Haiti Rebels are getting feisty

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Well why would anyone be surprised Rebel Claims Control Over Haiti's Security (Wa. Post, 3/03/04). Guy Philippe has declared himself "chief" of the Haitian security forces and demanded that the Prime Minister declare the army official again. When there was no response, he attempted to arrest Prime Minister Yvon Neptune, but was blocked by Marines (Haiti rebels flex muscles, U.S. warns, Reuters, 3/03/04). Meanwhile, the Bush administration is saying it Sees No Rebel Role in New Haiti Government (Wa. Post, 3/03/04). Did anyone expect that the rebels wouldn't try to claim power? Who do they expect to step forward? Baby Doc? Oh yeah he has applied to return to Haiti.

I see a disturbing trend as I read the news on Haiti. First, the US supported the Duvalier dictatoriships. Haiti was a link in the Iran-Contra covert action with roughly $200 million a year going to the Haitian army. The US also assisted Aristede - the democratically elected President of Haiti back into power after a military coup. The assistance of the US was heavily conditioned and led to a massively increased debt load on that nation.

Fast forward --------->>>>

The US funds the political opposition to remove Aristide. The US supports the armed rebellion at the very least by pressuring Aristide to sit down with them by blocking humanitarian aid to Haiti. The US removes Aristed, and Aristide claims he was removed at gun point. The US stands aside while the armed rebels enter the city, claim leadership of the police and military and release those in prison. Much of this leadership are convicted murders from the death squads of Duvalier.

The US denies they forcibly removed Aristede and that he was denied asylum in South Africa. However, South Africa denies that claim (U.S. Psy-Ops Exposed, South Africa Rejects Washington's Claim Aristide Was Denied Asylum, DemocracyNow!, 3/03/04).

The question that immediately arises is "Why?"

Some argue that it is to maintain Haiti as one of the cheapest global labor forces. Perhaps.

Some would speculate that it is to provide the excuse to place a significant US military presence in Haiti - and very close to Cuba. Perhaps.

If we look historically, then one might speculate that the reinstated Haitian Army is needed once again to funnel cocaine to fund CIA covert operations. Perhaps.

What is clear is that the human cost of these machinations is tremendously high.

Posted by rowan at March 2, 2004 08:29 PM | TrackBack | Printable Version | [eMail this article!] |