Work with the majority

Haiti Support Group statement on the partial Haitian election results - 10 February 2006

by Charles Arthur for the Haiti Support Group
The British solidarity organisation, the Haiti Support Group, salutes the bravery and determination of the Haitian people who turned out in large numbers to vote in Tuesday's presidential and legislative elections.

Despite the poor organisation of the voting process, it does seem as though most people were eventually able to cast their votes and that any irregularities will not prevent the results from being an accurate reflection of the will of the people.

The early results indicate that once again the majority of Haitian voters had no confidence in the traditional political parties, preferring instead to vote en masse for the political entity articulating the aspirations and hopes of the poor majority. René Préval's Lespwa platform emphasised its intention to end the social and political exclusion of the poor majority, and to implement economic initiatives to benefit the peasantry and the so-called 'informal sector'.

Although, as President, Préval can have a positive impact, he can do little by himself, and he will need to cooperate with a Parliament where it is highly unlikely that his Lespwa platform will enjoy a majority.

There is much talk of the need for national reconciliation, and the Haiti Support Group hopes that members of the new parliament will play their part in the creation of a constructive and progressive government. Haiti cannot afford any more of the obstructive and negative politics seen over the last 10 years. In Haiti today, reconciliation not only means putting aside historical enmities, but also means the elite recognising and admitting that it is a minority. In a proper democracy, the will of the majority must be allowed to prevail.

The international community also needs to recognise that it needs to work with the majority, not against it, as has recently been the case, notably with the IMF and World Bank's insistence on wholly inappropriate structural adjustment economic policies.

The international community can make a start in helping the new government in Haiti by letting the losing parties know that part of being in a democracy means having to accept defeat with good grace, and by applying pressure on them to work in the interests of the whole nation and not just of a small sector.

Finally, die-hard supporters of former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide can also make a positive contribution to Haiti's short-term future by taking a constructive approach to the new government. Haiti must move on.



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