I strongly believe that before you young folks start going at it blaming the man for everything happening in haiti right now, need to inform yourself  more about the political situation in haiti.. I am not An Aristide fan, but i ll will tell you  this much...aristide failed in a lot of ways, why because he was set up to failed by any means necessary...Ever since got into power, all the money that waqs suppose to go to help haiti never reach Haiti..NADINE..tell me this....Can you  to take care of yourself without monetary help... I think yo need to understand that Aristide is not enough man to stop what's happeneng right now...Those so called Rebel believe me if you want are not doing this for the people, or to liberate Haiti, they are all ex military who fled haiti because Aristide wanted to prosecute them,,now since they have been back by NIS (national intelligence service) established in haiti since the late 80's...This deeper then Aristide

The media have a standard story line to explain the uprising in Haiti — one-time populist leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide has become a corrupt authoritarian who is relying on armed gangs to crush a popular uprising. In reality, the anti-Aristide opposition that is behind the uprising shaking Haiti today is a Washington-connected collection of Haitian businessmen and a scattering of former leftists.

The moment Aristide is ousted you know what will happen in Haiti....1) you will have the opposition fighting among themselves for power 2)the rebel wanting to establish the army...adding up all that you know what the result will be CHAOS..then I ll see everebody else comments.....

Tibob; I have always respected your thought process but your eloquence and vision as demonstrated in your last two posts bring my admiration to new level.

You are absolutely correct on all points. Even candidate Kerry alluded to Bush's hatred for Aristide.  The welfare of the Haitian people is the last thing in the mind of the French, Bush, "Uncle Tom" Powel, and the other so called friends of Haiti.

Nadine is correct on one point; Aristide begging for International troops to put down the terrorist attacks is embarrassing.  He says all we need is a few hundred well armed man; his government had plenty of warnings and time to erect a small fighting force.  Take the money wasted on lobying, divert funds from other areas, get weapons on the black market, and put up a fight.  As the elected leader, it is his responsibility to take all actions to protect the country and its citizens.

kreyolbro@aol.com

Guest, we are saying the same thing but drawing different conclusions. When we say Aristide is not qualified, we're using facts, not just opinions.

To counter your argument about Aristide not responsible AS A PRESIDENT of the current situation in Haiti ... Aristide was not a kid when he OFFERED himself as a candidate for the 2000 presidential elections. No one put a gun to his head to make him accept the presidency. He was already the victim of a Pentagon coup in 1991, he knows better than you and me the stands of White France, White USA and White Canada about seeing democracy in Black Haiti. He's no novice to the game.

If he knew he didn't have the balls an the knowledge to keep the country going without those people's help and money, he should have kept himself off the race and allow us the chance to make a better choice.

During his campaign for his 2nd term, he said something that got him a lot of votes: SE GRES KOCHON K AP KWIT KOCHON (we will find resources that we need among ourselves without the blessing of or the begging to the racist international white world). How can you complain today that he's been left without money or any other help from the outside?

YOU CAN'T RUN YOUR CAMPAIGN ON ONE PLATFORM AND GOVERN ON ANOTHER. That's why a lot of his GOOD-INTENDED folowers or collaborators have left him. This is not just an opinion, believe me ...

Howsoever he lied to us for votes, howsoever he tricked us for power, howsoever he's not qualified to govern us, I STILL STAND BY HIM because he represents our dream to respect our constitutional decision. Aristide and his loyals should find no alibi for his chaotic governance. BUT WE SHOULD ALL STAND BY HIM TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR LAST HOPE TO DEMOCRACY!

Glad you're back kreyolbro. Haiti can't afford to lose you. you are part of the last remnant of what's good in us. And I said it without flattery.

Thanks for the compliment. In fact, your comment puts me back on earth. I am losing my mind to see how immature our government is dealing with a small band of ill-armed and ill-conceived thugs.

Tibob and Kreoyolbro:

It does not matter whether the money was paid to France after slavery, the truth of the matter is that France is not going to pay up. Plain and simple. Morevover, there is not an international court that is going to make them pay.  Anyone who has brain knows that. I am aware that the money was paid wrongfully and illegally (I was under the understanding that this money was paid for our freedom from France even after we chased them out of the country). What Aristide did when he repeatdly asked France to pay this money was further alienating the superpowers from his government and our country and further fueling international hatred/disdain towards Haiti and the Haitian people. In my opinion that was an immature move on his part. Haiti cannot turn itself around without international support. that is a fact. It is not to say that France, US, Canada has our best interest at heart. However, we have to find a middle ground. It is best for Haiti to move beyond this restitution nonsense, it is not going to happen. Start working with the international community in order for our country to advance. Then, maybe one day when we have semi-caught up to the rest of the americas.... to me this is just one example where Aristide demonstrate his stupidity as a president of a republic. He should have known better.

My people my people...I have always said that the reason was so bad off was because too many Haitians were into politics. Today's events in Haiti, proves me right.Nothing is wrong with knowing what candidates stand for, but if too many people are into politics, there will be too much polarization caused by misinformation amongst other things.  Too many Haitians are ready to either be totally behind one man, or totally against one man. It has been this way since we became a republic, my people. We have been divided by ideals and when we didn't get what we wanted, we would down the one man we put the blame on and coup or killed him. We killed Dessalines, and we chased Boyer out of the country.

It is important that we use today's events not to yell at each other, but to come together and sit at the table. We need to invite all Haitians to this "table" and talk about where we want to go from now.  The fact that the French are ready to march into Haiti during the 200 year anniversary of us expelling their rule really makes me wonder if we have a conscience.  Things like seeing the opposition not celebrate the bicentennial because of one man and watching the former cannibal army/former military mixture of assh*les trying to take over Haiti makes me ask, "what the F*CK are my people thinking?"

Too many of us are into what we do not know enough about. Some of us are hating Aristide but do not really know what happened behind scenes. We are too ready to believe foreign media and the media that are controlled by the opposition.  The fanmi lavalasse government's presidency probably made the Haitian people the most confused. Probably because they wondered why a movement bent on helping the poor was not able to lift the country out of misery in a period of one or two presidencies.  The truth is, the Haitian problem runs deep in our roots. This problem is not Aristide's doing or lavalasse or fanmi lavalasse or the plethra of parties. What is happening today is due to the problems of the past being passed down through the generations.

In early Haitian history, we were not unified. Petion and Dessalines had differences and so did Boyer and Christophe.  Over the years it was a battle between classes and ideologies.  Today it is a battle between ideologies and classes. 

I used to say that we needed to find a common goal. Nowadays, i've come to realize that we already have a common goal. We want Haiti to progress.  So why is it so hard for us to unify? Is it that we all have a different route for Haiti's progress?

Aristide should have stayed in power despite his inability to make Haiti a first world country.  He was the duly elected president of Haiti.  If we continue changing presidents like baby diapers, we  will not go anywhere. 

P.S. The movement for reparations is a movement that is not Aristide's but for the Haitian people.  Haiti was not only isolated and put under trade embargos but was also robbed of its money when France demanded Haiti pay money to be recognized as an independent state.  Haitians should continue the fight for reparations even after Aristide or Lavalasse or Fanmi Lavalasse is no longer in power.

NouvoChemin, you right on the money.

Nadine, you're missing the point again. We corrected the info you used about restitution versus reparation. Your opinion of it is your right. We just wanted you to not use thaings that are wrong as the basis of your ideas.

NouvoChemin made a good point about restitution not being an Aristide thing. It was there before Aristide. Haiti started with it. Aristide acted on it.

Also you said something regarding Haiti and the international community. Let me quote you: "Haiti cannot turn itself around without international support. that is a fact." THAT'S NOT A FACT, THAT'S AN ABSURDITY!

Cuba, almost the same size, almost the same geographical position dit turn itself around (I should say UP) without international support. It's one thing to USE the international community through trade agreements 9trade of goods, services, human resources, ideas, technologies, etc...) It's a whole other story to NEED the international community.

Please, I urge you to get the PROPER INFORMATION on Cuba. Then you'll see the US is useless and powerless against a nation with brains and true dignity. Cuba has been under US embargo (political and economic) for almost half of a century! Be it france, be it Russia, be it Germany ... there exist only trade agreements between Cuba and them. That's IT! A soverign country with intelligent and respectful people CAN turn itself around without the US or any other white racist world power.  THAT'S A FACT! THAT'S CUBA!

RESULT:  (just 3 illustrations)

Illiteracy: US 33% meaning 1 out of every 3 Americans can't even read exit signs on highways. JE PETE KLERE!

Cuba: virtually 0%! Cuba is in fact the very first nation in HUMAN HISTORY to have achieved that. Of course they'll talk about Haiti  60-80% illiteracy rate all the times on CNN or NY Times but never about Cuba' 0%. That would make them look so ugly!

Medical field: Cuba has more qualified doctors per capita than any nation IN HUMAN HISTORY has achieved. While America is exporting guns, coups d'état, wars, sex and rap music, Cuba is exporting doctors ... thus life!

Racism: All world social organizations admit that the Cuban society is the closest HUMAN KIND have come to racial equality. Let's not even talk of the US on this topic.

WHY DONT YOU GUYS CRY OUT IN A PLACE WHERE THE WHOLE AMERICA CAN FEEL/SEE YOUR FRUSTRATIONS. THIS SITE ONLY REACH OUTA FEW HEADS. WE NEED TO SHOW OUR PRIDE AND LOVE FOR  HAITI NOT TO OUR OWNSELVES.

ITS TIME WE SHOW OUR PRIDE/SHAME, FRUSTRATIONS/ANGER  TO THE WORLD. LETS PULL TOGETHER A MEETING, CALLING ON ALL THE HAITIANS. LETS MOBOLISE AND LET THE WORLD FEEL YOU FEEL US.

STOPPING WINNING ON THIS SITE LET THE WORLD SEE OUR FACES.

Who are you calling "My people my people..." NouvoChemin if you want a round table discussion why don't you say something like " My fellow Haitian.."  not to be a smart a## but damm man get to the point instead of writing to much sh*t.  as i see if you than have a mind like Tibo keep it to a minimum.  as far as Nadine please kill that talk about why France don't or not going to pay what they have for Haiti.  i would said it in women nature but you would take me somewhere else.  since this discussion is so interresting "excuse my french.."

The way i feel is that instead of Aristide calling for international help he should just call on all the Haitian outside the country.  because if it was not for my parent i would be the first in the way to go shot me some so call rebel.  "action speak louder than word" so let just rid of this bad blood of our for good and than we can start a new Haiti.  Back to you Nadine, Aristide did us a fovar by asking france to repay.  not that Haiti going to get any part of that, but France need to know that she owe Haiti and never again to be getting in our besiness saying wheather the elected president should leave office before his term is over.