The Congressional Black Caucus, which helped Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide weather previous political crises, is now divided about his leadership.
BY JACQUELINE CHARLES
In a severe blow to his prospects of remaining in office, Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appears to have lost the backing of the Congressional Black Caucus that helped him weather previous political crises.
The Haitian president, who has lost half of his country to rebels in recent weeks, now faces a group of black U.S. lawmakers divided about his leadership. Several Black Caucus members were hoping to meet with the embattled president in Port-au-Prince today.
''Some members are 110 percent supportive of President Aristide and for some there is a major question mark on whether he will be able to lead from this point on to promote democracy in Haiti,'' said Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Miami, whose congressional district represents the largest voting bloc of Haitian Americans in the country.
The caucus, one of the most influential black political groups in the country, has issued several press releases in the past three weeks chastising the Bush administration for not doing enough to end the latest revolt in Haiti.
NO DEFENSE
But significantly, none of the releases defended Aristide. In 1994, a united caucus rallied for his return to power after a military coup drove him into exile.
On Wednesday, caucus leaders marched to the White House where they met with President Bush, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell.
They again renewed their call for U.S. military intervention to safeguard democracy in Haiti. Bush, who stated he was against the current violence, declined to make any commitments.
''They are caught between a rock and a hard place,'' said Ronald Walters, a longtime caucus observer who teaches government and politics at the University of Maryland, College Park. ``It's one thing to champion the issue of Haiti when it was clear you had some wind at your back with the White House. It's another thing given the foregone conclusion this administration is on the other side of the table.''
STILL SUPPORTIVE
But there are those within the caucus who have made no apologies for Aristide. Led by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Aristide supporters include fellow California Democrat Barbara Lee and Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan.
Waters is the most vocal and hard-line of the three, flying to Haiti just last weekend to lend her support to Aristide during a violent rebellion that seized Haiti's second largest city just hours after her arrival. She is also the only caucus member who attended Haiti's official Jan. 1 bicentennial celebrations.
''Aristide has done a remarkable job given what he's had to work with,'' Waters said. ``I don't split hairs. I don't try to say I support democracy in Haiti but I don't support [Aristide]. He is the democratically elected president.''
But even with Waters' strong support, some observers say feelings about Aristide among caucus members have been soured by disappointment in his ability to govern.
''There is certainly more skepticism and disillusion than ever in that group,'' said James Morrell, an advisor to Aristide while he was in exile and now head of a Washington, D.C. policy group, Haiti Democracy Project.