Lamizè pa dous
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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Deportations
The mass deportations of Haitian asylum seekers continues under the Biden Administration, three weeks after thousands started taking shelter under a bridge in Del Rio. As of October 3rd, nearly 7,000 Haitians have been deported without due process under Title 42, a Trump-era policy which was set to be temporarily banned effective October 01, 2021.
Personal accounts accentuate the callous nature of this response, like this one featured in The San Diego Union Tribune of a man who made the trip with his wife and daughter. In his account, the man in question, Jean Pierre, recounts his experience, explaining why he fled Haiti and the journey they took to the US.
"Violence in Haiti is widespread. Bandits run the entire country, including my hometown. They have access to the lawmakers, state public representatives and justice officials. When people try to start their own small business or stand up against violence, organized criminals target them and their families. They burn down businesses and homes, and threaten to kill innocent people."
"We faced many challenges, including finding fire to cook, finding a safe place to sleep at night to stay warm and dry when it rained, and protecting ourselves from wild animals. It was tough because my wife was eight months pregnant.
Luckily our group brought enough food to survive. But I came across individuals who were too weak to continue the journey. I would make them tea and energy drinks to boost their strength so they could continue.
My baby was born four days after we arrived in Mexico. I had mixed emotions when that happened. Imagine welcoming your first child into the world, and not having the financial means to provide basic necessities. However, I felt blessed that my wife delivered a healthy daughter with no complications." (Source: The San Diego Union Tribune)
Meanwhile, State Department lawyer Harold Koh joins the chorus of immigration advocates and international experts condemning the Biden Administrations’ response, describing it as “illegal” and “inhumane”.
“I believe this Administration’s current implementation of the Title 42 authority continues to violate our legal obligation not to expel or return individuals who fear persecution, death, or torture, especially migrants fleeing from Haiti.” (Source: Democracy Now!)
On the other hand, Ariel Henry, de facto Prime Minister and successor to the late de facto President Jovenel Moise, assured that all Haitians who are deported back to Haiti will be welcomed home with open arms; amid a political crisis, escalating gang violence, growing poverty and yet another shoddy response to yet another devastating earthquake. (Source: CNN)
He also made sure to dispel any concerns about how that might affect the upcoming elections, which will be promptly rescheduled once he’s gone after his own fraudulent attempt at changing the constitution.
Fuel shortages
The shortage of gasoline and diesel has led to a number of fire risks: from people selling fuel in their homes illegally, to long chaotic lines for gas at the gas station. Three separate fires occurred in Okap alone, in the North of Haiti, in less than a week reports Le Nouvelliste.
The head of the fire department also reports that most of the emergency calls coming in are having to do with fuel storage.
Among the victims, a woman planning to resell fuel on the black market, who accidentally set her home ablaze, dying and taking with her a baby in a neighboring home. In a separate but related incident, 200 motos were incinerated when an explosive fire broke out at a gas station in Okap’s city center.
“Des témoins rapportent que l’incendie a été provoqué par des motocyclistes qui faisaient la queue pour s’approvisionner en carburant, engagés dans un bagarre. Les bagarreurs voulaient s’emparer du pistolet du volucompteur. Quelques gouttes de carburant d'un des véhicules stationnés ont suffi pour une gigantesque explosion ayant détruit près de 200 motocyclettes.” (Source: Le Nouvelliste)
Sakapfet Okap spoke to workers of the gas station where this particular incident broke out in the week of September 25th. Watch the video here.
By no means do we intend to encourage the illegal storage and selling of fuel, but here are some guidelines to keep in mind when handling gasoline:
Gasoline must be stored in an approved container or tank. Keep gasoline containers tightly closed and handle them gently to avoid spills.
Gasoline is a flammable liquid and should be stored at room temperature, away from potential heat sources such as the sun, a hot water heater, space heater or a furnace, and a least 50 feet away from ignition sources, such as pilot lights.
Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the floor to ignition sources. Do not smoke where gasoline is handled or stored. (Source: API)
For more information check out this article on the Safe Storage and Disposal of Gasoline.
De facto rete de facto.
In other news, de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry recently dissolved the Electoral Council (CEP) established by Jovenel Moise in 2020. The dissolving of this CEP is a first step in initiating the terms of an accord signed recently between Henry and key political actors. When it was established in 2020, said council was met with much protest from civil society actors, who asserted that its members were not representative of the sectors they claimed to represent.
Investigation Update
A few weeks ago, we talked about the de facto Prime Minister's dismissal of the Prosecutor and Justice Minister who sought to charge Henry in relation to the assassination of Moise; based on alleged phone calls that took place between Henry and one of the suspects, Joseph Felix Badio, following the murder. Henry claims to not remember those conversations with Badio.
In other related news, ex-first lady and wife of the late de facto president, Martine Joseph, is back in Haiti and was interrogated by Judge Orelien on October 6th, reports le Nouvelliste. Following the questioning by Judge Orelien which lasted 3-4 hours, Mrs. Joseph encouraged others to cooperate with the investigation.
In her plea, Moise affirms that we must seize this opportunity, if only to take the first step in proving wrong the many who regard Haiti as a country where justice is never served. Obviously, missing the irony in her statement.
« Tout ce que nous voulons, tout ce que nous attendons, c’est que justice soit rendue. Tout le monde dit que dans notre pays on n’obtient pas justice. Même si l’on dit tout ça, c’est ici qu’il faut commencer et qu’il faut continuer à demander justice » (Source: Le Nouvelliste)
Ibi Zoboi takes on the Marvel Universe
In culture news, Haitian American and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Ibi Zoboi, is taking on Wakanda and the Marvel Universe with a new comic series about Okoye. Pre-order it or find it on the shelves everywhere books are sold March 1st, 2022.
En Lisant Ailleurs 2021
In the last newsletter, we listed a few ways you can help the organizations that were coordinating support to Haitians in Del Rio. The migration crisis requires policy changes and material support to those who leave their countries. One group of artists in Haiti called BIT Haiti, proposes to contribute to the response by focusing its yearly theater festival in Haiti on Migration. The name of this year’s festival is "En Lisant Ailleurs 2021" (As We Read Elsewhere 2021). Here is their vision:
“For the last fifty years, for reasons of political, physical and economic insecurity, several thousand Haitians have been forced into exile or to migrate ELSEWHERE. This gave birth to a diaspora scattered all over the world. This situation prompted us to propose an edition of En Lisant on migration. The president’s assassination this summer and the humanitarian crisis following the recent earthquake further reflect the structural problems that push Haitians to leave. The recent events in Del Rio, Texas have reinforced our belief in the value of raising a debate on migration through the arts.
The creations and activities that will be scheduled during the festival will invite the public to react on two fundamental points:
1- Question the tension in identity that exists between those who leave and those who stay.
2- Identify the influence of exile/migration on human behavior. "
If you are interested in helping them raise funds for the festival that will take place in December 2021, click here.