Haiti’s New President

In your article “Festive Haitians Prepare a Welcome for New President” (Part A, Feb. 7), the reporter paints a rather bleak portrait for Haiti’s future, citing massive problems and increased expectations that could “boomerang” on the new president, Jean Bertrand Aristide. Your newspaper, like many across the nation, points out that “no concrete plans have been offered” to improve Haiti’s dire situation.

It would perhaps be useful to point out to your readers that Haiti has never had an opportunity to govern itself under its unanimously accepted constitution of 1987. No freely elected government has ever ruled Haiti and those that have ruled did so only to exploit the populace and to continue the systematic corruption which is now firmly entrenched. That no plans have been delineated to the press does not necessarily indicate that none exist. President Aristide has surrounded himself with some of the “best and the brightest” minds in Haiti and considerable changes and restructuring of its economy are in order.

Over the last few decades, Haiti’s dictators received considerable support from the United States while exercising repressive measures against the largely impoverished masses. It is now time for the United States to indicate its support for the democratic process and the masses who gave Aristide his landslide victory. The Haitian people desire dignity and justice.

Will the U.S. allow Haiti to develop its own economic strategy as behooves a sovereign state? Will the U.S. seek to redefine its relationship with the Aristide government based upon mutual respect and dignity? Only time will tell. Aristide has the confidence of the majority of the Haitian people. He should also have ours.

JOHN KOZYN, Associate Director

Washington Office on Haiti

Washington, D.C.