THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 16, 1994 TAG: 9409160028
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
President Clinton is clearly indicating he will invade Haiti unless the curent military-backed government there leaves first. His intent is to ``restore democracy.'' An examination of deposed president Jean Bertrande Aristide's track record during the seven months he held office, however, indicates he practices democracy of a voodoo variety.
Aristide is a defrocked Salesian priest who was suspended by the Vatican in 1988 because of his advocacy of political violence. His 1991 presidency was anything but a showcase of democracy and human rights.
For instance, a month before Aristide's inauguration as president, a group of former Tonton Macoutes - the Duvalier family's private army - attempted a coup. The Haitian army put down the rebellion, but Aristide's Lavalas movement went on a rampage of burning and looting, killing over 100 people. Aristide's response was to declare the violence ``just.''
The leader of the would-be coup, Pierre Lafontant, turned up dead in his jail cell on Sept. 29, 1991. The soldier who admitted killing him is now in a U.S. witness-protection program and claims his orders came from high-up members of the Lavalas movement. At almost the same time, Sylvio Claude, a prominent anti-Aristide political figure, was murdered by ``necklacing,'' or igniting a gasoline-filled tire that has been placed around the victim's neck.
Aristide has approved of ``necklacing'' and prominent members of his government-in-exile are seen standing in the crowd watching Claude's death. International human-rights groups have documented many, many other acts of violence and brutality condoned or even incited by Aristide and his supporters.
And since his overthrow, Aristide and his followers have been living very well indeed off the Haitian government assets that were frozen by the United States and turned over to Aristide by President Bush. Millions of these dollars have been poured into an unprecedented lobbying and public-relations campaign to present Aristide to the world as a gentle democrat overthrown by ``thugs.'' In fact, Gen. Raoul Cedras, the man whose resignation President Clinton is demanding, was appointed to his army post by Aristide himself.
The hardest part will likely come after the invasion. No doubt there are political accounts to be settled. What happens if ``necklacings'' break out? Will U.S. troops stand by and allow civil disorder to unfold. Or will we take sides in a factional dispute, a course that led to disaster in Lebanon and Somalia?
President Clinton has resorted to displaying photos of atrocities he says have been committed by the Haitian government. No doubt such atrocities have taken place. But Aristide does not have clean hands himself. Restoring the deposed president is not the equivalent of ``restoring democracy.'' Whether or not American lives are placed at risk, the Haitian people do not appear to have much to look forward to. by CNB