wfn.org | Resolving Haiti's Crisis Calls for Long-term Assistance

["Frank Imhoff" <FRANKI@elca.org>]

Resolving Haiti's Crisis Calls for Long-term Assistance 
LWF General Secretary Urges UN Intervention to Ensure Respect of
Civil Rights

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti/GENEVA, 11 March 2004 (LWI) * The
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) representative in Haiti, Michael
Kuehn, has appealed for long-term assistance and support for the
Caribbean nation after the recent political crisis that has
resulted in humanitarian emergency situation. Long-term,
participatory programs for development could make an important
contribution to crisis prevention, Kuehn, director of the LWF
Department for World Service (DWS) country program in Haiti and
the Dominican Republic, said in an interview with Lutheran World
Information (LWI).

The formation of a government in Haiti, he said, and
establishment of trust within society must be given priority
following the departure of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide,
after weeks of violent rebellion against his rule. Insecurity,
Kuehn noted, still constitutes a major problem, as many people
worry about the violence, looting and widespread destruction. 

Meanwhile, LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko has
appealed to United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to
exercise "maximum persuasion upon all concerned to respect the
rights of civilians" amid the current unrest in Haiti.

In a letter to the UN secretary-general, Noko points out that
humanitarian relief organizations present in Haiti, such as the
LWF/DWS "have been unable even to conduct proper assessment of
the needs of the population, let alone deliver essential aid."
Urgent action is needed to alleviate the situation and assist
those in need, Noko writes.

The LWF general secretary cautions that although Aristide's
departure, February 29, may have defused immediate risk of an
escalation of conflict, it does not offer any strong assurance of
a sustainable return to peaceful democratic processes in Haiti.
He attributes the latest reversion to armed violence instead of
political democracy, to the country's chronic poverty and
underdevelopment. Another opportunity is now presented to
Haiti's new leaders and the international community to
address not only the current crisis but also the chronic
situation of destitution and underdevelopment, Noko says.

Analyzing the current situation, Kuehn stressed the need for
psycho-social support for the vulnerable in society * the sick,
women, children, rural populations and marginalized urban groups
* who constitute almost 80 percent of the country's eight
million people. He said confidence-building measures would be
taken up within the framework of a reconciliation policy that
embraces the entire Haitian society. The LWF/DWS Haiti country
program did not evacuate its staff at the height of the current
political crisis. It will respond to the emerging needs in
collaboration with Action by Churches Together (ACT)
International, the Geneva-based global alliance of churches and
aid agencies working to save lives and support communities during
emergencies. 

Kuehn noted that the present situation particularly demands
further work on strengthening civil society and its participation
in building up Haiti. The work done so far, could have produced
good results in some ways, but the civil society was weak. "We
must continue to work along these lines with our partners in
Haiti. But it also is important not to lose sight of the fact
that state institutions are weak," he stated. Civil society, he
stressed, cannot act reasonably if state institutions do not
provide the necessary structural guarantees. The LWF/DWS Haiti
program focuses on strengthening civil society, human rights work
and establishing democratic values.

Kuehn suggested that in future the program work be expanded to
include components of peaceful conflict resolution. He said his
office could play a major part in reconciliation and peace-making
efforts, which are considered a major starting point for dealing
constructively with the conflicts between the opposition and
Aristide's supporters. 

Reestablishing normalcy and public order in Haiti, and
guaranteeing coordination between non-governmental organizations
and UN agencies is crucial, according to Kuehn. Poorly
coordinated emergency-aid measures would destroy any positive
attempts at sustainability, he stressed. He noted that the
current food shortage does not in any case exceed the "ordinary
level," and described Haiti's "normal catastrophe" - the
predominant fight against poverty - as the main objective of
LWF/DWS work there. To this end, it is necessary to find "patient
but reliable donors" and to ensure international cooperation in
development policy, he added. (686 words) 

[The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million
of the almost 66 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)
 
[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information
service. Unless specifically noted, material presented does not
represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation
(LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

*    *	   *

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