By: Wadner Pierre and Darren Ell - HaitiAnalysis.com
Part 2 (of a
2 Part Photo Essay)
Only meters from the home of Amaral Duclona, there are desperate scenes of people abandoned by the institutions they entrusted with their vote in 2006. Fields of trash and pools of fetid toxic water surround entire areas of Cité Soleil, particularly in Belekou. (Photo: ©2007 Wadner Pierre)
Young residents of the Boston quarter of Cité Soleil brought out cardboard posters after our arrival. One was written in broken English and demanded an end to MINUSTAH’s repression. (Photo: ©2007 Wadner Pierre)
An angry man came forward while we were talking to people near Amaral’s home: “Amaral is not a bandit! He made a canteen for us where we can eat for 5 gourdes (15 cents). His absence is creating problems for us in Belekou!” (Photo: ©2007Darren Ell)
Many residents spoke angrily of the recent raid on the home of Amaral Duclona, who MINUSTAH accuses of terrorizing the people of Cité Soleil. People on the ground spoke of a different man who defends them and helps ensure they get medical attention and nutrition. Amaral’s home, now occupied by UN soldiers – Amaral is in hiding – is located right next to the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross. (Photo: ©2007Darren Ell)
This resident of Cité Soleil spoke of the cynicism of the UN troops conducting terrifying raids on their neighborhood, then showing up after to hand out free water bottles and meals, only to disappear a few hours later. According to her, the following event transpired during the distribution of water: “When the soldiers arrived, the children were dancing because it was Carnaval. Some soldiers started dancing with them. A boy arrived. He was carrying some food. He accidentally bumped into a young man and he dropped his food. One of the soldiers literally grabbed him and dragged him into one of the UN armored vehicles. When the people around demanded they let him go, they pointed their guns at us.” She also condemned MINUSTAH’s “Operation Nazca,” a sweep of 17 arrests recently conducted over three days in Cité Soleil. “These were illegal arrests. They must release these people. Among these 17 people, there were women whose only accusation was that they were “wives of gang members.”
(Photo: ©2007Darren Ell)
A teenage Boston resident calling himself John Robert covered his face and said: “We are blamed for all the kidnapping everywhere in the city simply because we are poor. Everyone, absolutely everyone here got up early on February 7th, 2006 to vote for Préval. And today this is what he gives us! MINUSTAH is using M50s to kill us. Préval doesn’t want us to move forward. Préval, do you hear us? They are killing us whenever and however they want! God will judge you for this! What will you say to God when he asks you about the people of Cité Soleil? (Photo: ©2007 Wadner Pierre)
During a recent demonstration, this man came forward with a poster of Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In our numerous encounters with people in Cité Soleil, we noticed that their expressions of outrage always finished with a demand for the return of Aristide to Haiti (Photo: ©2007 Wadner Pierre)
Lavalas spokesperson Deshommes Présengloire, denounced MINUSTAH’s actions in Cite Soleil at a press conference, and demanded that the Préval Government and MINUSTAH change course as current actions are terrorizing the population. Présengloire denounced US President George Bush, former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, French President Jacques Chirac, and former UN General Secretary Kofi Annan as the real criminals in Haitian affairs. Speaking for Lavalas, he demanded that the government respect the demands of the people of Haiti: (1) The return of Jean-Bertrand Aristide; (2) The liberation of political prisoners; (3) the reintegration of government employees illegally fired by the Latortue regime; (4) peace and a better life for the residents of Cité Solei; (5) the arrest of those who committed crimes before and after the 2004 coup d’état; (6) the immediate departure of MINUSTAH from Haiti. (Photo: ©2007Darren Ell)
