After much prevarication and delaying tactics, the appointment of the members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) to replace Mr. Ariel Henry, the resigning Prime Minister of Haiti, is finally a reality. The decree formalizing this decision was made public on Tuesday 16 April 2024. The members of the CPT were nominated by several party groupings and civil society organizations, as part of a CARICOM-led mediation process. Colette Lespinasse, representative of the COEH in Haiti, is sharing her analysis of the current situation.
A great deal of confusion surrounded the release of this document. The authenticity of a first one that was in circulation last weekend was denied by the Ministry of Communication, which instead issued a press release demanding a series of documents (some of which are impossible to find) from the people chosen before seeing their names published in the official newspaper Le Moniteur. Apparently because of pressure from various quarters, the government dropped these demands, described by many as stalling tactics, and issued a new decree announcing that the required documents were still expected “as soon as possible”, without providing any details. For his part, the director of the Journal Le Moniteur has accepted full responsibility for the affair, admitting that there had indeed been a leak within his institution and apologizing to the government and the public for the damage caused. But for observers, this public muddle reflects internal conflicts within the outgoing government, some of whom are unwilling to let go.
The Haiti of tomorrow, painting by Patrick Lafontant
The official publication of the names of the members of the CPT is a step in the right direction and raises many hopes. Many organizations see it as an opportunity for the country to begin to emerge from this political quagmire, this institutional and security crisis that has no end in sight. In comments in the media, people are hoping that the coalition that gave rise to this government formula will prove equal to the gravity of the situation. They hope that instead of wasting time in endless debates, the members of the CPT will each time seek the necessary consensus to move quickly towards solutions, because the people can’t take it anymore.
The challenges facing the CPT are enormous, but not insurmountable. This structure is made up of a range of players with divergent positions, some of whom have a long history of mismanagement of the country. In addition, there are groups that are hostile to this formula and are preparing to fight against it. The Council will therefore need a great deal of tact and openness if it is not to fall into the trap of division, which could cause it to implode, with serious consequences for the whole country.
One area of friction that could lead to division is the position on whether a multinational force, led by Kenya, should be deployed, as decided by the United Nations Security Council. In the agreement signed between the parties involved in the formation of the CPT, nuances were expressed regarding the use of this force. Unfortunately, the outgoing government refused to publish the agreement and introduced into the framework decree creating the CPT clauses concerning the arrival of this force which are not unanimously supported by the CPT.
A letter sent directly to the President of Kenya by several business associations on Wednesday 17 April surprised observers. These powerful groups from the private business sector, even though they have representatives on the Council, wrote directly to the President of Kenya asking him to come to Haiti quickly, because things are getting out of hand. The letter has been heavily criticized in Haiti and seems to indicate that the differences will focus in particular on strategies to overcome the insecurity.
In any case, preparations have been announced for the installation of the CPT, probably at the National Palace as soon as possible, and for the rapid initiation of the power transfer process. However, security concerns persist. The gangs have openly declared their opposition to the creation of the CPT and will be showing their colours in the coming days. The coalition has not yet announced how it intends to tackle the thorny issue of gangs. But everyone agrees that a peace-building dynamic needs to be put in place, probably through an approach that enables young people to lay down their arms and reintegrate into social life, while maintaining the principle of justice for the many victims of violence.
Meanwhile, the macabre game of gangs who murder, pillage and rape with impunity continues. Between January and March 2024, at least two hundred and eight (208) people were murdered, according to a report by the National Human Rights Defence Network (RNDDH). In a single month, more than 100,000 people were forced to flee their homes and have nowhere to go. Let’s hope that the arrival in power of this Transitional Presidential Council will bring peace and security to the country, and that the international community will break with its traditional mimicry of repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and allow Haitians to effectively take over the leadership of the country.
Port-au-Prince, 18 April 2024
