The Haitian Mirror

[unhappycamper]

The Haitian Mirror
El Nacional, Dominican Republic
By Editorial
Translated By Alexander Castillo
February 10, 2011
Edited by Alexander Anderson

The United States has once again intervened unilaterally in Haiti's internal affairs, warning that President Jean-Bertrand Aristide must not be allowed to return ahead of the second round of presidential elections set for March 20.

Washington maintains that the return of the former president would destabilize the country by distracting the Haitian people at a critical moment. However, no similar standard was ever applied to prevent the January 17 return of the former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier.

~snip~

This time, the State Department explained its opposition to a Haitian citizen returning to his own country by insisting that "it would distract voters" and "disrupt the peace."

It is clear that the United Nations and the OAS play merely symbolic roles in Haiti, because Washington feels free to decide the outcome of an electoral charade, all the while sponsoring the return of a dictator and preventing the homecoming of a former constitutional president.

Latin America would do well see its own reflection in Haiti's mirror and remember the old saying: Today it's you, tomorrow it's me.