Welcome to the latest edition of Woy Magazine’s biweekly newsletter, providing you with must-know news and commentary on Haiti and our Diaspora.
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Bab pi long, men sousi pi vye
The beard is longer, but the eyebrows are older
(Haitian Proverb)
CHAY LA | Main Story
Intervention ahead
Despite a moratorium from Kenya's high courts temporarily suspending the intervention in Haiti a few weeks ago, a delegation from Kenya met this week with Ariel Henry's de facto government in preparation of a continued plan for a deployment. The delegation has also met with the Haitian National Police (PNH), and the High Council for the Transition (HCT), which you might remember has been complaining about a lack of resources to fulfill its intended purpose of organizing elections in Haiti by February 2024.
Representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINIH) and the Canadian Embassy are all involved in discussions with the PNH as well. Both BINUH and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) are calling for the immediate deployment of the Multinational Security Assistance Mission (MSAM), according to a report published late last month.
The final decision on whether the deployment will actually move forward is slated for January, on the basis of the constitutionality of deploying the Kenyan Police, rather than the Kenyan Armed forces in a foreign country. This decision could be appealed, taking the matter to the Kenyan Supreme Court.
POLITIK/POLEMIK
Kanal la p ap kanpe
Interactions between Haitian and Dominican actors along the border over the construction of an irrigation canal continues to be tension filled. Haitian authorities destroyed a site where goods were being illegally smuggled into the country from the Dominican Republic. The market was set up on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic by Dominican traders, and Lesly Théogène, the departmental director of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) claims that Dominican military personnel were involved in securing the market.
According to reports, “Haitian police launched tear gas bombs and entered Dominican territory to seize and destroy merchandise sold in an informal market near Dajabón.”
Dominican president, Luis Abinader, responded in a speech and a letter describing the incident as a provocation, adding that the Dominican government would respond firmly to this incursion. On its side, the Haitian government is preparing a response.
Meanwhile, progress continues on the construction of the canal and engineers have begun testing releasing small amounts of water to nearby farms.
“We are challenging the real enemies of Haiti, those who, after more than 200 years, have done nothing really to help Haiti get out of this rut,” said Josaphat Guillaume, a Haitian farmer and leader of a rural workers’ organization in Ferrier called KPSKBN (Kodinasyon Plante Seksyon Kominal Ba Maribawou) in Haitian Creole, which translates as “Coordination of Planters of the Communal Section of Bas-Maribaroux.”
Founded in 1996, KPSKBN is one of the organizations at the helm of the canal’s construction. “The construction of the canal irrigation on the Massacre River and Haitian solidarity testify to the desire of an entire nation to say no to foreign interference and to fight to regain its former dignity and pride,” Guillaume told New Lines.
Getting a minimum amount of control over the flow of goods and people between the DR and Haiti by Haitian authorities is an important step to protecting local production. This is the position of the main private sector associations and is one of the many ways to address the problem of insecurity. A number of reports recently showed that many guns from the US are smuggled into Haiti from the DR. Analysts explained that in 2010, Haiti rolled back its hold of the border after the earthquake. The DR was among the first nations to respond. After this, cross border commerce and smuggling sky rocketed.
Losing control of the border also means major financial repercussions for Haiti, with several hundred million dollars worth of exports entering illegally from the Dominican Republic, according to a 2019 study conducted by the Center for strategic and international studies (CSIS). This translates to a loss in revenue for the Haitian government and for the Haitian agricultural and industrial sectors.
With that, Haiti sees annual revenue losses of between US$184 million to US$440 million due to illegal activities on the border. And its trade deficit with the Dominican Republic has skyrocketed, from a deficit of $100 million back in 2001, to one almost 10 times that by 2015.
POLITIK/POLEMIK
Emperor’s new clothes
Former Haitian police chief and senator-elect, Guy Philippe was released after six years in prison in the US on drug trafficking charges and deported back to Haiti. Wanted by the Haitian police for his alleged involvement in an attack on the police headquarters in Cayes — he was held by PNH for questioning for 3 days and then let go.
In his hometown of Jeremie, Guy was warmly received by an adoring crowd. A key figure in the 2004 coup against Jean Bertrand Aristide, he campaigned with Jovenel Moise on his road to the Haitian Senate. He was arrested in 2017 just days before his swearing in ceremony. While he seems to be well liked in his hometown—where blockades and fires erupted pretty soon after his arrest—he is also suspected of being involved in murder and human rights abuses on behalf of Haiti’s elite as well as its international allies.
Philippe admitted that from approximately June 1999 to April 2003, he received between $1.5 and $3.5 million in bribes from drug traffickers, knowing that the payments he received constituted proceeds of cocaine sales that occurred in Miami, Florida, and elsewhere in the United States. Philippe also admitted that he shared a portion of these payments with Haitian National Police officials and other security personnel to ensure their continued support for future drug shipments arriving into Haiti. Philippe used these payments to purchase a residence in Broward County, Florida; and to support himself and to support his family in the United States.
In addition, Philippe wired proceeds derived from the sale of cocaine, in the amount of $376,000, from banks in Haiti and Ecuador to a joint bank account in Miami. To avoid detection, Philippe used the names of others to wire the funds to his account. Philippe further admitted that he arranged for over $70,000 in drug proceeds to be deposited into his account that were conducted in a series of deposits each less than $10,000 to avoid the U.S. federal reporting requirements. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
So, is Guy Philippe the hero many seem to be lauding him to be?
While many Haitians are enthralled by Philippe’s revolutionary heroes and nationalist rhetoric, many are also leery about, if not disgusted by, the role he played in the 2001-2004 coup d’état. (He won only 1.92% of the vote in his 2006 presidential bid.)
While today denouncing foreign powers, Haiti’s corrupt “political class,” and its treacherous bourgeoisie, Philippe worked closely with all of them, even recruiting former death-squad leader Louis Jodel Chamblain, to overthrow Haiti’s incontestably elected, overwhelmingly popular President Aristide over a bloody three year military campaign, which claimed the lives of hundreds of Haitian police officers, cadets, and civilians. (Source: Haiti Liberté)
KILTIRÈL
Theater Festival Season!
It’s that time of year again, Festival En Lisant is back with another edition with the theme: Dire Port-au-Prince. The festival starts December 11 - December 17, kicking things off with an old school Port-au-Prince maswife (greased pole climbing) competition at the Centre d'Art.
The guest of honor is Gaëlle Bien-Aimé who comes from a long line of Haitian playwrights and artists like Franketienne who center the city of Port-au-Prince in their work. Her play “Port-au-Prince et sa Douce Nuit” won the RFI Theatre prize a few years ago and will be among the plays produced in this edition of En Lisant. Last year, Websder Corneille interviewed Bien-Aimé for Woy Magazine. Learn more about her work and the role of theatre in Haiti here.
Festival 4 Chemins wrapped up this past week on December 2nd in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Enjoy these images captured by photographer, Vicky Onélien for Woy Magazine.