Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 20 april 2017
Haiti aims to revive military as end of UN mission looms Haiti to rebuild

DAVID McFADDEN level excites some and un- tortured while locked up ister Herve Denis, adding palace smashed in
Associated Press nerves others. for 17 months for speaking that the government is 2010 earthquake
GRESSIER, Haiti (AP) — “We’re proud Haitians and out against human rights “very concerned” about
Their heads held high and we want to make the na- abuses under Jean-Claude a possible security vacuum DAVID McFADDEN
chests puffed out, a group tion stronger,” said Lt. Ted “Baby Doc” Duvalier’s gov- after U.N. troops depart. Associated Press
Attitudes about a possible PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)
military revival are as com- — A new National Palace
plicated as the history of will be built over the next
Haiti, which only saw its first several years to resemble
freely elected leader with the iconic 90-year-old
Jean-Bertrand Aristide in structure smashed during
1990, and he was ousted Haiti’s cataclysmic 2010
by a military coup just eight earthquake, authorities an-
months later. nounced Wednesday.
For much of Haiti’s histo- President Jovenel Moise,
ry, the army was used to who took office in Febru-
crack down on political dis- ary, launched a palace
sent for a parade of dicta- reconstruction commis-
tors or destabilize govern- sion that includes Haitian
ments. When U.S. Marines architects and historians.
occupied Haiti from 1915 He pledged that the Par-
to 1934, they abolished liament and the Palace of
the existing military and Justice will also be rebuilt
created a national guard, during his five-year admin-
which eventually became istration.
the budget-draining Forces “The new National Palace
Armees d’Haiti. will make the connection
During the 29-year family between the history, the
In this April 11, 2017 photo, Lt. B. Jean Judney, a member of Haiti’s new national military force dynasty founded by Fran- culture and the future of
points directions to his soldiers during training at a former U.N. base in Gressier, Haiti. While Haiti cois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, the Haitian nation,” Moise
is a long way off from having a real military, efforts to build up a defense force at whatever level the army was largely shunt- said at the site of the for-
excites some and unnerves others. ed aside in favor of the Ton- mer structure, where pea-
(AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)
ton Macoutes, the regime’s cocks wander the grounds
dreaded private militia. But and officials conduct day-
of nearly 100 Haitian men Tesnor Wolsby, a base ernment. when his son, Jean-Claude, to-day operations in pre-
in camouflage fatigues do commander in the brigade Haitian leaders insist that a was ousted and fled to fabricated buildings.
jumping jacks or march that has received months functioning defense force France in 1986, a repres- The planned presiden-
around an abandoned of military training in Ecua- is urgently needed follow- sive army high command tial residence and offices
U.N. compound on a re- dor but has only intermit- ing a phased drawdown of of Duvalier appointees re- would be at least the fifth
cent morning. But after a tent duties fixing irrigation all the remaining 2,370 U.N. mained largely intact. Af- National Palace at the
few drills, they seek shelter ditches or roads back in military peacekeepers. The ter Aristide was ousted in a Port-au-Prince site. One
from the blazing sun in the Haiti for salaries starting at U.N. Security Council last 1991 military coup, soldiers palace was destroyed in
absence of anything else $318 a month. week authorized an Oct. and paramilitary forces 1869 when rebels ignited
to do. While it’s easy to find citi- 15 wrap-up of a 13-year killed some 4,000 people munitions. Another was
As U.N. military peace- zens who strongly support stabilization mission here, over the next three years. leveled by a bomb blast
keepers prepare for a full reconstituting a Haitian leaving behind a smaller Haiti’s current leaders are in 1912. The most recent
exit from this Caribbean army, particularly jobless peacekeeping operation pitching new kinds of mili- presidential residence was
nation, this small engineer- young people, the idea for an initial period of six tary duties: defending de- designed by Haitian archi-
ing corps is the first wave alarms those who vividly months comprising 1,275 mocracy, providing im- tect Georges Baussan but
of Haiti’s efforts to try and remember times darkened police who will continue mediate assistance after finished in 1920 by U.S. na-
revive a military force some by military coups and op- training Haitian law enforc- natural disasters, and fight- val engineers during a 19-
22 years after a national pression. ers. ing smuggling of drugs and year U.S. military occupa-
army was disbanded. While “It’s not a good idea, that’s “We want a new armed other contraband. tion of Haiti. The enormous
Haiti is a long way off from for sure,” said Bobby Duval, force, an armed force Reviving a national army complex with three domes
having a real military, these a former soccer star who oriented toward devel- has been a goal of the Tet and pillars was larger than
initial efforts to build up a was arrested by the army opment. This is what we Kale party since it gained the White House.
defense force at whatever in 1976 and starved and need,” said Defense Min- power in 2011. q Following the magnitude
7.0 earthquake in 2010, it
Son of world’s oldest woman dies at 97 in Jamaica became a twin symbol of
the devastation and of the
shattered government’s
KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) said Elaine McGrowder, was born and raised there search Group, a network of dysfunction. The caved-in
— The son of a woman one of two family caretak- but spent much of his life in volunteer researchers into structure was one of thou-
believed to be the oldest ers who were at the home Britain, the caretaker said in the world’s oldest people. sands of buildings toppled
person in the world died at the time. a phone interview with The Guinness World Records, or badly damaged in the
at their home Wednesday “He had been unwell for Associated Press. considered to be the of- capital and surrounding
in Jamaica at the ripe old some time but we didn’t “He was a beautiful man ficial arbiter of the old- areas. The severely dam-
age of 97. expect him to go like this,” — very, very special,” she est person, said it was still aged palace overlooking
Harold Fairweather, who McGrowder said. said. researching a number of Champ de Mars square
had recently been ill but Fairweather lived with his Brown is considered to be candidates for the new was demolished in 2012 by
had seemed to recover, 117-year-old mother, Violet the oldest person in the world’s oldest person title the J/P Haitian Relief Orga-
awoke saying he felt dizzy Brown, in the rural north- world with credible birth following the death Satur- nization, a nonprofit group
and then deteriorated over western Jamaican com- documentation, accord- day of 117-year-old Emma started by Hollywood actor
the course of the morning, munity of Duanvale. He ing to the Gerontology Re- Morano of Italy. q Sean Penn.q