Ja: What to do about Haiti? A suggestion

I wish I could agree whole-heartedly with John Maxwell, but Haiti has had 200 years to get its act together. Today, the Haitian idea of a change of government is riots and looting. What Haiti needs is instruction in and practice in democracy. Maxwell's position is this:

Haiti is too important to the cause of Liberty and to black people all over the world for anyone to be allowed to hijack the nation for any reason whatever. Haiti must be Haitian-ruled; by Haitians for Haitians.

Yes, Haiti is. It was the first free black country in the New World. However, one can only dine out on that reputation for so long. The point is that Haitians who have acquired the habits and practice of democracy are not about to head down to Haiti to get themselves killed by some mongoose gang no matter how much they love Haiti. They do love Haiti. But before Haiti can be ruled by Haitians for Haitians, the country must be pacified, become democratic, become a place where political change is possible without anarchy. Haiti needs a governor to bring some peace and create change in the lives of its beleaguered people.

Haiti needs help to constitute itself into the dream of all those who fought and won Haitian independence, for those inspired by Haiti to throw off the chains of imperial Europe, for all those who understand the significance of slaves freeing themselves, a feat never before accomplished in human history.

Haiti needs help just to survive.

Haiti needs more than economic help; it needs a military governor who will do for Haiti what is being done by boots on the ground in Iraq. A military governor, as opposed to a civilian one, will have the force behind him to keep the mongoose gangs and the warring opposition in check. More importantly, a military governor sends a clear signal that Haiti is not going to become a long-term colony of any country, but will remain a protectorate until such time as Haiti has been able to build the human, physical, social, and economic infrastructure necessary for a society to function in today's world. Importing Haitian rulers from the U.S., whether elected or not, remember Aristide, has proven to be disastrous for Haiti. In order for Haiti to be ruled by Haitians, the ruler must be bred to think of his country as other than his own personal fiefdom. That selfishness of despots, so apparent in the warlords of Afghanistan and in the previous rulers of Haiti, must be bred out of the Haitian political class. This might only be done by a healthy stint of military colonial rule by a foreign power, preferably the U.S.

Maxwell quotes this conspiratorial drivel by Rep. Maxine Waters.

Last week, US Congresswoman Maxine Walters denounced those who said Haiti had nothing to celebrate in this bicentennial year. " We must understand that this 'nothing to celebrate' talk is consistent with the long-standing attitudes of those who never supported the Haitian people, and never wanted Haiti to be owned by Africans. It is consistent with those who have always had their hands deep in the Haitian economy, and who are determined to deny the Haitian people pride in themselves and pride in their spectacular history."

Haiti is to be proud that Toussaint L'Ouverture rose up and cast off the shackles of slavery. Since then, though, Haitians have been enslaved by a passel of Haitian despots who have raped and pillaged the country's treasure and people for their own selfish gain. Maxwell recounts a conspiracy meme he's heard from respondents to his previous column, "the present situation in Haiti has been engineered to curtail Haitian freedom, and to deny the ordinary Haitian the chance to become a free citizen of the world." If this is being done, then it is Haitians who are doing it. What benefit is there to the rest of the world that Haiti remains backward, poor, and unstable? None.

The Haitian people are a hard working people who can achieve much if only their country settles into a stable democracy. I do not believe that such stability can be achieveable unless either a new Toussaint L'Ouverture were to arise or Haiti is molded into democratic habits through colonialization. If it has worked for the rest of the English speaking Caribbean, why can't it work for Haiti?