominican Republic to the hands of Haitian paramilitaries of the opposition who roam the vilages recently. Is Colin going to tell them to disband?
[Casey]
Regardless of the accusations that Aristide has made regarding the so-called intervention by the US and France, I say Haiti is better off without him. In fact, so do the few Haitian mmigrants to the United States, with whom I've had the privilege of having discussed this topic.
[rhinoceros]
What do they see for Haiti's future? Any specific thoughts that you care to pass along?
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