[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 91 (Tuesday, July 9, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1219-E1220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 HAITI

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 9, 2002

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation turns its focus toward a full-
scale battle against worldwide terrorism, there are some international 
human rights issues that are evading the scope of U.S. policymakers. 
This should be of great concern to those in this country who have long 
been concerned with the welfare of all humanity, be it in Asia, Africa, 
or in the Caribbean. Unbeknownst to many in this country, one of the 
hungriest and most neglected nations in the world lies not only in this 
hemisphere, but also in our own Caribbean backyard. The situation in 
Haiti is worsening by the day while international financial 
institutions refuse to provide development assistance, and the role of 
the U.S. is still unclear. What is certain is that a double standard 
has been created regarding Haiti, and that rather than being helped, 
the population is being further driven into the ground.

[[Page E1220]]

  Andrew Blandford, Research Associate at the Washington-based Council 
on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), has recently authored a press memorandum 
entitled ``As Catastrophe Approaches in Haiti, the U.S. Continues to 
Block International Loans.'' This important analysis, which was 
released on June 13, will shortly appear in a revised form in the 
upcoming issue of that organization's estimable biweekly publication, 
The Washington Report on the Hemisphere. Blandford's research findings 
spotlight the developing Haitian tragedy and examine the role played by 
units of our own government in orchestrating the withholding of over 
$500 millon in loans and grants to our poverty-stricken neighbors.
  Following weeks of floods and increased potable water shortages in 
Haiti, residents are forced to spend, on average, nearly a tenth of 
their meager U.S. $1 a day income on such a fundamental staple as 
water. As a result of its scarcity and inflated price, less than half 
of Haiti's population consumes potable water, compounding the nation's 
abysmal health standards. Over 4% of Haiti's populace is infected with 
HIV/AIDS while only 1 in 10,000 has access to a physician.
  The sanctions against Haiti include the withholding of a $146 million 
loan from the Inter-American Development Bank that was intended to fund 
education, healthcare and infrastructure projects. Because the IDB 
loans have already been approved, we have the ironic situation where 
Haiti must continue to pay interest on money it does not receive. While 
U.S. dollars flow in record amounts to such undemocratic nations as 
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, our Caribbean neighbors live in abject 
poverty. We must recognize the injustice of withholding, international 
development assistance to a country previously ruled by the U.S.-
supported Duvalier family dictatorship which distorted the country's 
institutions while running up record debts.
  COHA researcher Blandford calls for action through the passage of 
H.C.R. 382, sponsored by our colleague Representative Barbara Lee and 
the Congressional Black Caucus. This resolution would urge the 
President to end the virtual embargo on development assistance to 
Haiti. Consequently, the article is of great relevance since the need 
to constructively engage Haiti is likely to grow in importance in the 
coming months, given the precedent for Haitian refugees to attempt to 
escape to Florida by means of a perilous sea passage when famine and 
destitution become unbearable at home, even though they face automatic 
interdiction and are forced to return to the island.

    As Catastrophe Approaches in Haiti, the U.S. Continues To Block 
                          International Loans

       Less than a decade after the United States triumphantly 
     pronounced the restoration of democracy in Haiti with the 
     return of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the international 
     community has financially repudiated the island nation. Only 
     two years before its bicentennial, the unrest which has 
     characterized much of Haiti's two centuries of independence 
     has returned to the poverty-stricken nation. A loose and 
     disparate opposition coalition of mainly tiny rightist 
     factions, the Democratic Convergence, due to its tight links 
     to conservative Washington powerbrokers, has been able to 
     undermine the Aristide administration both abroad and at 
     home.


                     The Developing Haitian Tragedy

       In recent weeks, in addition to Haiti's routine political 
     and economic woes, its populace has been forced to spend, on 
     average, nearly a tenth of their meager U.S. $1 a day income 
     on water alone due to a lethal shortage of supplies. Because 
     of its scarcity and price inflation, less than half of 
     Haiti's population consumes potable water.
       Dr. Paul Farmer, a Harvard medical professor and director 
     of Haiti's celebrated Zanmi Lasante clinic, notes the close 
     connection between contaminated water and the cataclysmic HIV 
     epidemic that affects 4% of the island's population. Dr. 
     Farmer has of late witnessed the number of untreated patients 
     in Haiti multiply at an unprecedented pace: ``I had worried 
     about 60-70,000 patients for the year. Now it'll likely be 
     well over 120,000. The blocked $146 million in IDB [Inter-
     American Development Bank] loans are for health, water, and 
     education. It's insane for the richest country in the world 
     to hold up financing of these projects in one of the 
     poorest.'' Dr. Farmer's invaluable role in spearheading the 
     battle against AIDS, nevertheless, is thus far a losing 
     effort. Currently there is only one physician for every 
     10,000 Haitians. The Pan-American Heath Organization's 
     director, George Alleyne, laments that 74 Haitian babies die 
     per every 1,000 live births and that life expectancy on the 
     island is among the lowest in the Americas. To him the cause 
     is clear: ``It is poverty.''


                    The U.S. Role in Haiti's Plight

       Due to the U.S. Treasury Department's virtual veto power 
     over the IDB, a low interest loan of $54 million meant to 
     improve Haiti's access to clean water cannot be disbursed, 
     despite the fact that the bank's charter specifically forbids 
     such political meddling. The IDB claims that no loans can be 
     sent to Haiti because the country is in arrears, but the 
     State Department has made it clear that international 
     pressure will be removed only when the strict demands on the 
     U.S. agenda are met. At June's OAS General Assembly in 
     Barbados, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell asserted that 
     Haiti needs the assistance of the international financial 
     community . . . but it is difficult to provide that kind of 
     aid until there is political stability.'' Despite Aristide's 
     democratic authenticity, the Convergence's provocations have 
     effectively cut off international resources to Haiti while 
     billions of U.S. dollars flow to authoritarian nations such 
     as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
       In January 2001, Ira Kurzban, the Aristide administration's 
     general counsel in the U.S., claimed that the IRI facilitated 
     the allocation of $3 million of NED funds to the Convergence. 
     Shortly thereafter, in a February 2 article, The Washington 
     Post substantiated the IRI's connection to the origins of the 
     Convergence. In effect, the IRI has arranged for the 
     Convergence to have a de facto veto power over Aristide's 
     constitutional mandate.
       The Convergence essentially delivered an ultimatum to the 
     Haitian president when it called for the annulment of the 
     results of the May 2000 election, which its leaders insisted 
     were flawed. Aristide agreed over a year ago to fire the 
     seven senators whose votes were contested and to move up the 
     elections despite the fact that an American delegation led by 
     Congressman John Conyers (D-MI) of the Congressional Black 
     Caucus (CBC) witnessed the balloting and characterized it as 
     ``the democratic process working, exceptionally well.'' The 
     Convergence, however, still stonewalls negotiations, choosing 
     instead to advance its policy of economic asphyxiation of the 
     government.
       The Republican leadership argues that USAID already 
     delivers sufficient funding to Haiti. According to remarks 
     made by Secretary of State Powell, the U.S. only provided $73 
     million in aid last year for emergency rations, but this 
     figure will be slashed to $20 million for Fiscal Year 2002. 
     Moreover, a USAID official in Haiti recently told visitors 
     ``79 cents of every USAID dollar worldwide is actually spent 
     in the U.S.''


                     The OAS-Sponsored Negotiations

       A total of $500 million in approved international loans and 
     grants have been withheld as a result of demands made by 
     Aristide's political enemies that a consensus be reached 
     between the democratically-based Aristide administration and 
     the Convergence's questionable bona fides. Few analysts see 
     any grounds for optimism as an OAS negotiation team is in the 
     country on its twentieth visit in an attempt to produce a 
     peace accord. Like Aristide, the OAS has been unable to 
     accomplish its goal due to a lack of political and financial 
     assets. Section nineteen of the OAS Inter-American Commission 
     on Human Rights Report specifically cites a lack of resources 
     as the leading cause behind Haiti's inefficient judicial 
     institutions and the OAS has displayed a particular lack of 
     ability to operate independent of State Department dictates.
       At a June 28 Haiti Symposium in Washington, the leader of 
     the OAS peace initiative, Assistant Secretary General Luigi 
     Einaudi, fresh from the island, agreed that it is now ``the 
     absolute critical time'' to move forward and set a deadline 
     for negotiations. This step would thwart the Convergence's 
     strategy of issuing perpetual ultimatums. Einaudi stressed, 
     ``There is not one nation--certainly not one of the 34 in the 
     OAS--which disputes Aristide's presidency.'' The problem, as 
     he explained it, is that the international community will not 
     sign onto the process of renewing development support until 
     Aristide and his administration's opposition reach an 
     agreement. ``I hate sanctions,'' Einaudi griped, ``they're 
     easy to put on and hard to take off.''
       Since a consensus in Haiti is far from assured, 
     Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA) and the CBC introduced in 
     April H.C.R. 382, ``New Partnership for Haiti,'' which calls 
     for an end to U.S.-influenced sanctions on the island, 
     regardless of the Convergence's obstinacy. However, while the 
     resolution remains stalled in committee, and with Congress 
     sharply divided along party lines, it is doubtful whether the 
     legislation will reach the House floor. Furthermore, Haitian 
     advocacy groups stress that a resumption of international 
     development assistance is only the first step in addressing 
     Haiti's dire condition. Once the Haitian government is able 
     to establish its authority and marshals the necessary 
     resources, It will have to begin to create solid institutions 
     and reform its judicial process in order to effectively serve 
     the nation.

     

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