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Port-au-Prince, 28 March 2003
You are happy to welcome me and I am happy to see you. That's why,together
with the Prime Minister and the Government, I give you all a patriotic embrace
on the eve of the anniversary of our Constitution, March 29th.
I am very happy to come and visit you here together with the Secretary of State, Mr. Dubreuil, and the new Director General of the National Police, Mr. Jean-Claude Jean-Baptiste, and all the new members of the higher command.
We are also happy that many departmental directors are with us. Authorities are present under the light of the highest authority which is our Constitution, the Constitution of Haiti. Tomorrow, the entire country will have the occasion to think about the Constitution. While I was thinking about the Constitution myself, I thought why not make a surprise visit here. There are many reasons to do so. Like Commandant Bleck just said, my visit is also to encourage the policemen, especially given the recent events. Some of you have gone away. This is a patriotic serum so you can continue to be as one, continue to protect and serve. I also came here because, for a long time, this place meant death. And since democracy has been arrived, together with the Police, it represents life. When this place was Research Criminal, when it was filled with torturers who were killing people during the years of dictatorship and army rule in Haiti, it represented death.
Thanks to the 1987 Constitution which brought life and the creation of the police force, today we are in a place that means life and not death. I am proud of that because it is our responsibility to protect life, to guarantee life for everyone without distinction.
I am reminded of a crime that was perpetrated here, when they killed Eddy Volel's brother, Yves Volel. We cannot forget that crime because the army of Haiti, which was supposed to protect life, brought death instead. Yves is dead and the guilty parties haven't been arrested yet but fortunately, policemen are here to give life, to protect life.
I congratulate all policemen who are doing their job as required by the Constitution. I encourage all policemen across the country who don't always have all the means they need to accomplish a lot of work but who find great patriotic energy to protect life.
Congratulations to all of you, policemen, policewomen who accomplish the work the Constitution asks for, to protect and to serve.
When CIMO does restore order, some people will for sure be worried while others will be happy. Usually, people who don't like things to be in order will be worried. Zenglendos will certainly be worried.
Criminals will also be worried. Whether they are zenglendos or criminals, they bring death, they bring disorder. And CIMO is there to maintain order, to protect life. It makes people happy when they see CIMO reinstating order where disorder prevails. CIMO and the police force have the same responsibility: to protect and to serve.
Allow me to remind the entire nation about what the Constitution is about and why there is a Constitution. Then I will remind the police institution about its responsibilities.
The first page of the Constitution explains why we have the 1987 Constitution, and I read:
"The Haitian people proclaim this Constitution to guarantee its inalienable and undeniable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness."
Further down, it is stated:
"The Haitian people proclaim this Constitution to implement democracy, which entails ideological pluralism and political alternation, and to affirm the inalienable rights of the Haitian people.
To strengthen national unity through eradicating discrimination between urban and rural populations.
To ensure the separation and harmonious distribution of state powers in the interest of national and fundamental priorities."
It is our very responsibility, as a people, to let us be guided by the Constitution, in order to build a state of law, and to promote harmony between all and everyone.
About the police force, Article 269.1 provides that it is established for the purpose of guaranteeing public order and the protection of human life and property rights of all citizens.
Further down, Article 273 reminds all policemen and policewomen that the police duty, as an auxiliary to justice, is to look for violations of the law, misdemeanors and crimes, so as to find and arrest their authors.
All the accomplices in the murder of Yves Volel haven't been arrested yet. We hope that work will continue to be done in order to find all people who commit crimes, thanks to the police and justice auxiliaries.
We are happy to see that a good step was made with the ordinance issued regarding the assassination of Jean Dominique and Jean-Claude Louissaint. For some people it is a good step forward, for others, it is a weak ordinance. Even though I think it has some weaknesses, I believe there are now more possibilities to continue a good investigation. I seize the opportunity to encourage the victims' families, like Mrs. Michelle Montas, who are thinking of appealing. And with regard to all other victims, the State, in full respect of judicial power, the Parliament, and in particular the Head of State, will continue to fulfill their duty in accompanying those who want to go ahead and appeal because they find that the ordinance is too weak. It is your right to do so and there must be security for all the victims who continue to look for justice according to the law. Your suffering is my suffering and when there is justice, our suffering is less.
Parents of policemen who were killed, you must believe that the guilty parties will be arrested before long. Your suffering is my suffering and it is the Executive's suffering too. On the eve of the commemoration of the 1987 Constitution, it is our obligation to work closely together in order to advance towards justice, to encourage all those who are brave people,who respect the law and who enforce the law.
Of course, while we accomplish that work, no pressure must be put on the judicial authorities. And I want to take this opportunity to encourage and congratulate all citizens who know their duty and don't put pressure on the judicial authorities.
Whether it is people working for the State, people in the minority private sector or the majority private sector, people in the minority or majority civil society, Haitians living in the city or in the countryside, nobody has the right to put any pressure on any judge or any magistrate, who to give justice, with his spirit and conscience will permit the law to guide him to perform his work.
At the same time, there are many commissions we put together with the OAS to permit the professionalization of the Police, which is an auxiliary to justice, so it can go faster. I ask all policemen to work together with these commissions in order to professionalize the entire police force.
Today, I am very happy to congratulate this police force that does extraordinary work with so little means.
We just celebrated Carnival for three days. Almost 3 million people were dancing in the streets and not one person was killed. That proves that when the police and the people work together, we can work wonders, because we are a great people. The carnival is one of those wonders. In that same state of mind, I ask the population to give the police all the information it needs to make their work easier in looking for criminals, for zenglendos. All good information can help the police.
Also, when there is a smear campaign going on because some people don't want the institutions to continue to do good work, you must not let it get to your head.
A new director was just named at the head of the Police and although many people are happy, some people have already started to set up false files in order to make allegations. Before I invited Mr. Jean-Claude Jean-Baptiste to come to work in the presidency, and then he became a member of my private cabinet, I had asked the advice of one of the most serious persons in the country, Father Franklin Armand. He is the founder of the community of the Sisters and Brothers of the Incarnation who are working in Hinche.
I am happy that a serious person such as Brother Armand had a serious person like him close to him and that he gave me good advice. He didn't advise me to put Jean-Claude Jean-Baptiste as the head of the police, but I am happy that he recommended a serious person while I was looking for someone serious to help us continue the good work.
When there is misinformation, false dossiers, we need to keep our heads clear, calm to look for the right information to continue to do good work.
There will be elections soon. The Constitution requires that elections be held in order to strengthen democratic institutions. That means that we will need the police to help with the work being done here. My presence here is also part of the vision that will lead us to elections. People who are in prison should not be there 49 hours before they see a judge. So, while judicial authorities respect what the law requires, 48 hours, police authorities hope that when they arrest somebody, there won't be too much time before that person can see a judge. But at the same time, while the police take risks in arresting criminals, there must be no corruption that can free those criminals and put the police at even more risk.
When everyone takes their responsibilities in respecting the Constitution, in respecting the law, the right conditions will be there to organize good elections that must be free, honest and democratic.
In this sense, there is effectively a force that can is bothering us along the way. It is the force of drugs. People who make dirty money with drugs can turn into a mafia to keep the police from doing good work. Let's continue to work as one, under the light of the Constitution, to fight drug trafficking, because elections, democracy, security, peace, don't go together with bad things. We will do what is good.
In order to have elections, we must continue to work to respect what Article 28 of the Constitution stipulates.
In this regard, Article 28 of the Constitution says that all Haitians have the right to freely express their opinions on any matter they choose.
Article 28.1 provides that journalists may conduct their work freely within the frame of the law.
I ask the police to continue to respect these articles while they accompany the press, the journalists. I encourage the journalists to keep telling the truth so that their work gets better every day.
That's the respect we need, respect of everyone's rights, respect for journalists, respect for all organizations that have the right to speak up without telling lies, respect for everyone, every organization to speak up without fear.
I will remind you what Article 31 of our Constitution is about.
Indeed, I read for you Article 31 of the Constitution:
"Freedom to associate and congregate without weapons, for political, economic, social and cultural purposes or for every other peaceful ends, is guaranteed." (Article 31.1).
Political parties and groups participate and express themselves through the vote. They may form and conduct their activities freely. They must respect the principles of national sovereignty and democracy (article 31.2). The holding of meetings in public areas has to be communicated beforehand to police authorities.
Many times it is difficult for the police to do their work well when organizations have activities without advising the police first. According to the Constitution, the police must be advised first.
After advising the police, the Constitution asks that you do all you can do to help, like I just said. If the police know where the demonstration will start, which path it will follow and where it will end, then its work is much easier, the demonstration can be peaceful and the police can give more security.
Two groups cannot demonstrate at the same time, at the same place. That could create chaos. It is the police's obligation to avoid such chaos. That's why I encourage all groups, all associations to continue enjoying your right to demonstrate peacefully whenever you want, but always in accordance to the law. Let the police know which road you will take. And the police will respect your rights while you respect the police's rights so that together we can create better conditions in a nicer climate in order to organize good elections that will be free, honest and democratic. As you can see, everything the Constitution requires of us becomes a light for us.
When that becomes a light to guide us, then policemen will feel proud because they will feel that they are part of a corps that understands them, part of a society that understands them. And the society will also be proud because it will see and feel that there is a corps (the police corps) that is there to protect and to serve the people. If you look closely, you will see that with the exception of the Director General of the Police who is bald and has a white beard (which means that he is a bit older. I didn't say much older, but a little bit older), all other leaders are young. They are the future. The future is yours, young people. So it is in our interest to encourage everyone in the country to work together with the police to prepare the path that will lead us to elections, which must take place in 2003.
Tomorrow, as we think about the Constitution, remember that it is a light that must guide us on the path towards the elections that must be organized in 2003. And remember Toussaint Louverture, whom we will honor this coming April 7th, because he is the first person to set in place the 1801 Constitution. And so, in the name of Toussaint Louverture, thinking about him, the 1987 Constitution asks us to make all the efforts, all the sacrifices possible as brothers and sisters, in order to go through this moment that will lead us to elections. The Constitution already states the rules of the game for all political parties. Whether it is Fanmi Lavalas, or political parties in the Opposition, we are all brothers and we have the obligation to try to get closer to each other so that we can prepare elections together.
The Constitution will also be a light to guide people who are not members of a political party in giving their contribution. On the eve of the anniversary of our Constitution, once again I ask the entire nation to be as one, to strengthen our institutions, to encourage the young people who are in the police and those who are not, to give them good examples of civilized people. Then, if a Haitian is discouraged, he or she will find thousands of Haitians to encourage him or her. If a Haitian loses hope, he or she will find thousands of Haitians to give him or her hope. Because of the embargo that makes life so much more expensive, because of the embargo that makes people spend twice as much money to feed their children or to buy medication, to pay the rent or to send their children to school, our responsibility to be united and to follow what the Constitution asks in order to have good elections and to move faster on the path of development,is twice as important. The embargo must end in order for the cost of living to go down. Elections must be organized and well organized in order for all democratic institutions to get the results of those elections. That's what the Constitution asks.
I will end with the reading in Creole of what I already read in French, the declaration on the first page of the Constitution. Since I am in CIMO, I will ask CIMO to continue to show how you can put order while I will continue to embrace you patriotically and congratulate you for the great work you will continue to accomplish further ahead. As for all other specialized units, all policemen, from the first agent to the Director General, the country is counting on you. The nation needs you, foreign observers are watching you. So, on the eve of the anniversary of our Constitution, we renew our patriotic will to follow what the Constitution asks us to do. I am counting on you. I know you can do it. You have kept the country on track through all the difficulties that could of set it off track, such as poverty, hunger (planned poverty, planned hunger), and throughout the embargo. That means you have worked miracles and you can work more miracles still. When someone is discouraged, he or she must look at what has been done in the country in the last two years that kept the country from exploding despite all the blows it took. All of you young people, the police, and all citizens, you can work miracles.
Once more, on the eve of celebrating the birth of our Constitution, I am full of joy to be in your company, I am proud to be a Haitian, for we have demonstrated in the last two years how we can perform miracles through patriotism and using our human resources. May the nation keep in mind these forces that guide us.
Let the whole nation reach for the source of these resources: cultural resources, patriotic resources, human resources, constitutional resources, to continue orientating our future as a people, as a free people who will never kneel down, a free people who will always stand up for the respect of fundamental rights, the protection of human dignity, the improvement every day of democratic institutions, getting better and better. And what makes our greatness as a people, certainly our Constitution can nourish.
Before I am finished here, let's hear the declaration we find on the first page of the Constitution. The text is in French and it is in Creole. I will give you copies of it since it is our wish in the State, and especially in the police, that this Constitution become a light to guide you. In the place we are at today, there used to be death, corpses, torture when it was ruled by the army of Haiti. Since the Police arrived here, protection must continue to be given, life must continue to be protected, the Constitution must continue to guide us.
Never to deadly weapons, for we oppose war, and we are for peace. We oppose deadly arms, we are for constitutional arms that guarantee peace. As such, at the national as well as at the international level, we are citizens of Haiti and citizens of the world, we are guided by a spirit of peace. We will not embrace war. We are for peace, we are against the war.
May our reading of this Constitution strengthen our collective faith as a peaceful people, victim of repressive structures, of so many cynical plots, but ever proud of joining hands to keep on rebuilding today's Haiti for the Haiti of tomorrow, our cherished Haiti.
The first declaration you can read in the text I will distribute stipulates that:
"The Haitian people declares that it agrees with this Constitution.
First, the right
for all Haitians to live,
Second, the right for all Haitians to live free,
Third, the right for all Haitians to live comfortably."
So, the right for us to live, the right for us to live free, the right for us to live comfortably!
The second declaration states that this Constitution is there so that Haiti can own itself, so that it can own its wealth in order for all Haitians to be equal and for all Haitians to find justice.
This same declaration continues and states that the constitution is there so that Haiti can stand up straight! So that it can stand up strong among all other nations!
This declaration also stipulates that the Constitution is there so that democracy can grow strong roots in the country,
And finally it says that the Constitution is there so that there are principles in Haiti in order to respect everyone's rights. The right to live free, the right to live comfortably! Since we all want to live comfortably, I tell all of you to take the occasion of the anniversary of our Constitution, on March 29th, to be good to each other so that we can live comfortably.
Long live the
Constitution of the Haitian Republic!
Long live the Haitian people!
Long live the Haitian National Police!
Long live our cherished Haiti!
Thank you.
©2003 Copyright Embassy of the Republic of Haiti
