The Bureau de Suivi de l’Accord du 30 août 2021 (BSA), in a letter signed by Magali Comeau Denis, Jacques Ted St Dic, and Ernst Mathurin, has articulated its reasons for declining the Prime Minister’s invitation to a meeting scheduled for November 23. This refusal occurs against a backdrop of severe criticism regarding the functioning of the Haitian executive and the current management of the national crisis.
A Betrayal of the Founding Principles
The BSA emphasizes that the Montana Accord, signed in August 2021, along with its extension, the Accord of April 3, 2024, were intended to provide a Haitian solution to the cyclical and structural crisis threatening the country. However, the BSA accuses the members of the Conseil Présidentiel Transitoire (CPT) of betraying both the spirit and the letter of this agreement, asserting that they have “accelerated the deterioration of the living conditions of the Haitian population” by deviating from fundamental reforms and engaging in questionable political and financial practices. “The failure to publish in the Journal Officiel and to respect the terms of the Agreement constitutes a coup d’état against the interests of the Nation,” stresses the BSA.
The Bureau also criticizes the executive for its opaque and illegitimate management, which is characterized by internal conflicts and a blatant disregard for the suffering of the population. It denounces the exclusive reliance on foreign solutions for the security crisis, rather than mobilizing the national capacities outlined in the Agreement. “They have ceded their regal responsibility to defend and protect Haiti to hypothetical foreign initiatives,” states the communiqué.
Refusal of Pointless Meetings
In this context, the BSA believes that there is no time to waste on unproductive meetings that can only serve to reinforce the destructive order that must be changed. Furthermore, the BSA argues that there is no merit in engaging with a government that is both illegitimate and complicit in the current issues. It calls for the construction of a genuine alternative with the collective forces of the country, while preserving the fundamental principles of the April 3 Agreement.
The communiqué harshly criticizes the members of the CPT for their inability to address the challenges of the transition, their involvement in corrupt practices, and their opaque management of public funds. “They have immersed themselves in the mire of corruption by appropriating state funds intended for the intelligence services, which are vital for combating rampant insecurity,” accuses the BSA.
The BSA also condemns the exclusive use of international security solutions, contrary to the provisions of the April 3 Agreement. “By implementing their own political project, the members of the CPT have chosen to deny the national capacity to resolve security problems,” emphasizes the BSA press release, which considers that reliance on foreign initiatives constitutes an abdication of national sovereignty. “They have ceded, outright and totally, their regal responsibility to defend and protect Haiti to hypothetical foreign initiatives,” the letter adds.
The BSA concludes by reaffirming its commitment to the ideals of social justice, the fight against corruption, and the rehabilitation of Haitian institutions, while condemning the “successive coups de force” that have undermined the transition.
For the “Bureau de Suivi”, the time has come to rebuild hope and propose a credible alternative to save the nation. This communiqué reveals a profound rift between the signatories of the Montana Accord and the Haitian executive, highlighting the complex challenges facing the country in its pursuit of stability and effective governance.
