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CNN Live Saturday
Analysis With Mark Prou
Aired February 14, 2004 - 12:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: So is international intervention the answer for Haiti?
Well, let's put the question to Mark Prou, head of the Haitian Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
Thank you for joining us.
PROFESSOR MARK PROU, UMASS BOSTON: Thank you.
To answer the question broadly, I don't think international intervention will resolve the crisis. We have to understand the nature of the crisis again. And I think the interesting question is, how will perhaps the nonviolent opposition will respond to the increasing violence, you know, in the chaos being done in their name?
You know, they haven't seen much response yet from them.
In other words, the nonviolent opposition need to step in. Because the violence that are taking place in Gonaives and other towns are being done in their name. And in fact, Aristide is using that as a way perhaps to crush the entire opposition, when, in fact, the entire opposition is not what's happening in the Gonaives. Gonaives is just a ticking bomb, is a result, in fact, of Aristide makeup of those gangs over the past 10 years.
So I think we need to look at it in that solution should be a Haitian solution. Haitians need to come to the table and sit down and debate it. International intervention...
ARENA: But, sir, but this situation -- I mean, many critics, though, would argue that the situation in Haiti has been bubbling for a long time; it's not just suddenly that there's an issue here. And Aristide has had quite a bit of time to try to get his ducks in a row.
What -- what do you think -- when you say nonviolent forces have to come to the table, this has to be a Haitian solution -- there hasn't been a Haitian solution yet.
PROU: But again, this is a problem. There haven't been a Haitian solutions to a Haitian problem.
Very often, a Haitian problem is being addressed by international community, which, in fact, is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the problem more. Calicombe (ph), in trying to meddle into the issue, has, in fact, you know, created more anger among the Haitian opposition. Because you need to understand, who are the people behind Aristide? They're the people who need to come right now and tell Aristide, Look, you haven't been able to do it. And then you need to do something about it. If it means the removal of Aristide, and then, of course, that would be done. And then I don't think that would solve the problem overnight either.
ARENA: But even the removal of Aristide, though, might require some -- some international help, at least just for structure and credibility, no?
PROU: Well, the international help would be in the name of help to rebuild the institutions that have been dismantled by the international community along with Aristide.
When Aristide was returned in 1994 with 20,000 military, the institution building that they talked about never happened. IN spite of doing institution building, they had dismantled some institution. For instance, they dismantled army. Of course, the army was not a viable institution. But they could have, perhaps, reformed the army. Because many members of the army have joined the police force, which, in fact, is kind of the same thing. You had members of the army who became senators in the new government of Aristide.
So that is to say, the army as an institution was corrupted. But it could have been informed. This (UINTELLIGIBLE), you know, did not solve the problem.
ARENA: All right. Obviously, so much more to talk about. We'll keep an eye on the story. Mark Prou, thank you so much for joining us.
PROU: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 14, 2004 - 12:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: So is international intervention the answer for Haiti?
Well, let's put the question to Mark Prou, head of the Haitian Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
Thank you for joining us.
PROFESSOR MARK PROU, UMASS BOSTON: Thank you.
To answer the question broadly, I don't think international intervention will resolve the crisis. We have to understand the nature of the crisis again. And I think the interesting question is, how will perhaps the nonviolent opposition will respond to the increasing violence, you know, in the chaos being done in their name?
You know, they haven't seen much response yet from them.
In other words, the nonviolent opposition need to step in. Because the violence that are taking place in Gonaives and other towns are being done in their name. And in fact, Aristide is using that as a way perhaps to crush the entire opposition, when, in fact, the entire opposition is not what's happening in the Gonaives. Gonaives is just a ticking bomb, is a result, in fact, of Aristide makeup of those gangs over the past 10 years.
So I think we need to look at it in that solution should be a Haitian solution. Haitians need to come to the table and sit down and debate it. International intervention...
ARENA: But, sir, but this situation -- I mean, many critics, though, would argue that the situation in Haiti has been bubbling for a long time; it's not just suddenly that there's an issue here. And Aristide has had quite a bit of time to try to get his ducks in a row.
What -- what do you think -- when you say nonviolent forces have to come to the table, this has to be a Haitian solution -- there hasn't been a Haitian solution yet.
PROU: But again, this is a problem. There haven't been a Haitian solutions to a Haitian problem.
Very often, a Haitian problem is being addressed by international community, which, in fact, is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the problem more. Calicombe (ph), in trying to meddle into the issue, has, in fact, you know, created more anger among the Haitian opposition. Because you need to understand, who are the people behind Aristide? They're the people who need to come right now and tell Aristide, Look, you haven't been able to do it. And then you need to do something about it. If it means the removal of Aristide, and then, of course, that would be done. And then I don't think that would solve the problem overnight either.
ARENA: But even the removal of Aristide, though, might require some -- some international help, at least just for structure and credibility, no?
PROU: Well, the international help would be in the name of help to rebuild the institutions that have been dismantled by the international community along with Aristide.
When Aristide was returned in 1994 with 20,000 military, the institution building that they talked about never happened. IN spite of doing institution building, they had dismantled some institution. For instance, they dismantled army. Of course, the army was not a viable institution. But they could have, perhaps, reformed the army. Because many members of the army have joined the police force, which, in fact, is kind of the same thing. You had members of the army who became senators in the new government of Aristide.
So that is to say, the army as an institution was corrupted. But it could have been informed. This (UINTELLIGIBLE), you know, did not solve the problem.
ARENA: All right. Obviously, so much more to talk about. We'll keep an eye on the story. Mark Prou, thank you so much for joining us.
PROU: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
