SOS Haiti

From a distance, to think of Haiti is to imagine a battlefield on every street. I wonder if it’s just like that. If we stick to the press reports, this Caribbean territory is chaotic from beginning to end. So small in size with its less than 30,000 km², it seems incredible that all evils that harm a society come together there, to the point of not finding a way to save it from the mess that seems to flood everything.

It’s a nation vitiated by political disorder, on the verge of anarchy, and marked by deep social inequalities, and, mainly, by extreme poverty in a large part of the population, which cannot raise nor will it have, in a long time, the resources to thrive. The general situation is mostly due to a large extent because, on top of its location, it’s constantly affected by hurricanes and earthquakes.

Let’s remember how in 2010 Haiti was devastated after an earthquake that caused more than 300,000 deaths, a similar number of injuries, and more than a million and a half people were left homeless. This is not an isolated phenomenon, nature is often wayward with that area, and each time it leaves an even harsher scene of destitution and hopelessness.

With this gloomy panorama, it’s common for violence to escalate. Many individuals see no other way to survive and are absorbed by an environment from which it’s actually very difficult to crawl out. So that the crime rate is skyrocketed, every often gangs take over the streets to commit crimes or confront each other. It’s very dangerous to live like this. What is the outcome? In the eyes of outsiders, a frightened country, which emigrates or resists as best it can.

All of this contributes to sociopolitical instability.

The United Nations Organization recently revealed that in less than 80 days, this year, more than 500 people were murdered in Haiti, and that, therefore, a state of emergency must be declared. It’s hopeless. It often makes headlines, and it's never for the best. There’s only talk of riots, people on the verge of starvation, assassination, a meteorological catastrophe, deaths, and injuries, citizen-State discrepancies, or between the powers themselves. Anyway.

How will Haitians achieve a secure nation and improve their economy, as well as their social and political environment? I can't find grounded proposals. It’s not worth only the will, the desire for progress. International support, donated capital, calls for pacification, temporary aid campaigns with trained personnel only in certain areas are not enough. None of this is enough because evil is too deep-rooted, and they coexist with scarce resources, corruption, insecurity, little popular participation in decision-making processes with a State that increasingly loses control in an environment of violence almost at the level of terrorism, and apathy.

Haiti needs public strategies according to its reality. Optimize their quality of life with access to education and health, in addition to improving infrastructure, managing a greater job offer, and ensuring human rights. But it requires comprehensive improvement plans, sustained over time, comprehensive, and none of this will be viable without security. It’s a vulnerable country. An agreement is urgently needed between the government and gang groups, assess whether to forgive or punish. It urges political reconciliation, listening to the demands of the people, and working to grow. However, it’s a lengthy and non-linear process.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff