Not long ago in November, nine different candidates (from different political parties, some independent) got together in an official agreement to form a coalition with the goal to win the elections in the first or second round. Observers can ask a bunch of questions about such a strategy and why at this particular time.

The funny thing to take into consideration: is this coalition a strategy for the smart guys to get a piece of the cake? Here, nobody can deny that there is a sense of “unity”, but it is really to save Haiti? Going back to colonial times when the blacks, mulattoes, the maroon military officers were fighting each other, Dessalines (truly in his heart) was trying his very best to show them that their common enemy was rather France and united them against that enemy. That “unity” the father of Haiti dreamed of, in a sense, had become Haiti’s motto “L’union fait la force” (Union is strength). At the same time, some of these high-ranking officers were also thinking of their own advantages (in the sense of what they would benefit after the Haitian Revolution).

Dessalines has quite a large social plan in mind that would also benefit everyone, and among his plan was to “pay back” the little soldiers who also fought fiercely in the “Bataille de Vertière” Battle (Nov. 18, 1803). Well, some (of these high ranking military officers) did not like Dessalines’ plan (such as “land reform” which would somehow empower the laymen). It did not please these men for they would lose certain benefits) and this somehow, contributed a great deal to Dessalines’ assassination on October 17, 1806.

So, why do these candidates wait at the eve of the presidential elections to form such a coalition? Why not some months ago? That’s somehow, reminds of us of the “Group 184” that rallied against Aristide in 2003, pressuring him to leave power (though the latter never wanted to) and then once Aristide was forced into exile (by the United States, France and Canada), the bond that existed among them for that sole purpose wasn’t there any longer, giving an idea that they were temporarily united for personnel advantages, but not to really solve Haiti’s problems since corrupted members of the elites (with economic power) who never tried to help or to contribute to Haiti’s development were also part that that group. They, somehow, manipulated the mass to follow them, hoping that they would do something to better their economic situation.

Going back to the question related to these candidates, the answer is as clear as water: there is really no vision to save Haiti. Everyone feels that they are qualified to be president or this is the only post they can have to do something great in order to pull out Haiti from the cliff it has fallen. How long will this coalition last is quite an interesting question. The answer, without any doubt, would be “short” since the strategy is to have one of their candidates win the elections and then include members of their parties in the new government. Despite all, we can still see somehow this idea of “unity”, but will it be a real one (in case if one of the coalition member wins) for we can foresee fights among these same members for “X” and “Y” posts that they would love to have in the dreamed New Government even they are not qualified to fulfill their tasks.

The philosophy of ‘unity’ is seen across the board if there’s going to be a run-off where one member of the coalition will be part of the second round. That member will, of course, get the support of the remaining “eight”. But what would happen if no member wins? Another important question to raise? If a member wins, will this Coalition Government really work together toward saving Haiti? Toward Haiti’s reconstruction (by sharing their “plan of government” of which most of them don’t have)? Will they be there just to put their friends, and members of their own parties in key positions (even if they are not qualified to do the job, something that we’ve seen before in the Lavalas Administration)? Will they be able to stick together for at least one year without fighting each other for their own interests? These are the key questions to be asked while the manipulated majority of the innocent poor people will be going to the poles to vote. But really, voting for whom? Voting for what? Who is going to really have power? Power to do what? Is it power to work together for a new Haiti? The Haitian people would have to wait and see since they have been really patient for over two hundred years.

So far, we’ve seen the formation of one coalition that implies somehow that these candidates, smell something. Hm! Quite a smart move! There’s a sort of “fear” that forced them to form a block, and there is also the possibility of a second coalition to be formed. Yet, we don’t know who would be in it, and there are still some candidates who are running as independent. And again, we can still question the purpose of that second one we have in mind. If it is formed, will their members really have a vision to work together to save Haiti or to save their own interest? Due to the political reality in Haiti, most Haitians have been forced to become “St. Thomas” (in the sense of the American saying, “I am from Missouri, show me”) or they would have to see first before they can believe. I was quite delighted to discuss some of these issues with Professor Marc Prou (University of Massachusetts-Boston) who keep tracks of what has been going on in Haiti’s politics. (E .W. Vedrine).

KISA AYITI KA BENEFISYE DE KOWALISYON
KANDIDA ALAPREZIDANS YO LAVÈY ELEKSYON
PREZIDANSYÈL?

E. W. VEDRINE,
desanm 2005

Pa tèlman lontan an novann, nèf (9) kandida (ki sot nan diferan pati politik, kèk endepandan) fè yon tètkole pou fòme yon kowalisyon ak bi pou genyen eleksyon yo nan premye ou dezyèm tou. Obsèvatè kapab poze yon dal ak yon pakèt kesyon konsènan yon tèl estrateji e poukisa se kounyeya kowalisyon sa a fèt, yon moman patikilye.

Sa k komik lan pou n pran an konsiderasyon se: èske kowalisyon sa a se yon estrateji pou mesye entelijan yo ta pran moso nan gato a? La a, pesonn pa kapab nye ke gen, yon sans, «inyon», men èske se yon inyon vrèman pou sove Ayiti? Lè nou rale yon bak nan epòk kolonyal lè ofisye nwa, milat, mawon t ap goumen youn kont lòt, Desalin (ak tout senserite) t ap eseye fè sa l te kapab pou montre yo ke ènmi komen an se te pito Lafrans epi li te ini yo kont ènmi sa a. «Inyon» sa a zansèt nou yo (ki fonde Ayiti) t ap reve, nan yon sans, vin tounen tit batistè Ayiti «L’union fait la force» (Ansanm nou fò). An menm tan, kèk nan ofisye wo grade sa yo t ap panse tou a avantaj yo (nan sans kisa yo ta benefisye apre Revolisyon Ayisyèn nan).

Desalin te gen nan tèt li yon plan sosyal byen laj ki ta benefisye tout moun, e nan plan sa a tou, li ta gen pou «rekonpanse» ti sòlda yo ki te goumen ak tout nanm e fòs yo nan «Bataille de Vertière» (18 novanm, 1803). Bon, kèk (nan ofisye wo grade sa yo) pa t renmen plan Desalin lan (kouwè «refòm agrè» ki te enkli ladan e ki ta, yon fason, bay ti sòlda pye atè sa yo pouvwa). Se pa t yon bagay ki te fè gwo mesye yo plezi paske, sètènman, yo konnen benefis yo ta an je) e sa, nan yon sans, kontribye anpil nan asasina Desalin (17 oktòb 1806).

Donk, poukisa kandida sa yo ta rete tann jouk lavèy eleksyon prezidansyèl yo pou fòme yon tèl kowalisyon? Poukisa sa pa t fèt kèk mwa avan? Sa, nan yon sans, fè nou sonje «Gwoup 184» la ki te mase kont Aristid an 2003, bay presyon pou l ta kite pouvwa a (byenke misye pa t janm vle) epi yon fwa yo (Etazini, Lafrans, Kanada) te fòse Aristide pran egzil, lyen ki te egziste antre a - ki t e gen yon sèl bi (fè Aristid ale), pa la ankò. Sa bay yon ide ke yo te ini tanporèman pou avantaj pèsonèl yo, men se pa t yon bagay pou ta eseye sove Ayiti nan pwoblèm li ye, lè manm elit kowonpi sa yo (ak pouvwa ekonomik) pa janm eseye ede oubyen kontribye nan devlopman Ayiti, ta alatèt gwoup sa a tou. Yo, nan yon fason, rive manipile mas pèp la pou suiv yo ak espwa yo ta amelyore sitiyasyon ekonomik viktim sa yo.

Lè n retounen a kesyon sou kandida yo, repons lan klè kou jou: pa reyèlman gen yon vizyon pou sove Ayiti. Tout moun santi yo kalifye pou prezidan oubyen fòk se sèl pòs yo ta genyen pou fè yon bagay grandyoz pou rale Ayiti nan falèz kote l tonbe a. Konbyen tan kowalisyon sa a pral dire? Men manman kesyon an! Repons lan, san okenn dout: pou yon period «trè kout» paske estrateji ki dèyè l se pou youn nan kandida kowalisyon an ta ranpòte eleksyon yo epi mete manm pwòp pati politik yo nan nouvo gouvènman ki ta fòme a. Men malgre tou, nou kapab kontinye wè konsèp «inyon» an, men èske se youn ki va youn tout bon (an ka si youn nan manm kowalisyon an pa genyen) pase nou deja prevwa batay pami menm manm sa yo pou pòs «X» ak «Y» ke yo ta renmen genyen nan Nouvo Gouvènman y ap reve a menm si yo pa ta kalifye pou ranpli fonksyon pòs la.

Filozofi ‘inyon’ se yon bagay nou wè patou la a si pral gen yon dezyèm tou, kote youn nan manm kowalisyon an ta gen pou l pran pa nan dezyèm tou a. Manm sa a, san okenn dout, ta gen sipò rès «uit» yo. Men kisa ki ta rive nan ka kote oken manm pa ta genyen? Yon lòt manman kesyon nou ka soulve. Si yon manm genyen, èske Gouvènman Kowalisyon an sa a pral reyèlman travay ansanm pou sove Ayiti? Travay pou rekonstwi Ayiti (kote yo ta pataje «plan gouvènman yo», yon bagay pifò nan yo pa genyen)? Èske y ap jis la pou mete zanmi yo, manm pwòp pati yo nan yon seri pòs kle (menm si yo pa ta kalifye pou sa, yon bagay nou wè deja sou gouvènman Lavalas la)? Èske y ap kapab rete soude pou omwen yon ane san goumen youn kont lòt pou enterè pèsonèl? Se tout yon seri kesyon kle nou kapab poze pandan majorite pòv inosan ki manipile a pral jete bilten vot yo. Men vrèman, vote pou kilès? Vote pou kisa? Kilès vrèman ki pral gen pouvwa? Pouvwa pou fè kisa? Èske se pouvwa pou travay ansanm pou yon lòt Ayiti? Pèp Ayisyen an ta gen pou l rete tann e li fin tounen pwatann deja nan rete tann depi plis pase desanzan.

Donk nou wè fòmasyon yon kowalisyon ki enplike, nan yon sans, ke kandida sa yo, pran sant yon bagay. Hm! Yon estrateji entelijan! Gen yon tip de «krent» souzantandi ki fòse yo fòme yon blòk, e gen tou posiblite pou yon dezyèm kowalisyon ta fòme. Men nou pa konnen kilès ki ta ladan l, e gen kèk kandida endepandan. Ankò, nou kapab toujou kesyone bi yon dezyèm kowalisyon (nan lespri nou) ta genyen. Si l fòme, èske manm yo pral vrèman gen yon vizyon pou travay ansanm pou sove Ayiti oubyen pou sove enterè pèsonèl yo? Ak reyalite politik la an(n) Ayiti, pifò Ayisyen oblije fòse tèt yo pou tounen «Sen Toma» oubyen fò yo ta wè pou kwè tout bon. Se te yon plezi pou mwen pou diskite kèk nan koze sa yo ak pwofesè Marc Prou (University of Massachusetts-Boston) ki toujou ap suiv filyè devlopman politik yo an(n) Ayiti. (E .W. Vedrine).

Emmanuel W. Védrine
E. W. VEDRINE CREOLE PROJECT, Inc.
P.O.B. 255962
Dorchester, MA 02125-5110 (U.S)
evedrine@hotmail.com, e_vedrine@yahoo.com