Putting Haiti Back Together

Cautiously but firmly, human-rights advocates in Haiti have begun pressing its new military government to move toward becoming a genuine democracy--something that the junta’s leader, Gen. Prosper Avril, has promised to do. He is more likely to keep that promise if the U.S. government joins the chorus.

In the 10 days since a group of noncommissioned officers ousted Gen. Henri Namphy and other leaders of his oppressive government and put Avril in Haiti’s presidential palace, some peace and order have been restored to the island. The sad but understandable mob violence has ended after several persons were killed because they were suspected of having been henchmen of Namphy or of the old Duvalier dictatorship. And many of Namphy’s critics and opponents, who had been forced to hide from the chaotic violence that marked his regime’s last days, have begun to appear publicly again and to speak out.

Among these activists, who include both civilian politicians and religious leaders, a consensus concerning how a transition to democracy should be handled is emerging. Most would like to see a return to the liberal democratic constitution written in 1987, after Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) Duvalier fled the country. That constitution was suspended by Namphy when he took over the government last November, after Haiti’s first free elections in 30 years were disrupted by pro-Duvalier terrorists. Haitian democrats also want a presidential election to be held soon, and their timetables run from six months to a year. But while Avril says that he wants to restore democracy and human rights in Haiti, he insists that the process will take two years or more.

Obviously some sort of compromise will have to be worked out in Haiti, and the United States can help make it happen. A key reason for the coup that ousted Namphy, apart from the fact that his regime could no longer control the thugs left over from Duvalier’s day, is the fact that the government is virtually bankrupt. Avril and the other military men who now control the country desperately want the $70 million in U.S. economic aid that the Reagan Administration suspended when last year’s elections were disrupted. This would be a good time for U.S. officials to offer that aid to Haiti, making it contingent on a firm time-table for elections and a return to civilian government. The Reagan Administration must insist that, after putting up with the Duvaliers and other thugs for 30 years, Haiti’s people not have to wait yet another two years for democracy.