Politics
The Haiti you never hear about
Reading Time: 6 minutesA former Commander of United Nations Forces in Haiti has gone on record as saying the violence and disorder in Haiti is sometimes greatly exaggerated. He averred that the level of violence you find on the streets of Haiti is no different from what you may find in the streets of Washington DC, or Los Angeles or Rio de Janeiro or Johannesburg. For some inexplicable reason, however, only the situation in Haiti gets the bulk of the publicity.
D.L Hughley is one of my favorite American comedians. I remember him mentioning in one of his shows that when Hurricane Katrina broke, he was in Japan. And when he saw TV images of black people scampering away in knee-deep waters with all of their earthly belongings strapped to their backs, his first reaction was “Oh lord, what’s happening in Haiti again!. In his wildest imagination he could not have believed that the images he was watching were of were those of fellow African Americans beleaguered by an uncertain fate in the midst of one of the most destructive storms in human history. Yes, it was happening in the United States of America, not in some black banana republic.
D.L Hughley’s comments, though intended for comic effect, capture succinctly the way the rest of the world sees Haiti. In journalistic reporting, the word “Haiti” is invariably and systematically followed by phrases like “the poorest country in the western hemisphere” or “the troubled and impoverished Caribbean nation”. There is no gainsaying the fact that poverty, disorder and misery abound in Haiti. Yet again, where in the world do we not have poor people? Where in the world do we not have a minimum of disorderly conduct?
A former Commander of United Nations Forces in Haiti has gone on record as saying the violence and disorder in Haiti is sometimes greatly exaggerated. He averred that the level of violence you find on the streets of Haiti is no different from what you may find in the streets of Washington DC, or Los Angeles or Rio de Janeiro or Johannesburg. For some inexplicable reason, however, only the situation in Haiti gets the bulk of the publicity.
After spending six years in this wonderful country and witnessing the efforts of its valiant people to develop and modernize their country, my eye witness account is that their efforts have largely been ignored or have simply gone unreported.
Haiti is not all about hunger. Its complete story is not all about misery and senseless violence. Haiti is rich in human potentials. It is rich in imagination and positive energy. The wonderland Haiti is the side of Haiti that, like you, I never knew about – certainly not from any traditional media outlet.
Towering Architecture and Technology
It is a fact that Haiti is a country with some of the most exotic architectures. Gated-communities abound, with mansions and villas that have nothing to envy from those you’ll see in Coral Gables or Hollywood, or Star Island or Beverly Hills.
Haiti has a major private airline company that operates 28 flights to 8 different destinations on a daily basis. I don’t know of any private indigenous company in Sub Saharan Africa with such a track record.
All major Haitian banks have well developed internet banking systems, unlike a country like Cameroon where none of its indigenous banks offers online banking services. Internet access in Haiti is easier and cheaper than in a country like South Africa.
Given its closeness and interaction with the US and other Latin American countries, I believe Haiti has better indicators for enhanced technological development than most developing countries. During my time in Haiti, and thanks to my Harvard classmate and friend Kesner Pharel, I was able to see firsthand, efforts being made by young enterprising Haitian technologists to develop and propagate adapted IT systems that can be used in critical areas of human development like education and health. I visited a teacher training institution where everything is done via virtual interaction on the WWW. This is an innovative way of teaching, which as Kesner quipped, could also be extended to Africa, the Mother Continent.
Freedoms and liberties in Haiti
In matters of individual and civil liberties and press freedom, Haiti is far advanced than most developing countries I know of. There are more than 500 private radio stations in Haiti. Spread nationwide, the bulk of them are in Port au Prince and some regional metropolis. All of Haiti’s 140 communes boast of an average 2 radio stations and at least one TV station, all of which are managing to stay on the air in spite of irregular electricity supply.
This is a mammoth achievement as compared to a country like Cameroon which accounts for less than a handful of licensed radio stations and over a dozen community radio stations that owe their existence to the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and local councils, which are exempted from licenses and have pledged to air no political content. In Haiti, press censorship is virtually unknown, unlike in most France-Afrique countries where administrative censorship is still common place.
In Haiti, it is mandatory for all forms of public demonstrations, including those against the government, to be escorted by the police; and on any given day in Port au Prince alone there is always one form of anti-government demonstration or the other taking place right outside the gates of the presidential palace, usually with no violent crackdowns or confrontations with the Police. Indeed, I maintain that the Haitian National Police has more experience in crowd control operations than most police forces world-wide.
For instance, Haiti was one of the countries hardest hit by the global food crises demonstrations of 2008, where mass nation-wide demonstrations led to the collapse of the government. Yet, in terms of casualties, only 2 persons lost their lives. Contrast this to Cameroon, where even though there was no imminent threat of over-throwing the government, security forces still shot and killed 18 people according to official sources. Independent sources, meantime, talk of 58 people killed mainly in Douala by the notorious Rapid Intervention Battalion, better known by its French acronym, BIR.
The capacity of Haiti’s National Police to deal with large demonstrations and other public gatherings with minimum casualties has been enhanced by years of having to secure the carnival, especially the Mardi gras, where during a 3-day period there are always an average 1 million people reveling in the streets of Port au Prince alone.
…Lack of self-confidence
Of course these are only a few of the wonderful things going on in Haiti that you’re most likely never to hear about. And Haitians haven’t done a good job either tooting their own horn.
I know it’s difficult to think differently of yourself when everyday you’re being told or being reminded of how poor and miserable and pitiful you are. It literally dissipates your sense of pride and self-worth. So you start being apologetic about your circumstances. This is the kind of stigma most Haitian youths have had to deal with all their lives. Poverty is a social condition, no doubt, but it can also be a state of mind. In Haiti it’s both a social condition and a state of mind.
Poverty has become the perfect excuse for perceived lack of achievement in both public and private and life. As I once told the graduating class of young Haitians of the American-run Leadership Academy for Excellence in the city of Jacmel, if Haitians cannot project and celebrate their own achievements and potentials, no one will do it for them. Charity, they say, most begin at home. Only the people of Haiti can find common solutions to their everyday problems, not the international communities, as some are wont to believe.
And speaking of which, I believe it is about time Haitians sat down and made a critical evaluation of the role of the international community (both governmental and non-governmental) in their country. Years of internal conflict and instability have wittingly or unwittingly led to the pervasive presence of international actors who come with a lot of good faith, seeking to fill critical gaps and facilitate the process to a return to normalcy. But sometimes, and in spite of themselves, international agencies have become key players, performing functions that are traditionally reserved for national agencies/authorities. The result has been the continuous inability if Haitian national institutions to stand on their feet. The argument often put forth is that international organizations are assuming key roles because national agencies are weak and under-performing.
On their part, national authorities say they are weak and under-performing because international agencies are interfering with their responsibilities. And I think they have a point here. I saw with my own eyes, American aid workers picking up trash on the streets of Jeremie (capital of the Grande Anse Region) while locals watched mockingly and ruefully at them. Now, for the love of me, I don’t know the point these foreign aid workers were trying to make, but I do believe such a venture could have made more sense and could have become more sustainable and useful if it were planned and coordinated with the local Mayor’s office, which has primary responsibility over garbage collection and disposal.
The above example showcases the level of international community involvement in Haiti, an involvement that has literally cascaded after the earthquake. During any crisis – Hurricane, cholera, socio-political violence etc – the international community deploys in full force and literally takes over the operations. At times I personally wonder if Haitian national agencies are often given the chance to prove their own capacities and push their abilities to their permissible limits.
My people say a baby strapped on its mother’s back will never know how far or how tedious the way ahead is. Haiti is like a baby strapped on the back of the international community. Until it learns how to get down and walk on its own, and unless its people are ready to tell and show the rest of the world the wonderful things they are capable of achieving, the task of building the first independent black republic will continue to be an elusive and perilous enterprise.
By Julius Nyamkimah Fondong; Edited by Innocent Chia, The Chia Report
—
Julius Fondong spent 6 years in Haiti as a Civil Affairs Officer with the United Nations. He’s currently serving with the United Nations Mission in Sudan in the same capacity.
A new football club has earned a leading place in the UEFA Champions League groups and starred in the headlines of worldwide football news yesterday. The Football Club Sheriff Tiraspol claimed a win with the score 2-1 against Real Madrid on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. That made Sheriff Tiraspol the leader in Group D of the Champions League, including the football club in the groups of the most important European interclub competition for the first time ever.
International media outlets called it a miracle, a shock and a historic event, while strongly emphasizing the origin of the team and the existing political conflict between the two banks of the Dniester. “Football club from a pro-Russian separatist enclave in Moldova pulls off one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history,” claimed the news portals. “Sheriff crushed Real!” they said.
Moldovans made a big fuss out of it on social media, splitting into two groups: those who praised the team and the Republic of Moldova for making history and those who declared that the football club and their merits belong to Transnistria – a problematic breakaway region that claims to be a separate country.
Both groups are right and not right at the same time, as there is a bunch of ethical, political, social and practical matters that need to be considered.
Is it Moldova?
First of all, every Moldovan either from the right or left bank of Dniester (Transnistria) is free to identify himself with this achievement or not to do so, said Vitalie Spranceana, a sociologist, blogger, journalist and urban activist. According to him, boycotting the football club for being a separatist team is wrong.
At the same time, “it’s an illusion to think that territory matters when it comes to football clubs,” Spranceana claimed. “Big teams, the ones included in the Champions League, have long lost their connection both with the countries in which they operate, and with the cities in which they appeared and to which they linked their history. […] In the age of globalized commercial football, teams, including the so-called local ones, are nothing more than global traveling commercial circuses, incidentally linked to cities, but more closely linked to all sorts of dirty, semi-dirty and cleaner cash flows.”
What is more important in this case is the consistency, not so much of citizens, as of politicians from the government who have “no right to celebrate the success of separatism,” as they represent “the national interests, not the personal or collective pleasures of certain segments of the population,” believes the political expert Dionis Cenusa. The victory of FC Sheriff encourages Transnistrian separatism, which receives validation now, he also stated.
“I don’t know how it happens that the “proud Moldovans who chose democracy”, in their enthusiasm for Sheriff Tiraspol’s victory over Real Madrid, forget the need for total and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria!” declared the journalist Vitalie Ciobanu.
Nowadays, FC Sheriff Tiraspol has no other choice than to represent Moldova internationally. For many years, the team used the Moldovan Football Federation in order to be able to participate in championships, including international ones. That is because the region remains unrecognised by the international community. However, the club’s victory is presented as that of Transnistria within the region, without any reference to the Republic of Moldova, its separatist character being applied in this case especially.
Is it a victory?
In fact, FC Sheriff Tiraspol joining the Champions League is a huge image breakthrough for the Transnistrian region, as the journalist Madalin Necsutu claimed. It is the success of the Tiraspol Club oligarchic patrons. From the practical point of view, FC Sheriff Tiraspol is a sports entity that serves its own interests and the interests of its owners, being dependent on the money invested by Tiraspol (but not only) oligarchs.
Here comes the real dilemma: the Transnistrian team, which is generously funded by money received from corruption schemes and money laundering, is waging an unequal fight with the rest of the Moldovan football clubs, the journalist also declared. The Tiraspol team is about to raise 15.6 million euro for reaching the Champions League groups and the amounts increase depending on their future performance. According to Necsutu, these money will go directly on the account of the club, not to the Moldovan Football Federation, creating an even bigger gab between FC Sheriff and other football clubs from Moldova who have much more modest financial possibilities.
“I do not see anything useful for Moldovan football, not a single Moldovan player is part of FC Sheriff Tiraspol. I do not see anything beneficial for the Moldovan Football Federation or any national team.”
Is it only about football?
FC Sheriff Tiraspol, with a total estimated value of 12.8 million euros, is controlled by Victor Gusan and Ilya Kazmala, being part of Sheriff Holding – a company that controls the trade of wholesale, retail food, fuels and medicine by having monopolies on these markets in Transnistria. The holding carries out car trading activities, but also operates in the field of construction and real estate. Gusan’s people also hold all of the main leadership offices in the breakaway region, from Parliament to the Prime Minister’s seat or the Presidency.
The football club is supported by a holding alleged of smuggling, corruption, money laundering and organised crime. Moldovan media outlets published investigations about the signals regarding the Sheriff’s holding involvement in the vote mobilization and remuneration of citizens on the left bank of the Dniester who participated in the snap parliamentary elections this summer and who were eager to vote for the pro-Russian socialist-communist bloc.
Considering the above, there is a great probability that the Republic of Moldova will still be represented by a football club that is not identified as being Moldovan, being funded from obscure money, growing in power and promoting the Transnistrian conflict in the future as well.
Photo: unknown
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Natalia Gavrilita, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicu Popescu, pay an official visit to Brussels, between September 27-28, being invited by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles.
Today, Prime Minister had a meeting with Charles Michel, President of the European Council. The Moldovan PM thanked the senior European official for the support of the institution in strengthening democratic processes, reforming the judiciary and state institutions, economic recovery and job creation, as well as increasing citizens’ welfare. Natalia Gavrilita expressed her confidence that the current visit laid the foundations for boosting relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, so that, in the next period, it would be possible to advance high-level dialogues on security, justice and energy. Officials also exchanged views on priorities for the Eastern Partnership Summit, to be held in December.
“The EU is open to continue to support the Republic of Moldova and the ambitious reform agenda it proposes. Moldova is an important and priority partner for us,” said Charles Michel.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita also met with Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy, expressing her gratitude for the support received through the OMNIBUS macro-financial assistance program. The two officials discussed the need to advance the recovery of money from bank fraud, to strengthen sustainable mechanisms for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in Moldova, and to standardize the customs and taxes as one of the main conditions for deepening cooperation with the EU in this field.
Additionally, Prime Minister spoke about the importance of the Eastern Partnership and the Deep Free Trade Agreement, noting that the Government’s policies are aimed at developing an economic model aligned with the European economic model, focused on digitalization, energy efficiency and the green economy.
A common press release of the Moldovan Prime Minister with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles, took place today, where the agenda of Moldova’s reforms and the main priorities to focus on in the coming months were presented: judiciary reform; fighting COVID-19 pandemic; promoting economic recovery and conditions for growth and job creation; strengthening state institutions and resilience of the country.
“I am here to relaunch the dialogue between my country and the European Union. Our partnership is strong, but I believe there is room for even deeper cooperation and stronger political, economic and sectoral ties. I am convinced that this partnership is the key to the prosperity of our country and I hope that we will continue to strengthen cooperation.”
The Moldovan delegation met Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice. Tomorrow, there are scheduled common meetings with Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy.
Prime Minister will also attend a public event, along with Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
Photo: gov.md
Politics
Promo-LEX about Maia Sandu’s UN speech: The president must insist on appointing a rapporteur to monitor the situation of human rights in Transnistria
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, pays an official visit to New York, USA, between September 21-22. There, she participates in the work of the United Nations General Assembly. According to a press release of the President’s Office, the official will deliver a speech at the tribune of the United Nations.
In this context, the Promo-LEX Association suggested the president to request the appointment of a special rapporteur in order to monitor the situation of human rights in the Transnistrian region. According to Promo-LEX, the responsibility for human rights violations in the Transnistrian region arises as a result of the Russian Federation’s military, economic and political control over the Tiraspol regime.
“We consider it imperative to insist on the observance of the international commitments assumed by the Russian Federation regarding the withdrawal of the armed forces and ammunition from the territory of the country,” the representatives of Promo-LEX stated. They consider the speech before the UN an opportunity “to demand the observance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Russian Federation with reference to this territory which is in its full control.”
“It is important to remember about the numerous cases of murder, torture, ill-treatment, forced enlistment in illegal military structures, the application of pseudo-justice in the Transnistrian region, all carried out under the tacit agreement of the Russian Federation. These findings stem from dozens of rulings and decisions issued by the European Court of Human Rights, which found that Russia is responsible for human rights violations in the region.”
The association representatives expressed their hope that the president of the country would give priority to issues related to the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region and would call on relevant international actors to contribute to guaranteeing fundamental human rights and freedoms throughout Moldova.
They asked Maia Sandu to insist on the observance of the obligation to evacuate the ammunition and the military units of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, to publicly support the need for the Russian Federation to implement the ECtHR rulings on human rights violations in the Transnistrian region, and to request the appointment of an UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.
**
The Promo-LEX Association concluded that 14 out of 25 actions planned within the National Action Plan for the years 2018–2022 concerning respecting human rights in Transnistria were not carried out by the responsible authorities.
The association expressed its concern and mentioned that there are a large number of delays in the planned results. “There is a lack of communication and coordination between the designated institutions, which do not yet have a common vision of interaction for the implementation of the plan.”
Promo-LEX requested the Government of the Republic of Moldova to re-assess the reported activities and to take urgent measures, “which would exclude superficial implementation of future activities and increase the level of accountability of the authorities.”
Photo: peacekeeping.un.org
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