Haiti’s former glory and promises of democracy lie forgotten as the country becomes increasingly ravaged with violence, crime, demonstrations, and corruption. The devastating earthquake on January 12, 2010 coupled with a cholera epidemic was the last blow as it leveled major housing and education infrastructures and also destroyed the citizens scantily gathered hopes and growth along with it, plunging the Haitian population into a never-ending cycle of chronic poverty.
Demonstrations
Demonstrations and protests are a daily occurrence in the lives of many Haitians as mounting sentiments of anger were aimed towards the country’s president, Jovenel Moïse. Distrust of the government took on a physical form in the ruined cities of Haiti. Many factors such as a deepening fuel shortage, spiraling inflation, a lack of safe drinking water, food scarcity, and environmental degradation caused the latest demonstrations in Haiti. During these demonstrations, Haitians blocked roads and highways, set fires, attacked property, and looted businesses. In October of 2019, thousands of protestors, dissatisfied with the current government and the corruption lurking in its shadows, marched through the capital of Haiti to demand the resignation of Moïse, which concluded with the deaths of 17 people and an economy on the brink of war and collapse.
“We are in misery and we are starving,” protester Claude Jean told Reuters. “We cannot stand it anymore.”
As news reaches the world about the crisis in Haiti, many people and organizations worldwide have mobilized to provide volunteer work, relief efforts, donations, and many other forms of aid. But now, a decade later, Haiti is still crumbling and vulnerable even with the billions of dollars accumulated from international aid.
Presently, the underlying question is, “What can we do to give a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in Haiti right now?” We answer with this: keep doing what you’re doing. Educate yourselves and others on the current affairs in Haiti and don’t stop there. Include the dozens of other developing countries going through the same situations. Spread awareness and help in whatever way you can, little by little. Because as Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
Written by Heidi Blythe and Katherine Wang, Editorial Officers
Sources
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/daily-protests-are-paralyzing-haiti-heres-why/2019/10/14/aba02aba-ee9f-11e9-bb7e-d2026ee0c199_story.html
- https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2020/country-chapters/haiti
- https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2019-10-04/haiti-opposition-summons-new-protests-against-president
- https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-ambassador-expresses-support-haitian-president-moise
- https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/03/americas/haiti-anti-government-protests/index.html
- https://theconversation.com/a-decade-after-the-earthquake-haiti-still-struggles-to-recover-129670
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