Kay la mande wouze
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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…Dust to dust
Jovenel Moïse’s funeral was held last week in the North of Haiti. It was a small ceremony held in the backyard of the family’s private residence. The Moïse family refused state funding for the funeral and opted for a small ceremony very different from the grandiose state funerals normally reserved for leaders.
Many noted the absence of government officials at Moïse’s funeral. No current or former head of state of any country was in attendance. Especially puzzling was the absence of former president Michel Martelly, Moïse’s predecessor, and fellow party member.
The day was tense in Okap. Le Nouvelliste reported of pillaging and protestors aggressing journalists. At one point, gunshots were heard from nearby the ceremony leading the foreign delegations to evacuate.
Moïse’s widow, Martine Moise, and his son spoke claiming that he was betrayed, pointing fingers at the oligarchy.
Tu as été sauvagement assassiné, toi qui a toujours renoncé à la violence. Tu as toujours prêché le pardon, la réconciliation, le vivre-ensemble, on a complotés contre toi, te condamnant à mourir dans la barbarie et la cruauté », témoigne Martine Moïse, qui a été blessée lors de l’attentat contre son mari.
La main droite en écharpe, la veuve du président accuse les « oligarques » d’être responsables de l’assassinat du président, qui a, malgré tout, largement bénéficié du financement des principaux acteurs du secteur privé lors de sa campagne pour les élections de 2016.
« Les oligarques t’ont eu, mais la bataille n’est pas terminée », annonce-t-elle, tout en réclamant justice pour son mari.
Selon Martine Moïse, Jovenel Moïse a été assassiné, parce qu’il combattait la violence et la corruption, défendait les opprimés, entre autres. (source: AlterPresse)
A Presidential Announcement
This morning the New York Times published an interview with Martine Moise, announcing that she is sinterested in running to be president of Haiti. In the interview she also recounts what she remembers happened the night of the assassination and again Moise accused some oligarchs for the murder of her husband.
Mrs. Moïse said she wants the killers to know she is not scared of them.
“I would like people who did this to be caught, otherwise they will kill every single president who takes power,” she said. “They did it once. They will do it again.”
She said she is seriously considering a run for the presidency, once she undergoes more surgeries on her wounded arm. She has already had two surgeries, and doctors now plan to implant nerves from her feet in her arm, she said. She may never regain use of her right arm, she said, and can move only two fingers.
“President Jovenel had a vision,” she said, “and we Haitians are not going to let that die.” (Source: The New York Times)
This announcement is raising eyebrows.
The investigation continues
We are now three weeks since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, and while we learn new details every day, there are glaring questions still unanswered. This has many fearing that we will never really know what happened that fateful night.
Samuel Madistin of Fondasyon Je Klere in an interview on radio Magik 9 deplored the way the investigation is being conducted. Among the violations he identified is that those being questioned regarding Moise's assassination are not being allowed to see their lawyers.
CNN revealed more issues with the investigation with a new investigative report revealing that many working on the case are under major threats against their lives, likely to be a hindrance in carrying out a thorough and proper investigation.
On July 12, the National Association of Haitian Clerks published an open letter calling for "national and international" attention to death threats received by two local clerks, Marcelin Valentin and Waky Philostene. The letter demands action from Justice Minister Rockefeller Vincent to guarantee their safety.
Valentin and Philostene did not respond to requests for comment about the letter.
More than a week later, documents from the Justice Ministry offer little evidence that such concerns were taken seriously, showing that clerks went on to personally lodge formal complaints on July 17 and 20 about receiving death threats -- from the same phone number. (source: CNN)
The report goes on to highlight the glaring holes that continue to plague this investigation.
There are obvious holes in the information provided to the public, including the still-unknown contents of CCTV footage from the president's residence on the night of the killing, and the testimonies of over 20 detained foreign suspects and two dozen local police officers.
It now appears that even Haitian investigators charged with bringing the truth to light are being left in the dark.
At crime scenes in Haiti, police typically secure the area and maintain order, while justices of the peace perform the initial investigation, document the scene and take witness testimony to create the official record of evidence. But sources close to the probe have described confusing lapses in protocol that resulted in the omission of key pieces of information from such judicial investigators' reports.
Les blancs débarquent
This past week marked the 106th anniversary of the start of the brutal 19 year U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915. In the bitterest of ironies, the Haitian National Police tweeted about a meeting with U.S. authorities about the possibility of sending American troops to Haiti.
Many Haitians have been decrying the possibility of potential foreign military intervention, highlighting the atrocities these interventions bring with them, and the need for Haitians to present a solution for themselves. This is why memory preservation is crucial. Friend of Woy, Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall discusses why the lessons of 1915-1934 matter for Haiti in 2021 in a new piece for Ayibopost.
Check out Monique Clesca’s interview on Democracy Now on the role of the Haitian civil society in the ongoing situation.
New government, same problems
Ariel Henry, the new Prime Minister struggles to gain control. During his first Conseil des Ministres Henry attempted to discuss the repeal of the decree establishing the Agence nationale d'intelligence (ANI), a secret force that is beyond the reach of the justice system. This decree establishing this secret force was met with much outrage when it was introduced months ago, many compared it to the violent repressive tactics of the Duvalier regime. In the council meeting this past week, the ministers resisted Henry’s attempt to discuss a possible repeal, and Henry was forced to abandon the topic altogether to be able to move forward with the meeting.
«Les ministres qui se sont opposés au point 7 ont fait savoir que le Premier ministre n'a pas le droit de suspendre ni d'interpréter la loi, évoquant l'article 159 de la Constitution. Ils ont affirmé que rapporter le décret créant l'ANI déshonorera la mémoire du président Jovenel Moïse qui a voulu doter le pays d'un service d'intelligence», ont confié nos sources au Conseil des ministres. (source: Le Nouvelliste)
Limen balèn
July 23rd was the 34th anniversary of the heartbreaking Jean Rabel massacre that left 138 Haitians dead and many wounded. At the heart of this tragedy lies claims for land rights and manipulation by landowning families to pit landless farmers against each other.
Les Attaques des Grandons en complicité avec l’appareil Répressif de l’Etat Haïtien du Général Henri Namphy et avec le soutien à peine voilé des Représentants de l’Impérialisme Américain iront en s’intensifiant jusqu’à aboutir, 14 mois plus tard, au MASSACRE de 138 Petits Paysans , pour la plupart laissés en pâture aux chiens après avoir été découpés et/ou tailladés à la machette.
Rappelons que l’un des représentant des Grandons Criminels, Nickol Poitevien , avait déclaré fièrement sur les antennes de la Télévision Nationale d’Haïti (TNH) en compagnie de Remy Lucas, que » Dans le camp des Américains … Nous Avons Tué 1042 Communistes » !!! (Source: Rezo Nòdwès)
For those who understand Kreyòl, we invite you to visit this fascinating interview from the Radio Haiti Archives on the Jean Rabel massacre with Jean Dominique, Michele Pierre-Louis and Chavannes Jean Baptiste. At the time the press was not allowed to go to Jean Rabel, forbidden by the authorities. Pierre Louis explains the complexities of class dynamics in rural Haiti, and Jean Baptiste explains the practices used by the people in Hinche to organize and resist.
TPS Update
The Biden administration announced the Temporary Protected Status designation for Haitians over 2 months ago, but had yet to publish the federal register notice making it official. Today, the federal register has been pre published and is available for download as a PDF and is set to be officially published on August 3rd.
Advocates are celebrating the following wins:
The continuous residence date has been moved up to yesterday and presence date will be August 3, expanding eligibility for those who entered after the announcement. The registration period for all is open until Feb. 3, 2023.
Viv Konpa
Monday of this week was the 66th birthday of Konpa Dirèk. In a piece for WXPN, Woy Magazine Lead Editor, Nathalie Cerin, had a conversation with Haitian producer, Fabrice Rouzier about the birth of this genre and how its evolved since that 1955.
[Rouzier explains] “Haiti is a country that has something like 60 different rhythms. It is a very rich musical culture. Konpa drew from all of this. That’s what makes the Konpa from the golden era—from the 60s to the early 80s—it really makes it a lasting genre. And it is a composition that never loses its flavor, and it is inextricably Haitian. You can’t say it’s borrowed from any nation. It’s got an identity of its own, in a way that cannot be found in the music of today.”
Last Sunday, one day before the anniversary of Konpa, the Konpa community lost a legend. Herman Nau, legendary drummer and co-founder of the band Tabou Combo passed away. Our condolences to the Nau family, the Tabou Combo team, and to fans of Konpa everywhere.