Dèyè Mon is going to help you keep up with what’s going on in Haiti from the viewpoint of a Professor at the Universite Quisqeya in Turgeau.
I recently returned to Port-au-Prince from the Miami area. While in Miami I attended the Art event in Little Haiti where Edouard Carrie has an interesting display featuring the life of a Cuban artist/ revolutionary who was executed in Cuba. The display features a group of artists who have decided to duplicate the work of this Cuban artist. In my next post I will give you more details — I also had the opportunity to attend Papa Loko’ s party in the District. Papa is well known artist born in Haiti who has been a figure in the art scene in Miami, while also making a name for himself in L.A. and other places. At the party I met the esteemed Haitian writer Edwidge Danticat and some of her family. Ran into her again at the tribute for Manno Charlemagne, the Haitian singer who wrote some of the most revolutionary songs in Haitian music history. Manno was a rebel who fought and wrote music to expose the inequality in Haitian society. I was somewhat disappointed with the tribute in Little Haiti because it did not have the sense of rejection and biting rebellion that was a feature of Manno Charlemagne’s music. It was more of a well groomed affair that had nothing to do with the life of a man who denounced oppression and slavery in Haiti.
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Interesting week in Haiti. First it has been rainy and cool. The president gave his address in Gonaives with the usual promises of development and better times ahead. From our viewpoint here things look sad and better times seem a remote possibility. The health care system has never been worse. The Main hospital is still not completed seven years after the earthquake of January 2010, and if you are ill better get on a plane to Cuba of the USA. If you cannot afford to do that roll the dice and hope for the best. The Embassy of the USA has issued a warning to its employees with travel restrictions and curfew because of the crime wave that has affected the country lately. The murder of the catholic priest Simonley has increased the fear. There is also a report that Elza Baussan, a well known business woman was attacked in the street. The situation is worrisome with the police being inefficient as usual. The funeral for the priest was interesting since a group of protesters decided to accuse the Haitian Cardinal Chibly Langlois of complicity in the murder of the priest. The church High instances were shocked and expressed their concerns but the situation calls for a reflection on the role of the church.
Once again Donald Trump has ignited a bush fire with his remark that Haitian immigrants are bringing AIDS to the USA. This man has no idea of what he is saying. The racist attitude along with the bullying is obvious and Haitian-Americans should not stand by and take this insult. What happened to the spirit of 1990 when Haitians took the Brooklyn Bridge on foot and invaded lower Manhattan keeping it hostage until Mayor David Dinkins asked them to please go home because he would speak against this injustice. We have to wonder about the muted reaction in the Haitian community and the lack of protest.
No gas in Haitian gas stations. Of course you can buy some in the black market next to the station at 100 to 200 gourdes above the price.
Dèyè Mon 