ARTICLE - MARTELLY - READY TO LAUNCH

PRESIDENT MARTELLY READY TO LAUNCH THE NEW NATIONAL FORCE
(Haiti Libre) -

Nothing seems to be able, so far, to delay the project of President Martelly of establishing a new national force in Haiti, declaring that "this body will be a defense force [...] to the question if I am ready to establish this new national force I answer yes"... ensuring that this will be a national defense force which will be called on to intervene in cases of major natural events, to control the borders against illegal trafficking and fight against insecurity", affirming to have the funds necessary for this project...

Sorel Jacinthe, the President of the Lower House, in favor of this project, appears less hurried than the Head of State and advocates having a national dialogue before "... the President may have that will,... I agree, but nevertheless, an institution like the army of Haiti [...] it's not a thing you can say you are going to start with such a day. It is a matter that concerns the entire society. It is the matter of all institutions,... it is the responsibility of all citizens, therefore, it is necessary to have first a debate [...] we want it [the new armed force] I want it,.... because we can not be a nation if we do not have an army. [...] I think that the President spoke of the desire that he has, but I think the issue is much deeper [...] we can have an idea, but it's necessary to afford these ideas..."

For his part, Senator Youri Latortue reiterates the necessity of a well-established legal framework and a document that defines the strategy and the budget of the army. "...in a situation where we are today, it will not be a large army. It will be an army of a small size, from 3,000 to 5,000 men,... an army of defensive style, an integrated army in the population and an army that will take care in peacetime of administrative tasks, development and complementary tasks to the police, if the police has need. I think that all this has to be done step by step, so that we can have a professional army, that everyone will have confidence in, and who will play a complementary role to the police.

The army and the police are not parallel. One protects the borders, the other protects the population within the borders."