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From: People For Peace

BY CHRISPHIN ONYANGO
TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
NAIROBI-KENYA

This peace is for the purpose of clarity for those who do not know that man by nature is a political being with a political responsibility to execute in the society. Although clergymen are part of this responsibility, some of our clerics have made serious mistakes in the political order by becoming partisans, especially here in Kenya.

[image] Aman of the people and loved by many in his home country, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was first elected president of Haiti by a large margin in 1990. He was removed from power in a military takeover in 1991, he lived abroad until 1994- then a U.S. military occupation of Haiti restored him to power. In 1995 his hand-picked successor was elected president. In 2000 Aristide won his second term/ File

Aristotelian dictum that man is a political animal means that man is naturally inclined to lead a political life and to participate in the life of the political community. In the same manner, clerics have a serious duty of taking part in the organization and life of political society.

In other words, clerics should be conscious of their responsibility in the political field, because politics is the arena where important decisions about the organization of community life which have repercussions on the life of individuals and peoples are taken.

In fact, the religious commitment of the clergy constitutes the very foundation of his participation in political activity. The price paid by the wise for not participating in politics is to be riled by the unwise.

Plato, an ancient philosopher who said that the society should be ruled by the “Philosopher Kings” was himself wise. In other words the society needs wise leaders who can make rational decisions for the good of the society.

If by politics is meant concern and work for the common good of the community to which one belongs then participation in political life is a serious duty not only for the clergy but for every individual.

He or she is obliged to participate in political life by the universal precept of love of one’s neighbor. This concern of political activity, as it is presented here, indicates the general attitude that all Christian (both clergy and laity) must cultivate towards politics. Thus, it will never be justifiable for a cleric or a laity to disregard or neglect his civic duty of voting during elections.

He must contribute, by voting, towards electing the candidate(s) most likely to ensure the common good, because this is his way of contributing to the creation of a legitimate and democratic regime that can promote the common good.

Therefore, participation in the life a country is not only a right, it is also a duty that each one should be proud to assume and exercise responsibly. In this broad sense, politics is of interest to the Church and hence to her pastors who are suppose to be ministers of unity. It is a way of paying worship to God by consecrating the world itself to God. So the church should help to foster the values that should inspire politics.

Here is an example of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a former Catholic priest who decided to quit priesthood to be the president of Haiti to implement major reforms. These included greatly increasing access to health care and education for the general population; increasing adult literacy and protections for those accused of crimes.

Other reforms included improvement of training for judges, prohibiting human trafficking, disbanding the Haitian military (which primarily had been used against the Haitian people), establishing improved human rights and political freedom; doubling the minimum wage, instituting land reform and assistance to small farmers.

Providing boat construction training to fishermen, establishing a food distribution network to provide low cost food to the poor at below market prices, building low-cost housing, and attempting to reduce the level of government corruption.

Under his reign before he was ousted by the US government in 2004, Aristide had built 195 new primary schools and 104 secondary schools. Prior to Aristide’s election in 1990, there were just 34 secondary schools nationwide.

He managed to provide thousands of scholarships so that children could afford to attend church/private schools. Between 2001 and 2004, the percentage of children enrolled in primary school education rose to 72 percent, and an estimated 300,000 adults took part in his Lavalas party sponsored adult literacy campaigns. This helped the adult literacy rate rose from 35 to 55 percent.

Prior to the election of Aristide, health care services had been primarily concentrated in the capital of Port-au-Prince. The Aristide government renovated and built new health care clinics, hospitals and dispensaries throughout the country, spending more on health care than any previous government.

Even though President Barack Obama on March 17, 2011 asked South African President Jacob Zuma to delay Aristide’s departure to prevent him from returning to Haiti before a presidential run-off election scheduled for the following week, when he arrived at Port-au-Prince airport he was greeted by thousands of supporters.

US had barred Aristide’s party from participating in the elections for fear that his return could be “destabilizing”. He was ousted because US is the one to determine who the president, especially in developing worlds becomes. They determine because those presidents must rule according to American ideology.

Aristide became the first politician who served as Haiti’s first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Fr Aristide was born from a poor family and watched very keenly how his government oppressed and exploited the citizens through massive corruption. His father died when he was only three months old

Even after Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies, he became a focal point for the pro-democracy movement first under Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier and then under the military transition regime which followed.

He won the Haitian general election, 1990-1991 with 67 percent of the vote and was briefly President of Haiti until September 1991 military coup. Aristide was then President again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004 after the coup collapsed.

Chrisphin Onyango writes on social and political issues

People for Peace in Africa (PPA)
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