This article in Sunday's New York Times is disturbing but unsurprising:
Jean-Claude Duvalier, now in exile in France, sought recently to take advantage of the discontent by raising the possibility of a return to Haiti. In a radio address in September, he offered a tentative apology for his acts, saying, “If, during my presidential mandate, the government caused any physical, moral or economic wrongs to others, I solemnly take the historical responsibility.” [ahh yes, the classic subjunctive apology]
Mr. Duvalier’s remarks, in which he also asked for “forgiveness from the people,” together with the nostalgia one hears on the streets of Port-au-Prince, the capital, these days provoke fury among present-day leaders.
They say they cannot believe that Mr. Duvalier’s National Unity Party is attracting followers, and that a giant photograph of the elder Mr. Duvalier hangs from the party’s headquarters.
To begin with, the only thing that Baby Doc Duvalier ever stood for was Baby Doc Duvalier. That being said, I cannot tell you how many times I've heard otherwise sensible Brazilians, in expressing frustration at their government wish that the military was in charge or, as my father-in-law once expressed to me that a leader from the past such as Getulio Vargas was in power.
While this is not unique to anywhere, the problem of Haiti is exacerbated by its reliance on powerful leaders rather than powerful institutions to solve problems or at least give the impression that something is being done. Equally disturbing in the article is this:
The old days come up in Haiti’s debate about whether to recreate the army. Mr. Préval’s commission is leaning against a traditional army, but it is grappling with how to control the rise of drug trafficking and what sort of force is needed to monitor the border that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic.
“I know that the higher level of insecurity has made people nostalgic for the strong hand,” said Mr. Elie, the commission’s leader. “They think the army is going to bring back what they call ‘the good old days.’ We don’t want people to fall for that nostalgic trap.”
Those old days, Mr. Elie said, were a time in which Haiti’s elite lived lives on the backs of the suffering masses. Creating a more equitable society, he said, is a long-term struggle that inevitably makes many uncomfortable.
“The idea of recreating that monster that was the army is preposterous and unacceptable,” he said. “One thing they did well was taking .50-caliber weapons and shooting into shanty towns. They are going to have to step over my dead body if that’s the kind of army they want.”
Haiti doesn't need an army. They need a professional, incorruptible police force that is dedicated to its role in society and not dedicated to themselves. I wish I knew how to achieve that, but one thing I do know is that they will need a great deal of help. I wonder what the commitment of the rest of the world is towards helping them achieve their goals.
