What Haitians can do for themselves - Kerry

[Mass]

http://kerry.senate.gov/press/in_the_news/article/?id=cbc63883-5056-a032-524d-39f63baf1d51
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Home >Press Room >In The News >Article
What Haitians can do for themselves
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
by Sen. John Kerry
Miami Herald

On Jan. 11, 2010, things were looking up for Haiti. U.N. peacekeepers had cracked down on Haiti's notorious gangs and reduced urban violence. Dangerous slums, like Cite Soleil, were safer than they had been in years. President Rene Préval had begun, albeit haltingly, to enact political reforms. Foreign investment and economic growth, spurred by U.S. trade benefits and Haiti's active diaspora, were ticking upwards. In what passes for optimism in Haiti, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive observed that the country was moving ``to get out of misery to get into poverty.''
We know the tragic next chapter to this story. On Jan. 12, literally and figuratively, it all came tumbling down. An earthquake killed upwards of 300,000 people and left over 1.5 million without shelter. The quake set in motion a series of events, including a cholera epidemic, that still has Haiti reeling.

After the quake, we witnessed many noble, generous and courageous efforts by Haitians and outside donors. Together, they prevented the catastrophe from exploding into something worse. Widespread famine, looting, and violence did not occur. Vital health indicators remained stable. Even if just under plastic or canvas, over a million displaced Haitians had protection from wind and rain, and they had access to clean water and latrines.

The once-in-a-generation opportunity to ``build back better,'' however, is unfortunately being lost. Instead of a ``reimagined'' Haitian future, the country has reverted to the same dysfunctional political culture that has tormented its past. Foot-dragging and petty squabbles have precluded solutions to even the most compelling of humanitarian problems.

...

While there are no magic solutions to these immense challenges, the elements of a way forward are clear.

• First, the impasse that has delayed the presidential runoff election that was supposed to occur this month must be resolved. Haiti needs a legitimate leader to take office and appoint a skilled team to implement a development vision for the country. The international community must work to change the elites' traditional calculus that a crisis is an opportunity, and we must make clear that alleviating the suffering of the Haitian people is our first priority. Any candidate sabotaging the ongoing efforts by the Organization of American States to solve the election crisis should be disqualified.

• Second, the donor community must communicate a clear and coherent rebuilding vision and strategy with timelines and benchmarks. The United States can play an important role by publicly articulating an overarching development policy to guide the allocation of over $1 billion in assistance appropriated by the Congress last July. Haitian ownership of any plan is key, but the obstructionism and unwillingness to lead cannot be tolerated any longer.

• Third, we must recognize and reinforce the remarkable success of the U.N. peacekeeping operation and the newly trained Haitian National Police, both of which have been critical to stability and the rapid decline in crime.

• Fourth, Haiti must take better advantage of the experience and know-how of its highly skilled and wide-ranging diaspora. The government has many vacancies that émigrés can fill -- at a minimum through a fellows program -- to provide critical support to ministries as they attempt to stand up and reorganize.
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John Kerry is a Democratic senator from Massachusetts.

[ProSense]

1. Heartbreaking

On Jan. 11, 2010, things were looking up for Haiti. U.N. peacekeepers had cracked down on Haiti's notorious gangs and reduced urban violence. Dangerous slums, like Cite Soleil, were safer than they had been in years. President Rene Préval had begun, albeit haltingly, to enact political reforms. Foreign investment and economic growth, spurred by U.S. trade benefits and Haiti's active diaspora, were ticking upwards. In what passes for optimism in Haiti, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive observed that the country was moving ``to get out of misery to get into poverty.''

Kerry laid out excellent steps forward. Still, I wish more could be done to alleviate the suffering and accelerate rebuilding. It's too heartbreaking.

Thanks for posting.

[karynnj]

2. I agree with you

I am not sure how else he could have handled it, but there is a problem that US money was held up all year thanks to Coburn. The percent of money that countries pledged was many times greater than the amount that they received.