Haiti’s PresentationHaiti’s Presentation

Haiti’sHaiti’s

• The small island nation of Haiti is the The small island nation of Haiti is the poorest nation in the western poorest nation in the western hemisphere and is standing on the hemisphere and is standing on the brink of collapse. Four major storms brink of collapse. Four major storms rolled over the island in less than a rolled over the island in less than a month recently; killing hundreds and month recently; killing hundreds and displacing nearly one million souls.displacing nearly one million souls.

Haiti’s MomentHaiti’s Moment

• Haiti’s situation seems hopeless.Haiti’s situation seems hopeless.

• Plus, the U.S. is going through its Plus, the U.S. is going through its own economic crisis.own economic crisis.

Haiti’s MomentHaiti’s Moment

““He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two coins, which are worth a came and put in two coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’”

- Mark 12: 41-44- Mark 12: 41-44

The ContextThe Context

The ContextThe Context

• The original inhabitants of Haiti, the The original inhabitants of Haiti, the TaínoTaíno, named the island Ayiti, which , named the island Ayiti, which means “means “land of high mountainsland of high mountains.” .” Rugged highlands cover two-thirds of Rugged highlands cover two-thirds of the country, while the remainder is the country, while the remainder is marked by low plateaus, deep marked by low plateaus, deep valleys, and small coastal plains.valleys, and small coastal plains.

The ContextThe Context

• Approximately Approximately 95 percent95 percent of of Haitians are descendents of Haitians are descendents of West West African slavesAfrican slaves. The remaining five . The remaining five percent are a mix of Caucasian and percent are a mix of Caucasian and African ancestry.African ancestry.

The ContextThe Context

• When colonized, Haiti came under When colonized, Haiti came under Spanish, then French rule.Spanish, then French rule.

• Toussaint LouvertureToussaint Louverture led a led a successful slave rebellion that successful slave rebellion that culminated in 1801 when Haiti culminated in 1801 when Haiti became the first black republic to became the first black republic to declare independence.declare independence.

The ContextThe Context

• Violence Violence andand political instability political instability marked much of the 1800s until Haiti marked much of the 1800s until Haiti declared bankruptcy in 1914. declared bankruptcy in 1914.

• The United States occupied the island from The United States occupied the island from 1915 to 1934.1915 to 1934.

• Physician Francois “Papa Doc” Physician Francois “Papa Doc” DuvalierDuvalier seized power in 1956 in a military coup seized power in 1956 in a military coup and set up a brutal and set up a brutal dictatorshipdictatorship that that would last for would last for 30 years30 years. Many Haitians . Many Haitians fled to the U.S. and Canada.fled to the U.S. and Canada.

The ContextThe Context

• Former priest Jean-Bertrand Former priest Jean-Bertrand AristideAristide won the election in 1990, but was won the election in 1990, but was blocked from taking office and sent blocked from taking office and sent into exile by members of the ruling into exile by members of the ruling Haitian government.Haitian government.

• The international community blocked The international community blocked a full take over and the country was a full take over and the country was thrown into thrown into chaoschaos..

The ContextThe Context

• In In 19941994. President Clinton worked in . President Clinton worked in partnership with former President partnership with former President Carter and Colin Powell to negotiate Carter and Colin Powell to negotiate the departure of Haiti’s military the departure of Haiti’s military leaders.leaders.

• Aristide’s Aristide’s presidencypresidency was was restoredrestored..

The ContextThe Context

• AristideAristide left the presidency in 1994, left the presidency in 1994, but won a but won a second election in 2000second election in 2000..

• That election was not recognized by That election was not recognized by the international community due to the international community due to claims of fraud.claims of fraud.

• Aristide went into Aristide went into exileexile in 2004in 2004 and and the country was thrown into chaos the country was thrown into chaos again.again.

The ContextThe Context

• Historical oppression, political Historical oppression, political corruption, natural disasters and corruption, natural disasters and international economic policies have international economic policies have made made HaitiHaiti the the poorest nationpoorest nation in in the western hemisphere.the western hemisphere.

The Making of a CrisisThe Making of a Crisis

““There are many reasons for There are many reasons for this poverty. But one of the this poverty. But one of the most significant is trade most significant is trade policies imposed on the policies imposed on the country by international country by international financial institutions. In financial institutions. In 1994 the tariff on rice 1994 the tariff on rice imports was lowered from imports was lowered from 36% to 3%. This led to 36% to 3%. This led to much rice coming from US much rice coming from US farmers who had farmers who had subsidised surplusessubsidised surpluses to to offload. Haiti became offload. Haiti became dependent on food imports dependent on food imports because local farmers because local farmers could not compete with could not compete with imported rice and home imported rice and home production shrank production shrank considerably.”considerably.”

- - BBC World News

CrisisCrisis

• Summer 2008, Haiti suffered its Summer 2008, Haiti suffered its greatest food crisisgreatest food crisis in historyin history. This was . This was the photograph in the New York Times on June 15, 2008:the photograph in the New York Times on June 15, 2008:

Tyler Hicks/The New York Times

This was the caption: “LAST RESORT Haitians searching for food or anything else at a dump. Rising food prices led to riots in April. Most Haitians earn less than $2 a day.”

DisasterDisaster

• Four fierce storms trampled the island in less than Four fierce storms trampled the island in less than one month. one month. Fay, Gustav, Hannah Fay, Gustav, Hannah andand Ike Ike trounced the small nation and left hundreds dead trounced the small nation and left hundreds dead and hundreds of thousands displaced in its path.and hundreds of thousands displaced in its path.

DisasterDisaster

• The picture The picture nownow......

DisasterDisaster

• ““The The aftermathaftermath of four severe storms in of four severe storms in rapid succession left thousands of Haitians rapid succession left thousands of Haitians unable to return home in many of the unable to return home in many of the communities that PIH’s partners currently communities that PIH’s partners currently work in. Rampant flooding and mudslides work in. Rampant flooding and mudslides destroyed buildings, crops, and destroyed buildings, crops, and belongings. Moreover, the true scale of the belongings. Moreover, the true scale of the damage is still unknown.”damage is still unknown.”

- - Partners in Health

The Breaking Point The Breaking Point

Ramon Espinosa/Associated PressRamon Espinosa/Associated Press

• ““There are two things that are really difficult for a Haitian to do. It's There are two things that are really difficult for a Haitian to do. It's smile smile andand cry cry. Because the people grow up in misery and stress, to . Because the people grow up in misery and stress, to smile becomes something very hard for them. And because they are smile becomes something very hard for them. And because they are very strong, too, it's not easy to see someone who's crying. Now you very strong, too, it's not easy to see someone who's crying. Now you can understand how hard it is for me when I received a phone call can understand how hard it is for me when I received a phone call from the pastors in Trois-Mats, St. Louis, and Chapotin saying that from the pastors in Trois-Mats, St. Louis, and Chapotin saying that they lost their houses and their farms and they were crying.”they lost their houses and their farms and they were crying.”

The Breaking PointThe Breaking Point

Our brothers and sisters are Our brothers and sisters are cryingcrying..

PresentationPresentation

THE EARTH QUAKE OF THE EARTH QUAKE OF HAITI.HAITI.

BYBY Debraj DasDebraj Das