Happy New Year! (We can still say that, right?) Welcome to the latest edition of Woy Magazine’s weekly newsletter, providing you with must-know news and commentary on Haiti and our Diaspora.
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Let’s Give the Island a Break
Haiti continues to see an uptick in COVID cases as Haitians across the diaspora continue to head to the island for holiday breaks. However, compared to its neighbors, especially the United States, the country has an incredibly low death rate from the virus, with some using the old adage “microbes don’t kill Haitians” as an excuse. However, that couldn’t be further from the case. In a new, exclusive piece for Woy Magazine as part of our “Myth, Legends and Lore” theme for the first quarter of 2021, Dr. Kenny Moïse sheds light on this potentially dangerous belief:
The idea that contacts with microbes make the body more resilient, which is the main principle behind the use of vaccines, hides a less glamorous truth: a weak body is less able to fight infections. As the immune system fails due to comorbidities or malnutrition, microbes can provoke fatal complications. In 2019, the Global Hunger Index report indicated that 49.3% of Haiti’s population was undernourished.
Such a sobering look offers strong context as to why traveling to Haiti and other parts of the Global South can and will spell disaster for these countries:
…according to a figure published by The Economist, Haiti is not set to receive doses of the COVID-19 vaccine until 2022-2023. In the face of the lax attitude of the authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Haiti (no barrier measures are currently being enforced), individual precautions are doubly important. The time is only right to keep wearing masks, washing hands, avoiding crowded places with poor ventilation, practicing social distancing as much as possible and caring for one another. Caring also means canceling a trip to Haiti from a COVID-19 hotspot in the midst of a rapid global spread of a mutant variant of the virus.
It’s a Coup, Stupid
We’d be remiss not to mention the story du jour which sent shockwaves all over the world. This week, supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump attacked the nation’s Capitol building as members of Congress voted to certify the electoral college votes cementing Joe Biden as president-elect. The rioters stormed barricades, scaled walls and physically assaulted Capitol police in an attempt to take over the room where the vote was taking place. Such an attack on the nation’s foundation and institution garnered massive side-eyes from countries all over the world, especially those who have been on the receiving end of America’s “democratizing” efforts.
In a new op-ed for Ayibopost, Widlore Merancourt tackled this very sentiment, writing:
Après les évènements franchement embarrassants d’hier mercredi, les inquiétudes ironiques exprimées par le ministère des Affaires étrangères haïtien, les États-Unis devraient tempérer la vanne des grands prononcements sur la démocratie en dehors de ses frontières. Ce pays gagnerait beaucoup à passer un peu de temps à panser ses blessures, atténuer ses divisions et cultiver son jardin, pour reprendre le raciste et antisémite Voltaire.
The week’s actions by extremists also spilled out lots of feelings of disillusionment with the “promises” of America for some Haitian immigrants. The Haitian Times reports:
Gerlanda Gelin, of Oakland, California, lived through two coups d’etat in Haiti, 1991 and 2004.
“I was born in 1990, that was during the Haitian coup and transition, and my whole life, I don’t know what peace feels like,” Gelin, 30, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2007, said in an interview.
Gelin also echoed the sentiments of other Haitians on social media, denouncing the mainstream media’s reluctance to call the events in Washington a coup attempt. “The way they’re talking about it, they’re making it look sweet,” she said over the phone, contrasting the rhetoric to depictions of the developing world.
A Valentine Wish
Meanwhile in Haiti, there’s mounting tensions surrounding President Jovenel Moïse’s rule. Despite the president’s claim that his term ends in 2022, the opposition is demanding that he leave office next month, and they have now asked the United Nations to step in to ensure he does:
« Le Président Moise a créé un vide politique en choisissant d’ignorer la voie tracée par la Constitution amendée de 1987. Les Partis et regroupements politiques sont en train de préparer l’après Jovenel : la marche inévitable vers la transition. Ils dénoncent de toute leur force le mépris envers le peuple haïtien Le 7 Février 2021 sonnera le glas de ce régime tyrannique, sanguinaire. A partir de cette date, débutera en Haïti une ère nouvelle. Au nom des principes démocratiques, le BINUH se doit d’apporter sa contribution sans faille », a tranché l’opposition dite radicale
The opposition lists the current administration’s many controversial actions as reasons to be forced out, including Moïse’s determination to alter the constitution:
Dans cette lettre signée de Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, Nenel Cassy et Youri Latortue ils ont rappelé que Jovenel Moise a mis sur pied son CEP en vue « d’organiser le référendum constitutionnel afin de doter le pays d’une nouvelle constitution ; d’organiser les élections locales, municipales, législatives et présidentielles. La constitution haïtienne en son article 284-3 stipule ce qui suit : Toute Consultation Populaire tendant à modifier la Constitution par voie de Référendum est formellement interdite. En se croyant investi de la puissance publique, il veut anéantir la Constitution de 1987 pour la remplacer par une nouvelle taillée sur mesure. A ce compte, il a nommé par décret une commission chargée d’en proposer une nouvelle. »
Some Dates to Keep In Mind
Meanwhile, this week, Jovenel Moïse has made it clear he has no intentions to step down on February 7. In fact, he’s released some key dates for elections and other important actions that are sure to affect the country well into the year and 2022:
On April 25, Haitians are expected to head to the polls to vote for a constitutional referendum which will be organized by the nine-person electoral commission set up by the president;
On September 15, the Miami Herald reports “the first round of legislative and presidential balloting. Runoffs are scheduled for Nov. 21, along with balloting for municipal and local offices. The definitive results of who the next president and lawmakers are won’t be known until Jan. 22.”
Critics, however, see the release of this calendar as yet another way Moïse is attempting to hold onto power:
“He is doing everything, utilizing all kinds of maneuvers, to hold onto power and to ensure that he remains the only person governing in the country,” said Gédéon Jean, a lawyer and human rights leader in Port-au-Prince.
Femicide Kicks Off 2021
2021 is proving to be no better a year for Haiti’s women and girls as the country has already experienced two high-profile killings of young women. The first one to make headlines was the disturbing death of Sherly Monfort, a 20 year-old woman who was stabbed to death by her former boyfriend on December 31. The suspect was soon taken into custody where he blamed his actions on his “emotions.”
Soon after, police held a press conference with a suspect from another case who was believed to have also killed his girlfriend and attempted to bury the victim immediately after (trigger warning for the video below).
Tragically, these women join a long list of names of victims of gender-based violence from the previous year including Evelyn Sincère and Mamoune Régi.
The History of Us
We hope you were able to enjoy the first of the month with some soup joumou, but if you weren’t (or you did and you want to keep the celebrations going), be sure to check out a new documentary on the Haitian Revolution available for free only for a limited time.
Have a safe weekend, friends! We’ll see you next week!
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