PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, CMC – Haiti’s international music star, Wyclef Jean, has called on national and international actors to allow rebel gunmen to participate in negotiations to find a solution to the Caribbean country’s unprecedented political gridlock.
The United States said Thursday that it backed the position outlined by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping following the high-level meeting on Haiti in Jamaica on Monday and wanted “to see an interim prime minister appointed as soon as possible.”
In an interview with the Port au Prince-based Haitian-Caribbean News Network, Jean, a partner of the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), said the gunmen, who have had a high profile in the French-speaking CARICOM country in recent months, should be included in the current political negotiations to solve the security crisis.
“Whether people like it or not, I am saying the men of arms should be part of the overhaul negotiations, and it’s very important!” Jean, the Grammy Award singer, said, urging all stakeholders to join in facilitating the return of peace and security to Haiti.
“All should be on the table because this is not a dictatorship. I’d never support any form of dictatorship or any form of a radical one person taking over Haiti; never and never,” Jean said, warning stakeholders against further deterioration of the security situation.
He said the necessary steps should be taken urgently to pave the way towards making significant progress.
Jean cites former rebel leader Guy Philippe, political party leader Claude Joseph, Jean-Charles Moise from the ‘Pitit Desalin’ party, and representatives of the so-called Montana group among those whom he believes should have a say in the future of the island.
Jean said that the United States must form a united front now in order to take Haitians seriously.
“ I ask you to put your differences on the side. Everybody has to be included as part of the future of what’s going on,” Jean said, adding he could understand the frustration of the people with the guns because those guns were given to them to carry out massacres in the country.
“But they would wake up one day and say, ‘Gosh, the same forces that are telling us to do this are not the right forces.’ And they were now up against them, and they said we were going to topple them through extreme measures.
“But when I look at the situation, “and I go back to Nelson Mandela, I always feel that dialogue is the best situation right now.”
He said he understood the situation “from a level of being one of those guys who used to be in those poor and populous neighborhoods, who was an advocate for peace, and who even helped negotiate a truce in certain parts of the country when it was needed at a time.”
Jean, among the most popular Haitians internationally, said he maintains his Haitian passport despite his success. He is particularly admired in his homeland.
Media reports said that he had played a significant role in getting a hostage freed without having to pay a ransom because he was able to speak by phone to the abductors.
Meanwhile, the United States said that following Monday’s meeting in Jamaica, where it was announced that Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry, who has been stranded in Puerto Rico since last week, had decided he would be stepping down, several stakeholders “are willing to make and willing to make compromises to try to restore stability and set the path to free and fair elections.
“And we think that’s appropriate and think that it’s something that all political figures in Haiti should do to try to move past the current crisis,” said US State Department spokesman Mathew Miller.
He told reporters that it would be a “mistake” to concentrate on what Washington would be doing to bring peace and security to Haiti, insisting “ultimately this is a matter for the Haitian people to decide, and the Haitian people and Haitian leaders need to be front and center in making decisions about their country.
“What we will do is work with Haitian leaders and CARICOM leaders and work with our other international partners to do everything we can to support Haitians in making those concessions and trying to get on the path to democracy.”
He said separately, but equally, Washington will support the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission “because it is critical to restoring security on the ground, and without security, it’s going to be very hard, if not impossible, to hold free and fair elections.”
Miller said that while he would not be willing to “discuss hypotheticals and what might happen…” there was always going to be, and this was always going to be, a political process that required people to make compromises and concessions.
“As you just heard me say, in the past few hours, we’ve seen a number of names submitted for this presidential transitional council. We want to see it get off the ground as soon as possible and an interim prime minister appointed as soon as possible,” he added.
On Monday, Guyana’s President and CARICOM chairman, Dr. Irfaan Ali, told reporters that an agreement had been reached that would allow Prime Minister Henry to step down and for a transitional governance arrangement “which paves the way for a peaceful transition of power, continuity of governance and action plan for near-term security and the road to free and fair elections.”
Ali said that it was also agreed that a transitional presidential council would be created comprised of seven voting members and two voting observers.
Those with votes include the party headed by Moise, the EDE party of former prime minister Charles Joseph; the Fanmi Lavalas party; the December 21 coalition led by Henry; the Montana Accord group; and private sector members.
The non-voting members will be represented by one member from civil society and one from the interfaith community.
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