DATE=6/19/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-43693
TITLE=HAITI / U-S POLICY
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=MIAMI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES TOWARD HAITI ARE
DRAWING FIRE FROM REPUBLICANS IN THE U-S CONGRESS // OPT // AND
FROM A GROWING NUMBER OF INDEPENDENT OBSERVERS OF THE CARIBBEAN
NATION. // END OPT // CRITICS SAY THE ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS
TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY AND PROMOTE STABILITY IN HAITI HAVE
FAILED, AND THAT A FAR-REACHING REASSESSMENT OF U-S POLICY IS IN
ORDER. FROM MIAMI, V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN HAS DETAILS.
TEXT: FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN PORTER GOSS IS CHAIRMAN OF THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE IN THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MR.GOSS PROFESSES TO HAVE A LONGSTANDING INTEREST IN HAITI, AN
DTRAVELS REGULARLY TO PORT-AU-PRINCE TO MONITOR DEVELOPMENTS IN
THE COUNTRY. THE FLORIDA REPUBLICAN SAYS - FIVE YEARS AFTER THE
RESTORATION OF DEMOCRATIC RULE - HAITI REMAINS PARALYZED BY
POLITICAL UPHEAVAL AND PLAGUED BY VIOLENCE. HE SAYS THE CLINTON
ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION.
// GOSS ACT //
KIDDING OURSELVES ABOUT HAITI AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE
ISN'T THE ANSWER. AND THAT'S WHAT THE (CLINTON)
ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO HAVE HAPPEN (DO). THEY ARE
TRYING TO KID THE AMERICAN PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING THAT
THINGS ARE FINE IN HAITI, OUR POLICY IS WORKING, AND
EVERYTHING IS O-K. THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
// END ACT //
REPRESENTATIVE GOSS AND OTHER CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE
ATTEMPTING TO FORCE CHANGES IN U-S POLICY TOWARD HAITI. EARLIER
THIS MONTH, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VOTED TO WITHDRAW THE
PERMANENT U-S MILITARY MISSION BASED IN PORT-AU-PRINCE BY THE END
OF THE YEAR. MR. GOSS SAYS THERE ARE GOOD REASONS FOR BRINGING
AMERICAN SOLDIERS HOME.
// GOSS ACT //
OUR TROOPS HAVE BEEN 'DIS-INVITED' FROM HAITI BY THE
HAITIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE HAITIAN PARLIAMENT. WE
THEREFORE FIND OUR TROOPS ARE SOMEWHAT UNWELCOME AND NOW
A TARGET. WE ACTUALLY HAVE SOME OF THE ORGANIZED
ASSASSINATION AND THUGGERY RINGS DRIVING BY AND SHOOTING
INTO OUR MILITARY CAMP.
// END ACT //
THE U-S SENATE HAS NOT VOTED ON WHETHER THE PERMANENT MILITARY
MISSION IN HAITI SHOULD BE TERMINATED. BUT CONGRESSIONAL SOURCES
SAY ENTHUSIASM FOR KEEPING U-S TROOPS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE HAVE
WANED SIGNIFICANTLY ON CAPITOL HILL IN RECENT MONTHS. IN
ADDITION, THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS HAS DELAYED
APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE CIVILIAN MISSION IN HAITI
OPERATED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES. THE MISSION, WHICH CONDUCTS HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING AND
AIDS INSTITUTION-BUILDING IN HAITI, SAYS - WITHOUT THE FUNDS - IT
WILL BE FORCED TO SLASH ITS OPERATIONS BY 50-PERCENT BY JULY
FIRST.
IN WASHINGTON, CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS SAY THEIR GOAL IS NOT TO
CRIPPLE MULTI-NATIONAL EFFORTS IN HAITI. BUT THEY SAY U-S AID TO
THE CARIBBEAN NATION HAS TOTALED THREE-BILLION DOLLARS IN RECENT
YEARS - AND THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS VIRTUALLY NOTHING TO SHOW
FOR ITS INVESTMENT. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY HAVE LITTLE APPETITE TO
SPEND MORE MONEY UNTIL U-S POLICY IS REVISED AND PROSPECTS
IMPROVE FOR REAL PROGRESS IN HAITI.
FOR ITS PART, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT, TOO, IS
DISAPPOINTED BY HAITI'S CONTINUING POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC
WOES. A STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL WHO SPOKE WITH V-O-A ON THE
CONDITION OF ANONYMITY SAYS - IN HIS WORDS - 'EVERYONE KNOWS THE
SITUATION IN HAITI COULD BE BETTER.' BUT THE OFFICIAL SAYS
CONGRESSIONAL INITIATIVES REGARDING HAITI ARE ILL-TIMED. HE
NOTES THAT HAITI IS STRUGGLING TO ORGANIZE LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS
SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER.
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HOPES THE ELECTIONS WILL BRING AN END
TO POLITICAL DEADLOCK AND LEAD HAITI TOWARD REFORM AND PROGRESS.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY HAITI FINDS ITSELF AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN
ITS DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THAT WASHINGTON SHOULD NOT SEND
SIGNALS OF DISENGAGEMENT TO PORT-AU-PRINCE.
// REST OPT //
BUT FRUSTRATION AND IMPATIENCE WITH U-S POLICY TOWARDS HAITI
EXTEND BEYOND THE PARTISAN CLASHES OF A REPUBLICAN CONGRESS AND A
DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION. HAITI-WATCHER ROBERT PASTOR, A FORMER
DIRECTOR OF THE LATIN AMERICAN PROGRAM AT THE ATLANTA-BASED
CARTER CENTER, SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS IN HAITI
HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY INEFFECTIVE.
// PASTOR ACT //
WE HAVE NOT REALLY SEEN A CLEAR STRATEGY FROM THE
(CLINTON) ADMINISTRATION ABOUT WHAT IT SHOULD DO TO
INCREASE THE CHANCES THAT THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT
UNDERTAKES THE KIND OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORMS
THAT COULD PERMIT THAT COUNTRY TO ADVANCE.
// END ACT //
MR. PASTOR, WHO TEACHES POLITICAL SCIENCE AT EMORY UNIVERSITY IN
ATLANTA, SAYS U-S OFFICIALS SHOULD ADOPT A GET-TOUGH APPROACH
WHEN DEALING WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN PORT-AU-PRINCE.
// PASTOR ACT //
WE (THE UNITED STATES) SHOULD APPROACH ALL OF THE
POLITICAL LEADERS (IN HAITI) AND SAY, 'WE WANT TO BE
HELPFUL, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT OUR HELP CANNOT SUCCEED
UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS. WE
WILL WITHHOLD ANY FURTHER MONEY UNTIL THOSE STEPS ARE
TAKEN.'
// END ACT //
ROBERT PASTOR SAYS, IF THE UNITED STATES IS TO HAVE ANY LEVERAGE
OVER HAITIAN LEADERS, IT MUST SIGNAL THAT IT IS PREPARED TO
TERMINATE U-S ENGAGEMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN NATION - AND BE
PREPARED TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE THREAT. HE SAYS HAITI'S
LEADERS WILL CONTINUE TO SCOFF AT U-S INITIATIVES SO LONG AS THEY
BELIEVE THERE IS NO PRICE TO PAY FOR DOING SO.
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAY THEY, TOO, ARE LOSING
PATIENCE WITH HAITI - BUT SEE NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT. THEY SAY ABANDONING HAITI NOW WOULD SERVE NOONE'S
INTERESTS - AND COULD MAKE A BAD SITUATION EVEN WORSE. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/PT
19-Jun-99 7:24 PM EDT (2324 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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