Jean Bertrand Aristide

By Teresa Bo in Americas on January 14th, 2010
Photo by Getty Images

I'm writing this on my blackberry as I am driving to Haiti from the Dominican Republic.

Again, nature has destroyed Haiti’s chances of getting back on its feet - or at least, that is what we are being told.

The truth is that natural disasters in Haiti always prove to be more devastating than in the neighboring Dominican Republic or in Cuba. Lack of infrastructure, deforestation and severe poverty are some of the reasons why.

After former priest Jean Bertrand Aristide was removed from office, a UN mission known as MINUSTAH brought in over 7,000 peacekeeping troops to prevent the country from being torn apart by violence.

By Teresa Bo in Americas on October 5th, 2009
Photo by EPA

Haiti was the first black republic to gain independence from the Europeans when 500,000 slaves revolted against the white colonisers. Some here tell me that this country was never forgiven for doing such a thing.
 
One of the first embargoes in history is that against Haiti. The United States did not recognise Haiti until its own slave regime crumbled in the 1860s. France, despite the ideals of its 1789 revolution, would not recognise Haiti until it paid a crushing multi-million dollar indemnity.
 
Patrick Eli, a Haitian politician, told me that Haiti will always be an example of a failed state because of that precise reason. Slaves did what was unthinkable in other nations at that time.
 
Violence, corruption and poverty have plagued Haiti’s history since its freedom. It is still the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, corruption is rampant and unemployment is over 70 per cent.
 

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