Democracy hijacked in Haiti

Anti-government protesters

Felicity Dowling explains why Left Unity joins a chorus of condemnation over the hijacking of democracy in Haiti

Again, this week the democratic rights of Haitians to free elections are being abused. Yet the spirit of struggle shines on. Haiti saw a huge step in human history with the successful slave rebellion led by Toussaint L’Ouverture. A free democratic state was established. They seem to have been punished ever since. Forced to allow foreign intervention and regime change they remain one of the poorest countries on planet earth.

Reuters claims that “Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, has been unable to build a stable democracy since the overthrow of the 1957-1986 dictatorship of the Duvalier family and ensuing coups and election fraud.”

We say it’s not a matter of Haiti not being able to set up effective government, the Haitians have not been allowed to set up stable government. The USA and the UN seem to hold almost colonial rights over Haiti and there has been an increase in private business and foreign investment detrimental to the interests of the people, particularly in the agricultural sector where farming families have been left landless and without livelihood.

For four years there have been no reputable elections. Since June, the parliament has been dissolved and the president has ruled by decree. Even a US paper commenting on these stolen elections said that election was so tainted by accusations of rigged voting and intimidation that the runner-up, Jude Célestin, denounced the result and refused to campaign in round two:

“Mr. Célestin’s argument, echoed by other opposition politicians, church and business leaders, members of the Haitian diaspora and human rights groups, is that the country’s fragile democracy faces a crisis of legitimacy. Only by fully investigating last year’s elections — including legislative elections in August that were also the subject of violence and fraud — and reforming the voting process can the country produce a government worthy of the citizens’ trust.”

No women won seats in the Haitian parliamentary elections though women make up 53% of the population. Save the Children reports that more than 10 million people live in Haiti, the average girl stays in school only till she is seven, 72 out of 1000 children die before their 5th birthday and parents earn an average of $2 a day. 225,000 children, mainly girls, work as domestic servants or “restaveks”.

Left Unity sends solidarity and good wishes to those standing with the poor. We call for free elections, an economy of social solidarity and an end to international/multinational exploitation of the natural wealth of Haiti. We call for an end to interference in the elections of a sovereign state. We call also for an end to poverty and an end to the war on women. Let Haiti’s children thrive.
Left Unity would like to hear from those who know more of the struggles in Haiti.