Sanba pa vann nan mache
Bon Vandredi, friends! 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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Connecting the dots
Two weeks after the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, people in Haiti and around the world continue to try to piece together what happened that night. Miami Herald’s Jacquie Charles’ recent reports paint a picture of what occurred at Moïse’s residence that night.
“They came inside, went straight to the room and kept talking to someone on the phone to identify the president,” the officer said, confirming the report of another person familiar with the investigation. “They turned the house upside down.’ ”
When the shooter described the president’s profile to the other person on the line, “he turned to face the president and shot him without any conversation.” (source: Miami Herald)
The Haitian National Police announced new details connected to the case of Moïse’s assassination. In a press briefing earlier this week, police chief, Leon Charles announced that they are currently investigating people believed to have helped in planning and funding the assassination. The three suspects are Haitian nationals living in the United States. Charles called on the FBI and other international entities to help the PNH track them down.
In addition to this, Charles announced three new arrests connected to the case. Three police officers who were reportedly present at all planning meetings leading up to the assassination.
« Il s’agit des policiers Boni Grégoire, Clifton Hyppolite et Dominique Cauvin. Ce dernier a assisté à toutes les réunions de planification de l’assassinat du président de la République. Ces réunions ont été organisées chez Reynaldo Corvington que nous avons déjà arrêté. Ces informations ont été collectées après avoir analysé les déclarations des assaillants », a fait savoir Léon Charles. (Source: Le Nouvelliste)
Hands off Haiti
In the wake of Moïse’s death, calls for foreign military intervention have increased by people either unaware of history, or people who do not have Haitians’ best interests at heart. In her latest for Woy Magazine, Melodie Cerin reminds us of the dangers of these calls for occupation.
The U.S. occupation which lasted from 1915 – 1934 was a systematic campaign of economic pillage and plunder imposed through violence, resulting in the deaths of fifteen thousand Haitians. US troops came again in 1994 to reinstate Aristide and briefly again after the coup d’etat in 2004. More recently, UN peacekeeping forces have introduced Cholera to Haiti resulting in 10,000 people dead. There were countless credible allegations of rape by the UN soldiers and abandoned children. And this same UN intervention facilitated the propagation of armed gangs in Port-au-Prince and killed many civilians in the raids it waged against gangs, several of them women and children…
The haste with which such calls for boots on the ground does not give Haitians the time to figure out what really happened with Moise’s death and what political settlement could be formed. That is going to take time. Instead, Haitians have found ourselves being rushed by the international community while conflicting ambitions for power abound; a consensus is unlikely. (Source: Woy Magazine)
While the arrival of foreign military remains in question, foreign powers continue to make their presence known and their wills shoved down the Haitian people’s throats. This week, CORE Group, a group comprised of representatives in Haiti from Brazil, US, France, EU, Canada, Spain, OAS and the UN announced that it supports a government led by Ariel Henry. Ariel Henry was named Prime Minister by Jovenel Moïse shortly before his death. Two days later, Claude Joseph, previous de facto Prime Minister announced his resignation, a quick change in tune from Joseph’s previous assertion that he would remain in power to organize elections. Henry has gone on to form his government full of political actors from the PHTK party and allies with the blessing of the international community, but with no say of the Haitian people.
On Thursday, the Biden administration appointed a new special envoy to Haiti to “pour faciliter la paix et la stabilité à long terme et soutenir les efforts visant à organiser des élections présidentielles” (Source: Le Nouvelliste)
A Haitian Solution
Meanwhile, a commission to find a Haitian solution to the current political situation has been meeting since March 2021 with the aim of building a broad consensus on the way forward in Haitian society. They continue to meet with little media attention. (Source: Rezo Nòdwès)
In the last months, Haitian Studies Association has been performing knowledge work to provide historical context that can help us analyze the present. This week, HSA held a panel discussion, a few participants on the panel are members of the commission to find a Haitian Solution. “Two weeks after, what perspectives for Haiti?” featuring Dr. Sabine Lamour, director of SOFA, David Oxygène of MOLEGHAF, Rosy Auguste of RNDDH, among others. The HSA has compiled a list of articles and media appearances by its members in response to the current situation in Haiti that can provides great context, check it out here.
Ashes to ashes
On Thursday, hundreds of people participated in 2 marches asking for justice in the killing of Jovenel Moise.
And the city Cap Haitian prepares to host the funeral of Jovenel Moïse on Friday.
National exams
National exams began despite calls to cancel them this year, view the conditions on the ground, and the possible effects the current situation might have on children physically and emotionally.
Even before the murder of Moise in places like Matisan, education officials had to move the exam centers because of the ongoing gang violence.
« Au bas de Delmas, il n’y aura pas de centres d’examen », informe Louis Fritz Dorminville assurant que des centres d’examen seront à proximité. Ces mesures sont prises, selon le directeur départemental, afin que les élèves puissent composer dans des situations beaucoup plus sécuritaires. (Source: Gazette Haiti)
COVID vaccine roll out in Haiti
Vaccine roll out has officially started in Haiti. MSPP has announced the locations that vaccines are available, and has started reporting on the number of people vaccinated. Thus far, 341 people are fully vaccinated according to MSPP. We also reported a few weeks ago that the government gave the green light for the private sector to import the vaccine, so we know that these numbers are not the full picture.
Yon potorik gason
This past week marked the 10 year anniversary of the death of master drummer and band leader, Azor. To commemorate, MwèM TV has released a tribute for Azor honoring his life and his legacy.