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Nobel Laureate to Martelly: Restoring Haiti army a bad idea
Haiti President., Michel Martelly
Nobel laureate Oscar Arias has advised Haitian President Michel Martelly that it would be an “error” to restore the disbanded army, according to a letter delivered to presidential offices on Monday.
In the two-page letter dated Nov. 28, the two-time president of Costa Rica tells Martelly that armed forces in the region have records of thwarting progress and quashing democratic values, and that the US$25 million Martelly has proposed for the new military should be invested in education, health and strengthening other institutions.
“I seek not to show disrespect for the sovereignty of a sister nation, but simply to share advice I see written on the wall of human history,” Arias wrote in the letter shared with The Associated Press. “In Latin America, most armies are enemies of development, enemies of peace and enemies of freedom.”
The Haitian army was disbanded in 1995 because of its history of abuse, a move that was applauded by Arias’ own foundation.
First-time politician Martelly said he wants to fulfill a campaign pledge of reviving the army in an effort to restore national pride. He also envisions a force that will patrol Haiti’s porous border with the neighboring Dominican Republic, protect the environment and respond to natural disasters.
But the United States and Canada have said that the money for the military would be better spent on strengthening the police force, which has 8,000 officers in a country of 10 million. Canada added that it wouldn’t help pay for the new military and that Haiti has more pressing needs as it struggles to recover from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake almost two years ago.
