International community can't fix Haiti by ultimatum. Haitians have to fix Haiti.
There are growing concerns within the Haitian community regarding the proposition that came out of the latest Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) meeting. The crux of that meeting was to address the increase of gang violence, among other things that have been plaguing Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. However, many Haitians, both in Haiti and in the diaspora, reject the unilateral proposal that came out of that meeting and have vowed to take to the streets in protests.
They argue that it does not address the overall complexities of the situation at its core. Also, some believe certain provisions were presented in the form of an ultimatum and fail to recognize Haiti as a sovereign democratic state in which only its citizens should have a say in who should run its government; not an illegitimate few who are not backed by either the people or Haiti's constitution.
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Therefore, to say that the International Community and CARICOM do not fully grasp the magnitude of the situation in Haiti would be an understatement. Alternatively, maybe it could be their intention to sow more discord among the political actors to further destabilize the country. That way, whatever happens, they can say “oh well, we tried” and simply perpetuate the notion that Haitians are not competent to govern themselves and are badly in need of another invasion. That would be Haiti’s fourth Foreign U.S.-led occupation.
Because of this constant myopic approach, coupled with the callousness shown by the international community when dealing with Haiti’s issues, much of the Haitian population has lost faith in the international community and CARICOM. However, we cannot put all the blame solely on the international community. Because, our political leaders, with the help of our “oligarchs,” have been extremely complicit in the detriment of our nation by financing gangs and adopting the type of governance that completely disregards the needs of our population.
However, Teddy Roosevelt has a famous quote that reads: “Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining." Therefore, in order for Haiti to make it out of this ongoing crisis, it is imperative that the political actors as well as civil society groups, come together and find a consensus that is pursuant to the Constitution, which would allow an interim government and a new prime minister to be installed.
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In so doing, this government would be responsible for restoring order and organizing elections. Given Haiti’s intricate history with international intervention, it would be judicious for this new interim government to strategically invest in the Army and reinforce all units within the National Police through a meticulous vetting process.
Moreover, we need to simultaneously address the proliferation of political sponsorship of gangs and prosecute the people who finance their operations. Because, in Haiti the crisis of security and governance go hand in hand. In addition, we must address the alarming concern of food shortages that threaten 4.7 million people. Lastly, we need to invest in job training, education and healthcare. Because 65% of the population is under the age of 24, unless we invest in them, the cycle will continue.
Daniel Fontilien is a Haitian American national, a NCSC Language Subject Matter Expert, and a State Certified Court Interpreter in West Palm Beach.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Crisis in Haiti can't be fixed by outsider unilateral demands
