Army - Haiti Observer Blog

Faced with massive influx of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent being deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti, Haitian Prime Minister Evans Paul put the Dominican Government on guard against the type of people that they are sending to Haiti. He stated that the Haitian government will welcome the Haitians but will not admit any non Haitians into the country. Specifically, anyone not born in Haiti will not be admitted into the country, that is according to Mr. Evans Paul.

I consider such a statement by the Haiti Prime Minister as pure bluff. It is an attempt by Mr. Paul deceive us pretending to in case that the Dominican Government makes any attempt to send someone who was born in the Dominican Republic with Haitian root back to Haiti, they will be faced with corresponding action from the Haitian government.

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In an attempt to alleviate at least some of the trepidation expressed by Haitian citizens upon learning of the secret training underwent by 41 of the country's brightest in Ecuador, and their return to possibly create a new Haitian army, Minister of Defense, Jean Rodolphe Joazile announced on Wednesday October 9th that the returning young people, including 30 soldier-technicians and 11 officer-engineers, were not part of a new army, but a new Civil Defense Force.

According to the Defense Minister, there is a need for the force within the country, as such, 40 additional young people will journey away from Haiti by the end of the year for civil engineering military training. It is part of a three year plan to implement a complete Civil Defense Force.

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Making good on a campaign promise is probably a good position for a politician to take, however, to do so without consulting with various relevant bodies that would need to know of something as big as the training and possibly deployment of a quasi-military force, is, as the Americans would say, a horse of a different color.

President Michel Martelly recently announced the return of 41 engineers, officers and technicians who had left the country to pursue a ten month training program at a facility in Ecuador, unbeknownst to the public, as well as to parliament. Also out of the loop, was the Artibonite Senator, who reacted with sarcasm when asked about the report that the returnees will be completing an internship until the end of the year at the Petite Riviere de l'Artibonite.

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Many people played a hand in the 1991 coup that saw the elected president of the Republic of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, removed from office, few with as much importance as army colonel and the then Haitian police chief, Joseph-Michel François. He was born on May 8, 1957 and went to military school at Fort Bragg in the United States.

The skills he acquired there would serve him well as part of the oppressive government, which ruled for over three years under Raoul Cédras. During this time, Michel Francois headed up the secret police and oversaw, or facilitated, many human rights violations, murders and other heinous, counter-judiciary acts.

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