Horror In Haiti

In 1999, I left Haiti. Although it has been 16 years, I hold on to the memories for dear life. I lived in a city called Port de Paix, just a few hours away from the capital, which means it was quiet and peaceful; that was just wonderful. This essay will outline the wonderful memories of my childhood in Haiti.

The Republic of Haiti has a unique and vibrant culture. It was once hailed as the "Pearl of the Antilles" for being the wealthiest colony in the world. This small Latin American island tells a story of slaves enduring resistance to the some of the most dominant forces abroad. In 1804, Haiti became the first free black republic and the second post-colonial country in the Americas. However, the days of being the wealthiest colony have since passed. Haiti is now considered to be the most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. The proud history of this country is overshadowed by alarming rates of poverty, violence, and inequality. This island nation’s government has been plagued with numerous military staged coups and misfortunes. I

I argue that while the author does well to argue his thesis in a logical sequence, in the narrative the author fails to include a direct Haitian perspective, which is integral to the readers’ understanding of life in port au prince as they lost far more in the catastrophe. Furthermore he fails in his attempt to provide a solution that is economically suitable and thus dismissed short-term models that could benefit the population. Finally blinded by journalistic ambitions I believe that his excessive coverage of his breakthrough story on the cholera out break overshadows the earthquake story, as it becomes the main focus toward the end.

From the start life has always been a battlefield for me and my family. In Haiti my father had studied to become an engineer despite his poor upbringing and my mother had worked multiple jobs to help support the family. Life in Haiti had already been tough but after a coup d’état and an election there was finally hope that Haitians would have to live under a repressive government no longer. The new government created hope which was then solidified when Duvalier announced his candidacy, by this time he was already a well-known physician that took part in many public health campaigns. My father remembers when Duvalier was elected, with promises of rebuilding a broken country and the happiness that followed, but this did not last. Shortly after

On January twelfth 2010, a deadly earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 hit the coast of Port au prince, Haiti for 35 seconds, killing around 200,000 and leaving approximately to 1.5 million of the population homeless including kids who became orphans and vice versa in a matter of less than a minute. Before the earthquake, the way of life was not as bad as portrayed back at home, most of the news broadcasted in the mainstream media were exaggerated news, negative light and unfair tales to make Haiti look inferior.

What does the average American really know about the country, Haiti? Is the lifestyle all black magic, spells, and séances? Is this media portrayal of Voodoo the only way of life and what is Voodoo, any way? These questions come to mind when someone wants to know the truth about Haitian culture and life in Haiti. Haitian culture consists of deep rooted religious beliefs, music, and Haitian cuisine.

Misrepresentation plagues this island nation overwhelmed with endless suffering. No one sees the beauty of Haiti through a television screen. All they see is misery – natural disaster, disease and poverty—writ large on the evening news. When most Americans think of Haiti, they see problems and a stressed people. However, there is a resilience and a beauty of spirit to Haitians. Even after years upon years of being dehumanized, my people have never broken. Our culture is constantly belittled, but we smile and gather strength from the sun that shines on our island and we persevere.

Haiti was once the first black independent republic in the world and the richest island in the Caribbean. Today Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest countries in the world. What could have happened to Haiti in almost two hundred years of history? The country experienced repeated civil war and foreign intervention. Haiti is not isolated from the international world. Thus, it was not out of concern for ordinary Haitians that the United States intervened in Haiti. It was out of concern for profit and stability within the United States' own backyard. The purpose of this paper is to show the negative aspect that the United States had played in the government of Haiti.

The French and their slaves populated the island of Haiti during the 18th century. In the late 1700’s, the slaves revolted against the French and began a thirteen-year war for their freedom. This war began the significant problems for Haiti. Today, Haiti suffers from malnutrition, low standards of living, and poor literacy, which Haiti still faces today.

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State. (Dec. 2010). Background note: Haiti. Retrieved from:

To improve after a natural disaster such as an earthquake, recovery takes a lot out of the government, the people, and the allied countries. When an unexpected major earthquake hit Haiti, a country in the Caribbean, in 2010, at least 200,000 to 316,000 deaths occurred. The many deaths, displaced people, and destroyed buildings left Haiti in ruins. The government and the people were filled with dreadful sorrows as these truths about a ruined Haiti came to light. Immediately after this disaster, allied countries such as the United States and Canada stepped in to pay for search parties and repairing Haiti, physically and emotionally. Even with the support of allied countries and the government, the development of Haiti is still in need of assistance. Six years later, after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti, the handouts and help from allied countries have not been enough to create a fully developed economy and efficient government.

Structural violence is the way in which social structures systematically and negatively affect individuals. Paul Farmer’s concept describes it as “social arrangements that put individuals and populations in harm’s way”. Literally analyzing the concept, he explains that it is structural because it involves political and economic organizations, which are social structures, and the violence comes from the injury caused to people who suffer it. Like Acephie Joseph and ChouChou, many people in Haiti are victims of the structural violence. Their social locations make them vulnerable, limiting their choices and causing them deeply terrible pain, and even dead. Also, structural violence can be linked to behavioral violence. As well as the Farmer wrote

What six letter word is used to describe a country falling apart, Crisis, that is just the situation that Haiti is in. In the article “Haiti in Crisis” by Bryan brown and Patricia Smith, Haiti is a country with so little and living in poverty, no place to live, and no one to run their country. While in The Giver by Lois lowry a utopian world has been created with everything they need and no issues. The people who live there are healthy, stress free, and in good shape while the government makes any and all decisions for them. When having the opportunity to choose which world will be a more desirable place to live, it would be The Giver’s utopian community.

From the very beginnings of the crisis in Haiti, we can see the various policies adapted by the three different presidents who held office in the U.S. Through the Reagan, Bush, and finally Clinton administrations, there is an evolution of policy from that of silence, to a gradual increase of concern, and ultimately an objective of restoring democracy in Haiti. However, the one thing that remained constant throughout each administration was the U.S. policy and practice of interdiction and repatriation of Haitian refugees. This policy was indeed successful in curtailing the influx of Haitians into the U.S. (Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Haiti, 1994).

A) I think that the key focus of the documentary was to show that even though the people in Haiti live in poverty, they still find a way to work, a way to stay strong whilst poor, and a way to have fun even while they are in poverty. I also think the key focus of the video was to show how some non-poor Americans would react to being in poverty and living on a dollar a day.