René
Garcia Préval has become the 51st President
of the Haitian Republic. When he was declared the
Presidential winner in the early morning hours of
February 17, 2006 thousands of his supporters poured
into the streets of Port au Prince dancing, chanting
and rejoicing the victory of their candidate.
Preval
won the hotly contested election with 51.21 %, barely
the amount he needed to win.
Preval’s
victory was not won solely on his popularity as he
scarcely won a majority. There were several underlying
factors that led to his victory.
One
major factor was the division and fragmentation of
the political opposition. This is what allowed Preval
to take the election in the first round.
The
victory of Preval is certainly a blow to the local
bourgeoisie whose candidate, Charles Henri Baker,
came in third. These elite had formed a group known
as Group 184 that was a catalyst in a revolt against
Aristide in 2003/04 that eventually pushed him from
power in February 2004.
The
last two “interim” years in Haiti
It
is important to note that the last two years have
deepened the social distance between the elite or
the bourgeoisie that live a very comfortable life
in the hills above Port au Prince and the masses who
struggle every day to survive in the festering, squalid
slums of the capital.
During
these “Interim” years, the violence escalated
to a point where it became hazardous just to walk
downtown in Port au Prince; anyone could be kidnapped.
In fact, hundreds of victims were tortured, raped
and even killed; all in the presence of the UN Mission
(MINUSTAH) that is supposed to be helping with the
stabilization of Haiti.
I
will not delve deeply into the controversy that surrounds
the UN mission in Haiti, but it is hard to understand
how and why millions of US dollars and thousands of
UN troops, police and civilian workers can be so badly
misused.
Even
though this mission has been in Haiti for close to
2 years, it is evident that day to day life in Haiti
has worsened considerably; even more so than during
Aristide’s four years of mismanagement. This,
to me, is extremely disturbing.
Interim
Prime Minister Gerard Latortue not only failed to
organize an indisputable election, he also failed
to mobilize the millions of dollars that were promised
to his government during the ICF (Interim Cooperative
Framework -- a document that was the outcome of a
needs assessment organized by the Interim government
and the international community that outlined the
framework for national and international efforts in
all sectors).
He
was unsuccessful in creating the necessary national
dialogue and reconciliation that would have prepared
Haitian society to move beyond the transition and
the past.
What
is to come after the much disputed presidential election?
To
some extent, the victory of Renee Preval is also the
victory of Jean Bertrand Aristide. As you walked through
the streets the day Preval was declared the Presidential
winner, people were exhibiting both the picture of
Preval as well as Aristide.
This
is an unsettling reality that Haiti might be back
to square one. Even more unnerving, for some, is the
fact that Aristide is manoeuvring his return to Haiti.
Preval has indicated that any Haitian citizen has
the right under the Haitian constitution to return
to Haiti without a visa.
This
is a hard blow against the many political parties
as well as the elite that are very much against Aristide
and Lavalas as well as Preval.
The
fight is not yet over
Renee
Preval will be facing tremendous challenges; the battle
is not yet over. There is still a second round to
elect the members of the senate and parliament.
And
this has been further complicated by the departure
of Jacques Bernard, the General Director of the Electoral
Council, on February 19, who feared for his life after
opponents ransacked his home on the outskirts of Port
au Prince.
The
political opposition and the bourgeoisie will still
attempt to neutralize the newly elected president,
either legally by respecting the democratic game or
attempting to manipulate the results as they tried
to do in the Presidential race.
Whatever
the case may be, President-elect Preval will face
the challenge of a failed State, corrupted institutions,
a fragmented political arena and a divided society.
The task is tremendous and the first two years will
be difficult for Preval and the population.
He
will have to bear the burden of the inheritance left
behind by Jean Bertrand Aristide; particularly the
armed groups who played a large role and wreaked immense
havoc under the rule of Aristide and still do to this
day.
The
success of Preval lays in his capacity to bring all
sectors of the society together. The only way forward
for development, democracy and sustainable change
is to build up the capacity of the State, develop
the civil society, accompany and empower the communities
through community-based development programs and finally
to create the space for a national dialogue.
It
is time for Haitians to come together to find a consensus
about the direction they want their country to take.
The elite have always played the role of an outsider.
They will have to change strategy and to see themselves
as part of Haiti instead of as a foreigner.
And
rather than just taking what they want and rapaciously
depleting the resources of their country, they will
have to participate in the production and development
of Haiti.
To
save Haiti from where it stands today is possible,
but it will demand more than just popular support.
Popular support to the President is necessary, but
not sufficient. Preval will need the collaboration
from all the political parties, the local leaders
at the grassroots level, and the local bourgeoisie.
Preval
needs to convince all of the sectors to work together
to transform Haiti from violence, desperation and
deprivation to opportunities, peace and development.
The
people who flooded the streets after the February
7 elections showed their eagerness for change. Now
it is time for a leader, Preval, to channel these
energies toward development and democracy in Haiti.
Laurie
Knop
is the Director of the QIFD Haiti Field Office (Quisqueya
International Organization for Freedom & Development),
a US-based NGO. Petroleumworld not necessarily share
these views.
