[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 89 (Tuesday, July 12, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 12, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            RECOGNIZE HAITI FOR WHAT IT IS--A FAILED NATION

  (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BEREUTER. Madam Speaker, as this body returns from the 
Independence Day district work period, it is increasingly clear that 
the Clinton administration is, disastrously, rapidly moving toward an 
invasion of Haiti. Convinced that an invasion would be highly divisive 
and in the long run counterproductive, this Member repeatedly has come 
before this body to argue in the strongest terms against military 
action in Haiti.
  The notion of a military action to restore democracy and order to 
Haiti is fatally flawed because, quite frankly, there is, among other 
reasons, no order to restore. Missing are virtually all of the basic 
institutions and infrastructure that would make Haiti a viable nation-
state. Even were Mr. Aristide to be forcibly returned to power, Haiti 
inevitably would continue its descent into chaos because the 
institutions necessary for democracy and order are utterly lacking. In 
short, Haiti is a failed nation-state.
  It is time to recognize that Haiti is not capable of developing 
effective institutions of governance on its own. Some form of 
international oversight is essential. It is clear to this Member that 
perhaps Haiti's only chance for long-term stability is to establish an 
international conservatorship, with the nation voluntarily giving up 
elements of its sovereignty for a specified period of time in exchange 
for a coordinated and massive assistance program with international 
administrations and supervision. What this Member is suggesting is 
that, when a national such as Haiti is so utterly unsuccessful in 
performing the most basic functions of a nation, then the international 
community should, in effect, place that country in a U.N.-supervised 
receivership.
  Madam Speaker, this Member recently introduced House Concurrent 
Resolution 260, a resolution that calls for an international 
conservatorship to assume the task of managing and directing the 
affairs of Haiti, and building the institutions to permit Haiti to 
eventually become a credible nation-state. Certainly, the inducements 
could be found that would lead the Haitian leadership to accept such a 
conservatorship while their nation is being rebuilt. And, in the end, 
an internationally supervised conservatorship such as has been proposed 
in House Concurrent Resolution 260 could well be the only way to end 
the cycle of misery, ineptitude, and corruption that has plagued Haiti 
throughout most of its history. Somalia is another example of a failed 
nation-state calling for international receivership. I urge my 
colleagues to consider the resolution I have introduced as a necessary 
mechanism for addressing failed nation-states that now exist in various 
locations around the globe.

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