Port-au-Prince, Avril 2008
http://www.minustah.org/slides/080408/index.html
http://www.minustah.org/video/spots/spot_violence.html
http://www.minustah.org/slides/110408_2/index.html
http://www.minustah.org/slides/100408/index.html
Monday, April 14, 2008
Haiti Again
As if kidnapping, poverty, insecurity, and other problems were not enough. I am pretty sure that I am not the only Haitian living outside of Haiti who has that feeling. Nothing is more painful, embarrassing, humiliating than navigating on the internet and seeing Haiti in the HEADLINES; and of course for horrible news again. For us who live abroad, we usually start emailing fellow compatriots or calling them about what is happening back home. Haiti is in the news again.
Many blame the media for always displaying the most horrible aspects of Haiti. Honestly, it is hard to blame members of the non Haitian press. They have to find something to publish. That is the profession. They must find stories. Don't we people crave for some crazy stories? We are not always aware of that, but it is true for most of us. I am not happy about the way Haiti is being portrayed in the Media. That is for sure, but we have to admit that we give those guys the opportunity to put all of us to shame. As it is said in Haitian Creole, "Se tòti ki montre kote pou tet li koupe" (we show them where to hurt us).
It is true that "chen grangou pa jwe" (hungry dogs do not play) and "sak vid pa kanpe" (empty sack can't stand). It is true there is no political, social and economic stability in Haiti. It is normal for Haitians to be unhappy about suffering and high costs of primary necessities. However, why should there be riots, violence, and destruction? Those people who were on the street last week have some real concerns. Their basic needs, are not met. I would not be happy either if I were unable to pay for my "good old rice". At the same time, some Haitians need to know when they are being manipulated. It is time for them to understand that their voices can be heard as a result of peaceful protests.
I don’t even know how to qualify the actions of these individuals who have lost their mind and started smashing windows, throwing rocks at the NATIONAL PALACE. It is clear someone is behind all that. Those who are instigating the violence must be brought to justice. There are many of my fellow Haitians who still need to know they need to respect private and public properties. Unfortunately, there are those who are no longer in the position they used to be a few years ago. They manipulate the least advantaged class of the society to harm the country in ways they (the least educated) are not even aware of.
It is about time to start educating this group of Haitians. They are hurting the image of the country and its citizens with their actions. What is wrong with peaceful protests? Martin Luther King Jr. has set the peacefull example and it worked. If peaceful protests can give good results in other countries, why not in Haiti?
People are blaming the government and MINUSTAH for their misery. Why? Even senators, don't even realize the problems of the country can not fall or should not have fallen on the shoulder of a governmental team that had found the country in deep &*$%#. They took advantage of those past two weeks' events to oust the prime minister. Isn't it clear that such action happen for political reason. They failed to do it on previous occasion, now it is done. I am and independent observer and thinker when it comes to Haitian politics. However, it is time to stop the demagogy in Haiti. What these so called lawmakers did this past saturday, is a reason they need to be taught some political lessons: THINK ABOUT THE COUNTRY FIRST, NOT YOUR POLITICAL PARTY. I am not defending former Mr. Alexis and his government. However, just when you think the country was about to move ahead. We are about to start over. As long as each governmental team only spend a couple months in power, the result is simple: the country is moving backward.
As for the presence of MINUSTAH, I don’t get it; people think they are in Haiti to fix the country. What’s up with that? They were supposed to be there to help the country in different areas. They are not housekeepers. One can argue about the effectiveness of their role. But things could be worse without them. Whenever, we start being able to handle our own problems and issues they will be out. Wait a minute, maybe that will never happen. We have just proved it again. We have opened our doors to foreign military presence because our own action.
The last events clearly show that Haiti is far from getting out of that nightmare.
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