Handling Insecurity in Haiti

Two events earlier this month in Haiti are indicative of a new determination by the internationally backed interim government to deal with the vexing problem of insecurity in the country.In the wee hours of December 14, a joint force of the national police and the Minustah, as the U.N. Mission to stabilize Haiti is called, moved into Cite Soleil, the vast shantytown north of Port-au-Prince that is considered a bastion of pro-Aristide thugs. They were sowing death and desolation in certain parts of the capital since last September 30 when they launched “Operation Baghdad,” ostensibly to force the return of their leader exiled in South Africa. Some of the bandits were arrested, four were reportedly killed in gun battles, and others managed to escape.Since then, Cite Soleil has been under police and Minustah control. Interestingly, the inhabitants of the Cite Soleil welcomed the Minustah with open arms. Most residents say they want the presence of the “forces of order” to be permanent. Apparently, the violence instigated by the pro-Aristide thugs has boomeranged.The behavior of the citizens of Cite Soleil underscores their disgust for the thugs who said they were acting on behalf of their exiled idol. They asserted that they wouldn’t stop their operation until Mr. Aristide had been restored to power. They were so cocky that they issued statements suggesting that people, especially police officers, should write their names under their sole when leaving home, because their heads no longer belonged to them. That grisly threat accompanied actual beheadings in a style mimicking insurgents’ violence in Iraq.In the process, some international press organs asserted that the violent action of a few thugs demonstrated the lasting popularity of Mr. Aristide. Now the thugs are exposed as bullies who imposed their will by sheer violence. And the lesson of Cite Soleil is not lost on other bandits who have been causing trouble in other areas of the capital, such as Bel Air and Martissant. Violence has been drastically reduced in the past two weeks.Another victory of the Minustah has also been a law enforcement operation against former Haitian army soldiers who had played a role in the departure of Mr. Aristide. On December 14, while the Minustah was moving into Cite Soleil, about 50 former soldiers in camouflage took over the vast property at Tabarre of the former president. A hurriedly painted sign in army colors designated the previously looted palace of Mr. Aristide as the new headquarters of the armed forces. Remissainthe Ravix, a former sergeant, claims to be the new army commander of the reorganized armed forces. He embodied the qualities of the late Sergeant Doe in Liberia. Unchallenged, Mr. Ravix represented a destabilizing force in the long run.Following fruitless attempts at dialogue to convince the former soldiers to leave Tabarre, the decision was made to lay siege to the compound. Hunger and thirst accomplished what words had failed to do. The occupiers of Tabarre moved out of their “headquarters” unarmed, as ordered. They were bused to the locale of the Haitian Police Academy some four miles away. But “Commander Ravix” was nowhere in sight. A reliable source told me that Mr. Ravix, a declared witch doctor, became “possessed by a spirit” that spirited him away from the compound before the surrender of his men. In a country where superstition holds sway over reality, Mr. Ravix is trying to build an aura of invincibility around him. He asserts that he has the “power to disappear” when cornered.The day after the “military surrender,” Mr. Ravix called for a national guerrilla movement against the interim government. The minister of justice responded by issuing a warrant for his arrest. Now nearly two weeks after the call to war, no “units” of the amorphous and mystical army of Mr. Ravix have responded. In fact, the former soldiers began receiving compensation from the government earlier this week based on an agreement reached three months ago by a joint commission that included representatives of the government and former soldiers.The restoration of security throughout the land is essential for the major task of the interim government, local and legislative elections later in 2005, preceding the presidential sweepstakes in December. Prime Minister Latortue is adamant on the issue. By February 7, 2006, the newly elected president will be sworn in.The thugs who fueled the violence in Haiti aimed at derailing the democratic process, not unlike what has been happening in Iraq. To its credit, the Bush administration has shown resolve in keeping to the election schedule there. Although Haiti could hardly be compared to Iraq, failure in a theater so close to the shores of America would send a negative signal all around. Just as success in Haiti can be touted as a shining example of what can be done when proper attention is given to a seemingly insignificant problem that can spill to the shores of southern Florida.Mr. Joseph is Haiti’s envoy to Washington.

Handling Insecurity in Haiti

Handling Insecurity in Haiti

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