Haitian elections

[nino_savatte]

Interesting article from the Jamaican Observer; not only does the author makes some interesting comparisons with Venezuela, he also indicates how the Haitian elite are keeping the vast majority of Haitians in poverty to enrch themselves. It is this elite group of US backed individuals who pose the greatest obstacle to change.

The leader of the Haitian 'elites' is an American citizen of Lebanese origin called Andy Apaid, who owns what are politely called garment factories - sweatshops producing T-shirts for a Canadian company Gildan - for the Canadian and American markets. Charles Henry Baker, one of the presidential candidates swept aside by the Preval flood, is Apaid's brother-in-law.

The elite power structure is close knit and apparently absolutely agreed on one thing - to squeeze Haiti until the pips squeak. They have put nothing back into Haiti. The depredations of people like them have drained Haiti dry. When people are starving they have no money to save. Capital investments in Haiti consist simply of large prefab buildings with hundreds of sewing machines, ready to be transported at a moment's notice to the next failing state.

Apaid pays his workers 1,500 Haitian gourdes per fortnight or about US$3 per day or less than one-fifth of the Jamaican minimum wage.
No wonder that Gildan's CEO Glen Chamandy boasted "Gildan's labour costs in countries such as Haiti and Honduras are actually cheaper than those in China . the bulk of T-shirts heading to the US market are from the Caribbean" (Toronto Globe & Mail April 11, 2005, quoted by ZNet).
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colu...OBS_NO_MORE_LAVALAS__THE_FIRE_NEXT_TIME__.asp

Remember the name Andy Apaid.

 

[spring-peeper]

Remember the name Andy Apaid.

- thanks for the info.

I'd add the names "Group of 184" and "Reginald Boulos" to the memory files as well.

The Group of 184 is led by a shady cast of characters. Their spokesperson, Andy Apaid Jr., is the owner of Alpha Industries, the largest garment producer in Haiti. In his factories, more aptly called sweatshops, workers toil to produce clothing for Montreal-based Gildan Activewear. Most are women between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, and are paid a measly 75 Gourdes (less than $2 US) per day.

Another important Group of 184 player is Reginald Boulos, head of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce. According to the Haiti Information Project, Boulos was also implicated in the death of 60 children after his company, Pharval Pharmaceuticals, produced a poisonous cough syrup distributed throughout poor neighborhoods of the capital. Patrick Elie, a Haitian, recounts to us how he applied for a job with a pharmaceutical company in Canada. When he told his prospective employers that he used to work for the Boulos family in Haiti, they replied, "You know, those guys are killers….”

source

 

[spring-peeper]

From the same link, I found this group Haiti Action Montreal. I think we can add this group to the good-guys list.

A look to the north end of Montreal shows an interesting scene playing out. There, where many Haitian-Canadians reside, Canada's Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister, Pierre Pettigrew, is engaged in the fight of his political career – and he's losing.

Pettigrew is one of the main players responsible for Canada's imperialist ventures in Haiti, but when called on it, he is unrepentant. In fact, he is proud of Canada's role in Haiti.

Haitians in Montreal, along with activist groups such as Haiti Action Montreal, are ready to fire Pettigrew from his job. He's been publicly challenged and humiliated, and now posters picturing his face that denounce him for crimes against humanity cover telephone polls in his riding. As the most recent polls show he is way down, he actually might soon be forced to give his apologies.

 

[nino_savatte]

When it comes to Haiti, people will often point the finger at the US and rightly so. But the sad truth is that Canada, France and the UK have all added to the misery of the Haitian people - particularly in the aftermath of the slave revolt which put the country at odds with the slave-owning US and the imperialist ambitions of the British.

 

[spring-peeper]

When it comes to Haiti, people will often point the finger at the US and rightly so. But the sad truth is that Canada, France and the UK have all added to the misery of the Haitian people - particularly in the aftermath of the slave revolt which put the country at odds with the slave-owning US and the imperialist ambitions of the British.

Yes, but unfortunately UN troups have to support the government in power.

Of the numerous articles that I read since you pointed this out, the vast majority of the comments I read have mentioned concern that our new government will siding with American policies and this could prove bad for the island.

The Haitian Action group that I found is keeping a very close eye on the situation and has set up a number of lectures on this topic. There is a large Haitian population in Montreal and our current Governor General used to live in that area. It will be interesting to see what our government does to help/hinder the new government.

 

[nino_savatte]

Yes, but unfortunately UN troups have to support the government in power.

Of the numerous articles that I read since you pointed this out, the vast majority of the comments I read have mentioned concern that our new government will siding with American policies and this could prove bad for the island.

The Haitian Action group that I found is keeping a very close eye on the situation and has set up a number of lectures on this topic. There is a large Haitian population in Montreal and our current Governor General used to live in that area. It will be interesting to see what our government does to help/hinder the new government.

The UN is one thing; the US and Canada, another...their actions will have a greater bearing upon Haiti than the UN who are there, ostensibly, on a peace-keeping mission. The UN has no commercial interests, the US and Canada do.

 

[spring-peeper]

The UN is one thing; the US and Canada, another...their actions will have a greater bearing upon Haiti than the UN who are there, ostensibly, on a peace-keeping mission. The UN has no commercial interests, the US and Canada do.

You know a lot more about the situation that I do. For me, it was a cinderella-type story. The peasants rising up and vote for a change in government. Like the Hamas results in Palestine, it gives me hope for world peace.

But, I am here to learn. I appreciated the information on Andy Apaid, it gave me a place to start learning. Out of the articles, editorals and opinions I read, I found very little reference to Canada. The only criticisms I found were in reference to Canada being a US puppet.

I am obviously looking in the wrong places. Could you direct me somewhere that refers to examples of Canadain influences?

 

[nino_savatte]

You know a lot more about the situation that I do. For me, it was a cinderella-type story. The peasants rising up and vote for a change in government. Like the Hamas results in Palestine, it gives me hope for world peace.

But, I am here to learn. I appreciated the information on Andy Apaid, it gave me a place to start learning. Out of the articles, editorals and opinions I read, I found very little reference to Canada. The only criticisms I found were in reference to Canada being a US puppet.

I am obviously looking in the wrong places. Could you direct me somewhere that refers to examples of Canadain influences?

Interesting.....you realise that there's a movement based in Canada that calls for Canada to get out of Haiti?

Canada, according to Haiti-based independent journalist Kevin Pina, is "deeply involved" in planning for elections in Haiti, and is implementing "draconian rules" to make it mandatory to vote, denying non-voters access to social security or government services. "It's similar to what happened in 1982 in El Salvador--people were so afraid--if they didn't have the electoral stamp on their ID card, they could be pulled aside by the police and killed, which did happen in El Salvador."

"Paul Martin, George Bush, Condoleeza Rice--they believe that they can maintain this illusion that there is a process of normalization going on in Haiti, but Haiti is not Iraq. They may come up with this proposal to allow Haitians abroad to vote in the next elections, so that they can have pictures of them with the ink on their thumbs and say jeez, what success this election was."

"What are they going to do when more than 50,000 Haitians hit the streets to protest against the elections and the RCMP-trained police force has to open fire on them."

http://www.outofhaiti.ca/

Of course you may not approve of this link because it comes from ZNet.

Since the 2004 coup d'etat, Canada has lent its explicit support to the Group of 184, not only in sending 500 soldiers to aid in the process of ousting Aristide, but also by funding many of the opposition groups in the Group of 184 via CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency). Seemingly progressive Canadian NGO's such as Alternatives and Rights and Democracy have helped maintain the Group of 184's credibility by affirming that they are indeed a 'civil society' group.

Through this support for the Group of 184, Canada has also supported de facto all the institutions that are committing human rights abuses in post-coup Haiti, including the interim Haitian government. Thousands of political prisoners continue to sit behind bars without charges since the coup, while Paul Martin has denied their very existence as such. At the same time, known killer and coup leader, Guy Phillipe, who was trained by the CIA in Ecuador, is running for president. The Canadian Embassy in Haiti, who was quick to support the removal of Aristide, has had little to say about this.
http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=9563

Of course Canada was involved in the removal of Aristide from Haiti. Canada's favourite lost but it has influence through the Group of 184 and if Preval doesn't do what he's told, then the group will swing into action...as they did with Aristide.

 

[spring-peeper]

I approve of all links, except for those that do nasty little pop-ups, force me to view pdf or are slowloading.

I hope that you are not under the impression that I feel that Canada can do no wrong, because that isn't the case.

Thank you for the information.

 

[nino_savatte]

I approve of all links, except for those that do nasty little pop-ups, force me to view pdf or are slowloading.

I hope that you are not under the impression that I feel that Canada can do no wrong, because that isn't the case.

Thank you for the information.

What "pop ups"? There were none on either of the links that I posted. ZNet doesn't carry advertising and nor does the othere site.

I never suggested that you were apologising for Canada's involvement in Haiti.

 

[spring-peeper]

What "pop ups"? There were none on either of the links that I posted. ZNet doesn't carry advertising and nor does the othere site.

I never suggested that you were apologising for Canada's involvement in Haiti.

re: the complaints about site linking. Relax, it was a general comment and a minor whinge (sp?) about my dial-up connection. P&p posters tend to link to clean sites or issue warnings.

As for the second part, posts such as "Nice try, peeper. But I read your post correctly. Now would you care to comment on Canada's record on Haiti or shall I do it?" could be interpreted as trying to bait me using to my nationality. Obviously I was wrong and will now assume that it is a segway to further discussions. Glad this is cleared up now.

 

[nino_savatte]

re: the complaints about site linking. Relax, it was a general comment and a minor whinge (sp?) about my dial-up connection. P&p posters tend to link to clean sites or issue warnings.

As for the second part, posts such as "Nice try, peeper. But I read your post correctly. Now would you care to comment on Canada's record on Haiti or shall I do it?" could be interpreted as trying to bait me using to my nationality. Obviously I was wrong and will now assume that it is a segway to further discussions. Glad this is cleared up now.

I'm trying to do what? You have the cheek to accuse me of paranoia and you say this? Perhaps you should hve a look at what you said in post 21 that led me to the reply that I gave you.

You know, you could have looked this stuff up yourself but I get the feeling that you didn't want to because you felt that I was making a cheap point. I don't come to Urban to lie; I leave that shit to other people. If I say that "Canada's record in Haiti isn't unblemished" I say it because I have a knowledge of the country and its history. I don't chuck out phrases like that to wind people up....others might, but I don't.

 

[spring-peeper]

As you are probably aware, the Group of 184 has funnelled money into their splinter organizations from many sources. There is an excellent article from 2003 that lists the UN's involvement with funding this organization here.

Actually, the more I'm reading about the Group of 184 the more I think it was a good idea. A pity that once again, greed and corruption distorted it into something else. It's seems to be a trend in election voting right now - that's three countries now who voted out governments who were corrupt.

It's going to be interesting watching this "new" governments perform on the global stage.

 

[nino_savatte]

As you are probably aware, the Group of 184 has funnelled money into their splinter organizations from many sources. There is an excellent article from 2003 that lists the UN's involvement with funding this organization here.

Actually, the more I'm reading about the Group of 184 the more I think it was a good idea. A pity that once again, greed and corruption distorted it into something else. It's seems to be a trend in election voting right now - that's three countries now who voted out governments who were corrupt.

It's going to be interesting watching this "new" governments perform on the global stage.

I think it will take much more than an election to eliminate corruption in all those countries. I take you are referring to Liberia - as well - when you talk about elections?

 

[spring-peeper]

I think it will take much more than an election to eliminate corruption in all those countries. I take you are referring to Liberia - as well - when you talk about elections?

No, add another one. I'm still playing catch-up remember?

I doubt it will do much about the corruption. It's built into every country and, unfortunately, is an accepted cost of doing business. It's nice to see countries who do have access to the democratic process vote for change.

The problem with coming to power on a platform to end corruption puts the new government's into the spotlight, though. Every move will be scruntized and at the first hint of corrupt, it becomes a media frenzy. It would be nice if there was a grace period for the new governments to set themselves up in.

 

[nino_savatte]

No, add another one. I'm still playing catch-up remember?

I doubt it will do much about the corruption. It's built into every country and, unfortunately, is an accepted cost of doing business. It's nice to see countries who do have access to the democratic process vote for change.

The problem with coming to power on a platform to end corruption puts the new government's into the spotlight, though. Every move will be scruntized and at the first hint of corrupt, it becomes a media frenzy. It would be nice if there was a grace period for the new governments to set themselves up in.

Politicians are fond of rhetoric and will use it to gain advantage over their opponents. I have lost track of how many political leaders have used this line to get into office; and then when they get power, they end up being just as corrupt as the bunch that lost power to them.

 

[nino_savatte]

I found this interesting article in the Miami Herald. The author urges the US not to interfere in the country's political system.

Stop interfering in the internal politics of Haiti. Who Préval picks as a prime minister and members of his cabinet should be his own affair and not a ''litmus test'' for anything. Our efforts to force a government of national reconciliation in Haiti is an affront to Haitian sovereignty as much as it would be for the Chinese government to tell a Republican president that he had to include Democrats, Libertarians, Socialists and others in his government to show unity.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/13918070.htm

 

[Louloubelle]

I thought hat some posters might be interested in this:

Produced by the Community News Collective of CKUT Radio & Haiti Action
Montreal....

Join CKUT Radio in Montreal for a week of special programming focusing on the Haitian struggle for self-determination, featuring interviews recorded on the streets of Port-au-Prince & the voices, perspectives & ideas of Montreal's
Haitian community.

CKUT's Community News Collective, presents this week of investigative
programming, in the shadow of recent presidential elections and two years
proceeding the U.S., French & Canadian government sponsored coup d'etat, which saw Haiti's democratically elected president Jean-Bertrand Aristide was removed from power & forced into exile in South Africa.

Tune-in for this week of special programming on CKUT Radio, which will
particularly focus on exploring the Canadian governments role in Haitian
politics, from the recent elections to the coup of 2004....

----> MONDAY, Feb. 20th, 5-6pm: 'en profondeur', the French edition of Off the Hour, which will feature a series of interviews recorded live in Haiti's
capital Port-au-Prince by Leslie Bagg & Aaron Lakoff members of CKUT's
Community News Collective....

Featuring the voices of, GINETTE APOLLON, President of the Womens Coordination Committee of the Haitian Federation of Workers, REA DOL, Haitian teacher & media activist based in Port-au-Prince who works with Haiti Information Project [http://www.haitiaction.net]....

----> WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22nd, 5-6pm: Long Term Memory Radio on Off the Hour, part one of a two part series on Haitian history, produced by Elise Hugus & Aaron Lakoff of the Community News Collective.

Featuring reflections on the roots of the Haitian revolution in 1804, with
perspectives from CAROLYN FICK a Professor at the History Department at
Concordia University & NADINE DOMINIQUE a Haitian activist based in Montreal and daughter of Jean Dominique prominent Haitian journalist assassinated in 2000.

----> FRIDAY, Feb. 24th, 5-6pm: Off the Hour, the first segement of the program will feature interviews with Haitian community activists from Montreal, including SERGE BOUCHEREAU, member of Haitian Resistance of Quebec & MAGALIE X member of Vwa Zanset....

ALSO, this program will feature an interviews & performances from JAHNICE &
PHENIX local Haitian poets / hip-hop artists from the Kalmunity Vibe Collective
[http://www.kalmunity.com]....

The second part of the hour will feature an in-studio discussion with members
of Montreal's Haitian community & local Haitian solidarity activists, including
JEAN ST. VILLE of the Canada Haiti Action Network, GUY ROUMER of Haiti Progress & members of Haiti Action Montreal....

----> WEDNESDAY, March, 1st, 5-6pm: Long Term Memory Radio on Off the Hour, part two of a two part series on Haitian history, produced by Elise Hugus & Aaron Lakoff of the Community News Collective. Featuring an interview with PATRICK ELIE, a Haitian human rights activist & former Minister of Defense under Aristide's first government....

This week of special programming at CKUT Radio, produced by the Community News Collective in conjunction with Haiti Action Montreal, aims to address critical questions regarding Canada's role in Haiti today, travel through Haitian
popular history & provide voice to those organizing for social justice in
Haiti....

----> For more information regarding this week of special programming, or to
get involved with the Community News Collective at CKUT Radio contact:
news[at]ckut.ca / 514 398 6788 / http://www.ckut.ca

----> For more information on Haiti Action Montreal, or to get involved
contact: haitiactionmontreal[at]gmail.com / 514 219 9185 /
http://www.outofhaiti.ca

 

[hundredthmonkey]

Haiti has gone to the poll in the firts round of its presidential election. The front runner is former president, Rene Preval who is a former ally of Aristide. But the US is hailing the election as a success. When I hear the US has hailed something as a success I usually get suspicious.


The US is happy with the election of Preval so long as he doesn't allow Aristide to return.

I'd like to think that things will change for the better but I suspect the US has other ideas..and those ideas are at odds with the rhetoric it has used.

The US were forced to concede defeat. The pressure from Haitians to get Preval in even though there was widespread electoral rigging was a blow to the US. Poor Haitians showed that it is possible to defeat Imperialism. It is a temporary defeat for imperialism and Haitis ruling class.

Preval is under pressure to give Haitians what they want. Prevan doesn't really have a solid program although he has promised to give the people free education, encourage investment, create jobs end gangs but he is trying to do this under capitalism. He also has to create a strong majority in the National Assembly, this is where the ruling class expect him to fail and perhaps is the reason they conceded defeat.

Remember that Preval is Aristides heir. Haiti cannot develop under Capitalism and one hopes that Preval will observe the successes taking place in South America with Chavez and Morales.

 

[nino_savatte]

The US were forced to concede defeat. The pressure from Haitians to get Preval in even though there was widespread electoral rigging was a blow to the US. Poor Haitians showed that it is possible to defeat Imperialism. It is a temporary defeat for imperialism and Haitis ruling class.

Preval is under pressure to give Haitians what they want. Prevan doesn't really have a solid program although he has promised to give the people free education, encourage investment, create jobs end gangs but he is trying to do this under capitalism. He also has to create a strong majority in the National Assembly, this is where the ruling class expect him to fail and perhaps is the reason they conceded defeat.

Remember that Preval is Aristides heir. Haiti cannot develop under Capitalism and one hopes that Preval will observe the successes taking place in South America with Chavez and Morales.

I agree, I hope that Preval can become part of the great change that is taking place in South America, but to do this he will have to embark on a mass education programme - in the same way Chavez did.

I only hope the US and Canada don't decide to undermine Preval by paying gangs to run riot.

 

[nino_savatte]

The parliamentary elections have been delayed because of widespread allegations of fraud that have to be investigated. This also has a knock on effect on the incoming president.

This means that in the absence of a parliament, the inauguration of President-elect Rene Preval, set for 29 March, must also be delayed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4769146.stm

Interesting human interest article from al Jazeera.

Yet aside from the moments when its political upheavals make news, Haiti is a simmering crisis, not splashy enough to force the world to care, according to foreign aid groups working here

Loris De Filippi, head of the Medecins Sans Frontieres mission in Haiti, said, "It's not spectacular. Sometimes, countries are not interesting.

"But when you have 48 years of life expectancy, and infant mortality rates are catastrophic, this is an ongoing disaster."


http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8A2B5EC7-D43F-44EA-A280-F8BAF57EF50B.htm