Former President Clinton Named US Envoy to Haiti

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It was recently announced that former President Clinton was named US envoy to Haiti. It is no secret that Haiti needs help. The latest Country Condition Report from the US State Department shows that the following human rights problems were reported: failure to hold timely parliamentary elections; alleged unlawful killings by HNP (police) officers; ineffective measures to address killings by members of gangs and other armed groups; HNP participation in kidnappings; overcrowding and poor sanitation in prisons; arbitrary threats and arrests; prolonged pretrial detention; an inefficient judiciary subject to significant influence by the executive and legislative branches; severe corruption in all branches of government; violence and societal discrimination against women; child abuse, internal trafficking of children, and child domestic labor; and ineffective enforcement of worker rights.This is nothing new. Haiti has suffered from corrupt politicians, violence and poverty for many years. It is expected that Bill Clinton will focus world attention on this Caribbean Island and raise money to help thousands who have been ravaged by hurricanes and storms. Last year alone, almost 800 people lost their lives to natural disasters and rising food prices caused food riots in the streets. Former President Clinton sounded hopeful in his statement to The Miami Herald: “Last year’s natural disasters took a great toll, but Haiti’s government and people have the determination and ability to build back better, not just to repair the damage done but to lay the foundations for the long term sustainable development that has eluded them for so long.”

This is a lofty goal and if anybody can help achieve this, it is probably Bill Clinton. However, it will truly be miraculous in light of the political, economic and social structure that currently exists in Haiti. Even under the current adminstration of President Rene Preval, the State Department reports that the judiciary is ineffective to say the least, police officers have been accused of being involved in kidnappings and narcotics trafficking, and there are areas of “no law”, especially in the rural areas. One fallout of this situation is the flood of Haitians making their way to Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, USVI, and Florida, risking their lives on the open seas.

Haitian advocates have called on the United States for years to grant Temporary Protected Status to Haitians entering the US, as has been done for immigrants from other countries suffering from natural disasters. So far, the Obama administration has not acted, but the situation may change with Mr. Clinton’s appointment.