POPE : I PRAY FOR YOUR COUNTRY
POPE FRANCIS RECEIVED THE CREDENTIAL OF HAITI’S NEW AMBASSADOR TO THE HOLY SEE, JEAN JUDE PIQUANT.
THE NEW DIPLOMAT IS A CATHOLIC, with an extensive educational background specialized in international human rights law.
Members of the diplomatic corps were also present at the reception. They asked the pope to bless some religious objects.
Francis gave rosaries to the rest of the delegation as well as Medal commemorating the eight anniversary of his pontificate.
He then invited them to pray together in French.
After the audience, Francis and the new ambassador met privately to discuss matters of common interest, in particular the current situation in Haiti. The Holy See has maintained diplomatic relations with the Caribbean nation since 1881
Daniel Diaz Vizzi
Rome Reports
CP/RES. 1168 (2315/21)
OAS VOTE ON THE SITUATION IN HAITI
(Adopted by the Permanent Council at its virtual regular meeting held on March 17, 2021)
THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,
REAFFIRMING the principles enshrined in the Charter of the Organization of American States, specifically those principles aimed at ensuring representative democracy and the building of sustainable democratic institutions.
REAFFIRMING FURTHER the right of the peoples of the Americas to democracy and the obligation of their governments to promote and defend it, as reflected in Article 1 of the Inter- American Democratic Charter;
RECALLING that Haiti is a State Party to the American Convention on Human Rights;
CONSCIOUS that the Charter of Civil Society of the Caribbean Community requires that “States shall take all appropriate measures to promote and maintain an effectively functioning representational system, including the holding of regular public sessions of representatives of the people” and affirms that “States recognize and affirm that the rule of law, the effective administration of justice and the maintenance of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary are essential to good governance”;
CONSIDERING that the expiration of the terms of the majority of the members of the legislature on January 13, 2020, without elected officials to succeed them, led to the suspension of the legislature’s activities;
CONSIDERING FURTHER that the President of Haiti has been governing since January 13, 2020 by the use of executive decrees in the absence of a functioning legislature;
WELCOMING the President of Haiti’s commitment, at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on February 22, 2021, to make limited use of Presidential decrees;
…
RESOLVES:
1. To reaffirm its support for the people of Haiti and to encourage the President of Haiti to work with all stakeholders to engage in meaningful dialogue in the interest of addressing the country’s needs, among others, the need to hold free and fair legislative and presidential elections this year.
2. To express its strong concern about all acts of violence, human rights violations and abuses committed in Haiti, and to urge the President of Haiti to implement steps to identify and bring to justice those responsible through the appropriate legal procedures.
3. To recall that the humanitarian situation of Haiti has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. To welcome the invitation of the President of Haiti issued to the OAS to send an observation mission for the elections planned for this year, and to offer the good offices of the OAS under the authority of the Permanent Council to facilitate a dialogue that would lead to free and fair elections.
5. To request the Secretary General to advise the Government and other major stakeholders in Haiti, of the Permanent Council’s offer to undertake a good offices role and to invite the President of Haiti to consider inviting the Permanent Council to do so.
6. To remain apprised of the situation in Haiti on a regular basis. CP43654E01
Haiti needs vigilance by the international community
By Sir Ronald Sanders
At a meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) on March 17, I said that “no resolution is perfect, and no resolution satisfies every country, but we cannot sacrifice achieving good on the altar of desiring perfection”.
The resolution concerned the current constitutional, political and humanitarian situation in Haiti which is very grave and shows every sign of worsening. The delegation of Antigua and Barbuda was the architect of the original resolution which sought to cause the member states of the OAS to express concern about Haiti and to offer to facilitate a meaningful dialogue between president Jovenel Moïse and all other stakeholders.
It was a matter of regret that, despite the strong statement of CARICOM heads of government, concerning Haiti, on February 11, CARICOM delegations at the OAS were again divided. CARICOM heads were clear that they wanted “all parties in Haiti to engage in meaningful dialogue in the interest of peace and stability”. The heads also said that they looked forward “to the conduct of free and fair presidential elections in accordance with the Constitution of Haiti”. Eight CARICOM countries – Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago backed Antigua and Barbuda’s draft resolution.
In the end, through a process of two weeks of negotiations, countries with important concerns about Haiti – Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and the United States joined the nine Caribbean countries in settling a draft resolution that was then negotiated with the Haitian delegation.
By the nature of negotiations, concessions had to be made. Hence, it was not a perfect resolution and not every paragraph of it satisfied every one. But it was enough to allow the Permanent Council of the OAS to adopt it by consensus.
Essentially, it offered “good offices of the OAS, under the authority of the Permanent Council, to facilitate a dialogue that would lead to free and fair elections” and asked the president of Haiti “to consider inviting the Permanent Council to do so”.
This was done against a background that since January 2020, there has been no legislature and no government in Haiti, and president Moïse has been ruling by decree. Further, marauding gangs have been raping women, including young girls, kidnapping people (rich and poor) and demanding huge ransoms. Violence has exploded in the country, particularly as hundreds of thousands of people have been protesting against president Moïse and deadly force has been used against them by a police force that is allegedly highly politicised.
The UN High Commission for Human Rights has stated its “concerns about judicial independence” which it says “has further eroded the separation of powers” in Haiti.
Time is fast running out to avoid further worsening of the situation in Haiti. The OAS resolution, offering to facilitate dialogue, has come only after deep polarization and distrust in the country. The OAS should have acted much earlier. If president Moïse does not respond positively and swiftly to the offer by the OAS, no dialogue between the stakeholders might be possible. A stand-off between them will occur with further confrontations. Many Haitians have already stated publicly that “no dialogue is possible with Moïse”, and he has not sought a meaningful dialogue either.
Instead, he is persisting with plans to hold a referendum in June on altering the Constitution. But there has been no consultation with major Haitian players who say he has no authority to hold such a referendum. What is clear is that, in 2015, Haiti had more than 6.5 million people registered to vote. Moïse has now issued new identity cards which his OAS ambassador says has been distributed to four million people. Human rights groups in Haiti dispute that figure, putting it closer to two million. Either way, more than 2.5 million persons are currently disenfranchised. No referendum or election held in these conditions would be credible or acceptable.
Still worse, the current Provisional Electoral Council, to manage a referendum and elections, comprises persons appointed solely by Moïse. They are known to have close links to him. Similarly, the draft Constitution has been written by persons he has hand-picked. None of this is “in accordance with the Constitution of Haiti”, and, for the opposition parties, are red rags to a bull.
On March 29, Haiti will mark the anniversary of its 1987 Constitution the very thing that the president is seeking to alter. Stakeholders are pledging to put more than two million people on the streets in its defence on March 28 and 29.
The Charter of the OAS strictly forbids interference in the internal affairs of States. And, while there have been various artifices by some OAS member states to circumvent that prohibition, the majority of countries adhere to that principle generally. Consequently, the OAS cannot insist that president Moïse accepts its offer to play a good offices role. It must await an invitation from him to do so.
In this context, member states of the Organization should work behind the scenes with Moïse and other stakeholders to urge them to talk and, in so doing, to take the idea of a referendum on the Constitution off anyone’s agenda; to ensure that independent election machinery is established by agreement of all parties and that presidential, legislative and local elections are held at the earliest possible date, and until then presidential decrees should be suspended on anything except that on which major players decide.
While this diplomatic work takes place – and CARICOM should be a part of it – the OAS should continue to be vigilant about developments in Haiti and ready to speak out against any further deterioration in the constitutional, political and humanitarian situation.
The people of Haiti need and deserve objective and constructive support in their collective interest, and not for the benefit of any political elite.
Joint Statement on Haiti-Dominican Republic Private Sector
Border Initiative
On March 17, the State Department met virtually with private sector representatives from Haiti and the Dominican Republic for a review of progress on joint initiatives which aim to contribute to a more prosperous future for both nations. The meeting was convened by Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Haiti, Canada, and the Caribbean Laura Lochman; U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Michele Sison; and Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic Robert Thomas. Amid the challenges of the past two years, this continuing dialogue has proved a useful mechanism to undertake collaborative discussions and realize tangible accomplishments. Participants recommitted to a set of focused priorities to improve the business climate, formalize trade, promote rule of law, and spur development along the Dominican Republic-Haiti border.