By Hugo Guiliani Cury
Source: Listin Diario
“To keep Haitians in their territory, we Dominicans have to help them to help their country progress.”
These brief notes are based on an extensive report I did for the reconstruction of Haiti in 2006.
The solutions sought for Haiti must be different from the conventional ones. What is appropriate is a military intervention to restore order and simultaneously intervene in the economy. Trying to impose the Western system of democracy on a country not prepared for it has been a failure. It has been used on several occasions, and the result has been worse and worse. Also, the approach given to the military interventions that have been made so far have not been effective. Nevertheless, it is necessary to leave euphemisms and hypocrisy aside and be aware that getting that nation out of misery and chaos is necessary. It will have to be with international help.
By analyzing the various processes that have historically been carried out worldwide during the Reconstruction of Nations, we can draw valuable lessons from them. From them, we can learn lessons that could yield positive results in the Haitian case.
Since it is impossible to declare a Protectorate in Haiti due to Chapter XII Article 78 of the United Nations Charter, it is necessary to look for different formulas. One that could be applied is the scheme known as “Shared Governance,” or what could also be called “Shared Partnership for Development.” Under this scheme and with a militarily intervened Haiti, a reconstruction process would be carried out. This type of government would share powers between the International Community and the Haitians. Historically, it has been demonstrated that the concept of shared governance is viable when there is citizen security and both sides participate with respect and balance in the management of state affairs and also when differences in cultural aspects and diverse religious beliefs are recognized and accepted.
The cost of the intervention for those fifteen years would be about 40 billion dollars, the resources of which would be donated by the International Community and by the loans made to Haiti by certain nations and international organizations.
The program to be carried out would be similar to the Marshall Plan implemented in Europe after the Second World War. It would be focused on creating a basic physical infrastructure and institutions to support future economic and social development, designed and executed by a Development Corporation with extraordinary powers and complete autonomy and under the command of external authorities. It would also be absolutely necessary to have sufficient authority and force to implement the measures and to be able to maintain order and citizen security. Consequently, the military forces will have to remain in place for the prescribed period of fifteen years.
At the end of that period and under a scheme such as the one described above, Haiti will be able to lay the firm foundations for sustainable economic development with the institutions on which a democratic regime is based. At that moment, and with a recovered and progressing nation, Haiti will be able to manage permanently under a democratic regime.