ARTICLE - BELIZAIRE CASE - EMOTIONS

BELIZAIRE CASE: IRRESPONSIBLE REMARKS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF EMOTION
(Haiti Libre) -

The arrest of Deputy Arnel Bélizaire, yesterday at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, has generated a flood of emotions... It is true that this arrest is likely to provoke strong reactions. It is nevertheless true, that we would expect no less of excess and emotions in the remarks of our parliamentarians.

Rather than trying to react objectively to the facts; their reactions, which sometimes borders on paranoia, are adding fuel to the fire. Speculations, accusations, unfounded rumors fueling reactions, all the more surprising that none of the parliamentarians has the folder that in the hands of the Commissioner of Government and therefore ignore its' elements and charges that led to this arrest. The investigation is ongoing. It would be better to make more moderate statements rather than risk, by inciting public condemnations, and causing social unrest with uncontrollable consequences.

Sorel Jacinthe, President of the Lower House, after the arrest of Deputy Bélizaire, although stating "I will not speak with emotions" does not hesitate to describe the President of the Republic as a dictator. "We are in presence of a dictator [...] Remember press, how the President has treated you. He respects no one. He does not respect the law. He does what he wants with the people [...] He is the supreme leader and he has a record on each person, so he can do what he wants [...]" Heavy charges from the parliamentary head of the Lower House...

Before the arrest of Deputy Bélizaire, the President of the House told reporters, "They can not arrest him now. If they want to arrest him there is no problem, because we do not have the force with us, but nevertheless we require that the nation knows that today, we are no longer in a democratic system. We are in a budding dictatorship. Can a President arrest someone because he has not slept well or because he has spoken with him? [...] We inform the Nation that in the drift that where we are in, and if it continues, we will return stronger than under Duvalier... [...] That's how it [the Duvalier regime] began. Since you do not agree with him, he [the President] will seek to put a file on you and make an arrest..." A verbal escalation hardly acceptable for an elected official...

On a radio station of the capital, Deputy Levaillant Louis Jeune, under the influence of indignation, did not hesitate to declare "impeachment proceedings against President Michel Martelly will be undertaken as soon as Parliament resumes in January", accusing the executive of controlling justice. "We will meet Friday in Parliament to decide."

"We will meet, we will give to Michel Martelly a reciprocal response in the context of this case," said Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras on his part.

Deputy Stevenson Timoléon, accompanied by more than 50 parliamentarians in front of the National Penitentiary, declared; "Our colleague was arbitrarily arrested. He enjoys parliamentary immunity. The procedures were not followed. We are facing a political drift in Haiti"

Shortly before the arrest of Deputy Bélizaire, Deputy Willo Joseph at the airport, angrily told reporters that "I want to see if the executive with its police officers will have the nerve to assassinate Deputy Bélizaire, since it can not be arrested this afternoon..."

A rumor suggests that the deputies would meet Thursday evening to evoke the dismissal of Thierry Mayard Paul, the Minister of the Interior, Local Authorities and Defence.

Edgar Leblanc, Coordinator of the Organization of People in Struggle (OPL) reported "...I also heard in the press that the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Sorel Jacinthe was banned from entering into the diplomatic lounge [of the airport] to meet with Mr. Bélizaire. Another insult to the functions of the President of the Chamber,... an affront to Parliament. I think that what is happening is very serious, ... it's very serious...

The Prime Minister and especially the Minister of Justice will have to give explanations of what is happening here [...] against this affront, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will certainly have to react to defend their rights and privileges, but also to enforce the Constitution, to enforce the law,... to enforce the law simply because there are signs that it's more than drifts. It announced a very bad day, ... not just for the deputies and senators, but for the whole society..."

Hoping that our parliamentarians will quickly find the path of the reason, the world is watching us, while we are agitated in confusion... and it is not very positive for the image of our country.