OPINION:
As portrayed in the recent article “Would-be soldiers train for the army not yet formed” (World, Tuesday), the development of a national security force in Haiti would mark a significant step forward for the country.
The island’s ability to secure its own coastlines and protect its inhabitants is key for the recovery of what has become a country dependent for survival on foreign assistance. If a well-trained domestic military force were in place, Haiti would no longer need to rely upon a U.N. peacekeeping force, which has not only killed civilians in its stabilization efforts, but also unintentionally brought cholera in the wake of last year’s devastating earthquake. In the long run, Haiti’s ability to provide for its own security will be a crucial step toward self-sufficiency and self-respect.
However, the efforts being undertaken to train and prepare such a force may be premature. It might prove more beneficial to wait until the results of Haiti’s national election are published on April 16 and a new government is in place to monitor the military. The shadow of the 1990s military dictatorship still looms over the island, and the arrival of thousands of armed and trained individuals in Port-au-Prince in the absence of a formal government risks further destabilization the country.
It is certainly a troubling prospect that these recruits are being trained by members of the former military, some of whom participated in the 1991 coup against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Furthermore, because of high unemployment, many of these volunteers come with limited job opportunities. Training them without guaranteeing a career in the security force will almost certainly pose a dangerous threat to the country’s future stability.
These unofficial efforts by many unnamed Haitians show promising dedication, but the first step toward an efficient and reliable army is the establishment of a stable supervising government.
TIM BEARDEN
Washington
Please read our comment policy before commenting.