Haiti’s president urged to shorten his mandate

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI :

THE CENTRE for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH), has urged Haitian president, Jovenel Moise to limit his time in office to February 7 next year.

CARDH made the recommendation in its report on the state of human rights in Haiti for 2019.

The report stated that in considering the global context, it has found that there is “disinterestedness in human rights, consolidation of corruption,the weakening of institutions, crime through the use of armed groups as well as the inadequacy of public institutions.”

According to CARDH, the “few actions” taken by public authorities, proved to be “insufficient and unconvincing due to obstacles arising from the nature of the instructions or the President’s desire to vassalize them.”

The human rights body suggested that there is need for a political agreement “given the aggravation and the complexity of the situation…. consequently CARDH recommends that the President limits his mandate to February 7, 2020 , after serious negotiations from the top level.”

The CARDH report said that, as outlined in the Marriott Accord agreement, the government should among other things, adopt measures to complete inclusive, transparent and participatory general elections; adopt a budget for the year 2019-2020, based on an austerity policy and an efficiency approach and strengthen and harmonise, with a view to efficiency, the relationships between the institutions for fighting corruption.

Moise, who has withstood calls for his resignation throughout the year, in his recent Christmas message promised to work harder to improve the lives of Haitians in the New Year.

The president has been under pressure from opposition political parties that have accused him of corruption and have been staging violent street protests in a bid to force him out of power.

Moise has denied any wrongdoing and has instead called on the opposition to be part of the efforts to establish a government of national unity.