An Interview with Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the former president of Haiti, is well known for his activism in promoting the democratic process in his country.  What's less well known is how he has fought to integrate young people into this process.  Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere has a population of seven million.  Of that, forty percent are under 15, a quarter of a million of whom live on the streets. 

 Since leaving the presidency last February, Aristide has created a foundation through which to carry on his work promoting democracy.  Lyn Duff spoke with him about the goals of the Aristide Foundation for Democracy.

Aristide- We are living in a country where dialogue is a key issue for many people.  I think having a dialog is one of the best ways to continue rebuilding our nation.  In the past, Haitians had a tradition of using guns to find a solution.  Now we want to use words; democratic debate.  That is why the Foundation is trying to create an opportunity for people to debate respectfully with each other about issues like justice, dignity, peace, reconciliation and human rights.  If we move through dialog rather than violence, we are making a contribution to democracy. 

The Foundation is also trying to energize the national literacy campaign.  Having 85% of the people illiterate is very significant.  It is not an accident that we have such a high illiteracy rate: it's the result of a plan.  There were those throughout Haiti's history who did not want people to go to school, or to know their rights.  The Foundation would like to help in implementing a literacy program.  If we can attract financial support internationally, we can channel it to the organizations, groups, and people who are solving this problem.   

If we say this is a foundation for democracy, our support for the struggle for democracy will not be only through debate, only through dialogue, only with words.  It will also be through action: action to have jobs, action for justice, action for having or creating conditions for peace, action for dignity.  We don't want democracy to come from the sky and be imposed on the majority of the Haitian people.  The participation of the Haitian people is the key to assure that the future will bring democracy with work for people, with justice for the victims, with dignity for every single citizen, with reconciliation and justice for all of us. 

Lyn Duff- What specifically will the Aristide Foundation for Democracy be doing to advocate for young people?

Aristide-  In Haiti, as in other countries, the youth are the hope for tomorrow.  But more than that, in Haiti they are the majority of the population.  They represent a potential power in society that can move Haiti's story towards a better future.  The majority of youth want democracy.  They are willing to die for democracy as they proved in the past.  They have a dream of a new Haiti with jobs, education, health care, justice, and peace.  And the youth are not just waiting for it to happen; they want to create it.  How to make the dream a reality?  It is through organization. 

The Foundation is helping organizations of young people to work with other organizations of young people.  We are not making decisions for them, but creating conditions for them to make their own decisions regarding their own future. 

Lyn Duff- President Aristide, in Haiti there is a huge problem with illiteracy which severely impacts every sector of society.  What will you be doing through the Foundation to resolve this problem?

Aristide-  Unfortunately in Haiti we have this huge percentage of people, 85% that are illiterate.  But fortunately although they are not literate people, they are not dumb people.  We say, Analfabet pa bet, which means, just because you did not go to school does not mean you are not intelligent.  We need to help illiterate people, not because we will bring light, intelligence to them, but because we can help them to develop the skills they already possess. 

There is no real democracy without the participation of citizens.  If I can go to school with the goal of putting the knowledge I gain at the service of the others, then I will have the tools I need and will be in a better position to participate in democracy.  We will continue to do our best to create those conditions where this is possible for more and more people to have the literacy campaign become each day more of a reality.

Lyn Duff- There are many young girls who, because they are orphans or their family is too poor to care for them, are forced to become servants in other people's homes.  These restaveks, as they are called in Creole, are as young as five and as old as 15.  Most receive no schooling and face inhumane conditions of exploitation.  Mr. President can you tell me a little bit more about what the situation is for them and what can be done to resolve their problems?

Aristide- They are the first to getup in the morning and the last to go to bed at night.  They are the first to serve and the last to eat.  They usually do not go to school.  And if they do go to school it is only at night because they have to spend their day working as slaves. They are within a structure of slavery which is a legacy of our history.  If people accept it as if it were natural, how can they work to change other structures of  violence, of exploitation, of injustice?  If a person accepts this exploitation in their home then they may accept other forms of injustice and exploitation in society.  But if at home a person starts to do something to change the exploitation of restaveks, then they may be encouraged to extend this behavior at the national level.

Lyn Duff-  What do you think will make a difference in the lives of restaveks?  What do they need most?

Aristide- The first need is love, respect, taking care of the immediate quality of the relationship between people.  If we meet and they do not feel that we love them as human beings, I could say right away that we have failed.  That love must be expressed through both symbolic and concrete actions. 

Lyn Duff- What role do restaveks play in contributing to Haiti?

Aristide-  Just the fact that they are working all day long is a precious contribution.  Every day they are giving their blood, their energy, their courage, through the kind of work they are doing.  In the case of restaveks we know that they are doing, it is time for the country to take concrete action to do something for them. 

Lyn Duff- In the past few months there has been a dramatic rise in the amount of violence in Haiti.   I'm wondering what the future will be like for Haiti.  President Aristide, what gives you hope, what do you think will solve all of this?

Aristide- First of all,  Haitians can save Haiti.  And true friends of Haiti can save Haiti.  Some people may think we are moving too slowly towards change.   But the irreversibility of the change we are making is very clear in my mind.  We are moving towards a new Haiti.  We are rebuilding a new country, and we started from the very foundation.  If we continue to create the conditions which allow the participation of the Haitian people, the democratic process will be irreversible because it will be a democracy that comes from the base of society with the participation of everyone. 

I am confident that we can continue to lead the country through peace to justice.  It's a matter of time.  The speed may be slow or too slow for some people, but from my humble point of view, we are moving in the right direction.