On my return to Haiti (Aristide publishes in the Guardian, UK, Feb 4, 2011)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/04/haiti-earthquake-aristide-education?INTCMP=SRCH

On my return to Haiti … by Jean Bertrand Aristide, guardian.co.uk, Friday 4 February 2011
A profit-driven recovery plan, devised and carried out by outsiders, can not reconstruct my country

Haiti's devastating earthquake in January last year destroyed up to 5,000 schools and 80% of the country's already weak university infrastructure. The primary school in Port-au-Prince that I attended as a small boy collapsed with more than 200 students inside. The weight of the state nursing school killed 150 future nurses. The state medical school was levelled. The exact number of students, teachers, professors, librarians, researchers, academics and administrators lost during those 65 seconds that irrevocably changed Haiti will never be known. But what we do know is that it cannot end there.

The exceptional resilience demonstrated by the Haitian people during and after the deadly earthquake reflects the intelligence and determination of parents, especially mothers, to keep their children alive and to give them a better future, and the eagerness of youth to learn – all this despite economic challenges, social barriers, political crisis, and psychological trauma. Even though their basic needs have increased exponentially, their readiness to learn is manifest. This natural thirst for education is the foundation for a successful learning process: what is freely learned is best learned.

Of course, learning is strengthened and solidified when it occurs in a safe, secure and normal environment. Hence our responsibility to promote social cohesion, democratic growth, sustainable development, self-determination; in short, the goals set forth for this new millennium. All of which represent steps towards a return to a better environment.

Education has been a top priority since the first Lavalas government – of which I was president – was sworn into officeunder Haiti's amended democratic constitution on 7 February 1991 (and removed a few months later). More schools were built in the 10 years between 1994, when democracy was restored, and 2004 – when Haiti's democracy was once again violated – than between 1804 to 1994: one hundred and ninety-five new primary schools and 104 new public high schools constructed and/or refurbished.

The 12 January earthquake largely spared the Foundation for Democracy I founded in 1996. Immediately following the quake, thousands accustomed to finding a democratic space to meet, debate and receive services, came seeking shelter and help. Haitian doctors who began their training at the foundation's medical school rallied to organised clinics at the foundation and at tent camps across the capital. They continue to contribute tirelessly to the treatment of fellow Haitians who have been infected by cholera. Their presence is a pledge to reverse the dire ratio of one doctor for every 11,000 Haitians.

Youths, who through the years have participated in the foundation's multiple literacy programmes, volunteered to operate mobile schools in these same tent camps. In partnership with a group from the University of Michigan in the US, post-traumatic counselling sessions were organised and university students trained to help themselves and to help fellow Haitians begin the long journey to healing. A year on, young people and students look to the foundation's university to return to its educational vocation and help fill the gaping national hole left on the day the earth shook in Haiti.

Will the deepening destabilising political crisis in Haiti prevent students achieving academic success? I suppose most students, educators and parents are exhausted by the complexity of such a dramatic and painful crisis. But I am certain nothing can extinguish their collective thirst for education.

The renowned American poet and essayist, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote that "we learn geology the morning after the earthquake". What we have learned in one long year of mourning after Haiti's earthquake is that an exogenous plan of reconstruction – one that is profit-driven, exclusionary, conceived of and implemented by non-Haitians – cannot reconstruct Haiti. It is the solemn obligation of all Haitians to join in the reconstruction and to have a voice in the direction of the nation.

As I have not ceased to say since 29 February 2004, from exile in Central Africa, Jamaica and now South Africa, I will return to Haiti to the field I know best and love: education. We can only agree with the words of the great Nelson Mandela, that indeed education is a powerful weapon for changing the world.

When will he ever learn when to speak and when to be quiet?Where is he now?if somebody could teach him to be more pragmatic and more aware of his reality he would be a more effective leader.President Aristide you should know by now that it is not enough to articulate the problems of the country ;you need to have the means to produce the goods and services.Do we have the means to reconstruct the country?Why don't you wait until you return and start to rebuild what was demolished by the earthquake instead of pretending to be what you're not.

Pawòl pou epate zonbi ki poko libere sèvèl yo. Kounyea lavalas pran kredi pou US Army Corps of Engineers. Kontinye bafwe moun ki p at la. Lavalas bati plis lekòl nan 10 zan... ah! ah! ah!. Talè yo pral di ke se yo ki diminye to analfabetism nan peyi an tou. Ala kote moun yo genyen odas konpè.

D'ailleurs, son éternel latin de petit séminariste et son créole aiguillonnant ne font qu'exaspérer ses ennemis. (lol) Néanmoins, vous ne pouvez pas le traiter de traître"martine

First of all I never call him a traitor.The same paragraph that you cite in your text is the one that I criticize.President Aristide has to learn when to shut up.It is not cowardice to avoid annoying your enemies when you are weak.Let me tell you something: I was watching his inauguration on television ;when he revoked General Abraham and his staff I kew then Aristide will not terminate his mandate. He is too arogant and unmature ;he has some good qualities as a human being ,but as a politician he is not very smart.

Sincerely if I were in his position I would not like to return to haiti right now.If during his presidency Aristide had to hire foreign soldiers for his security what would happen to him if he return to haiti right now.Remember what jean claude duvalier said in his press conference.:"Ils ont ete lachement assassinés."les Duvalier n'oublient jamais: le pere a tué un homme qui l'avait traite d'imbecile lors d'une reunion ministerielle .Thus President Aristide must be preapred to defend himself otherwise he better stays where he is .jean claude Duvalier will avenge Roger lafontant and claude raymond if he is not put in jail .As long as Prosper Avril is alive he will never forget what aristide did to him. .A bon lecteur salut.

Comme je vous l'ai dit, le retour d'Aristide ne devrait se passer dans le même contexte que celui du JCD.

Se ekzakteman atid Wozo a ki atitid yon bon pati nan klas mwayèn peyi a ki lakoz nou nan sa nou ye la a. Moun yo pa gen konviksyon pou yo kore yon mouvman -depi yo remake blan an ka pete fyèl li. Yo vle fè tout moun plezi alafwa, kidonk, yo pa janm ka bati anyen ki solid.

Natirèlman, li ta bon pou nou analize ti bout tèks Aristide ekri la a, pou nou wè ki sa ki valab ladan li, kisa ki pa fè nou plezi. Men, annou poze tèt nou kesyon sa a: Èske Jean-Claude Duvalier yo voye bannou an kapab fè yon refleksyon konsa? Pou kisa, se ti jwisè ki deja ap bwè tafya ak jamèdodo parèy li nan Montay Nwa a, yo ka voye bannou? Tandiske yon nonm ki - ansanm ak tout madanm li, pase plizyè ane ap viv nan yon espas akademik nan peyi ki plis ap devlope sou kontinan Lafrik la, se limenm ki gen fikilte vin ede kwape "brain drain" peyi a ap soufri depi kèk ane a?
http://www.unisa.ac.za/default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=21062

Lè mwen t ap oganize Inisyativ Ottawa sou Ayiti 2009, mwen te ekri ni ansyen Prezidan Aristide, ni ansyen prezidan Manigat pou mwen te envite yo vini reflechi epi pataje ak jenès peyi a eksperyans yo nan domèn edikasyon. Se pa paske mwen se fanatik Manigat ki fè mwen te envite li. Ni non plis se pa paske mwen se fanatik Aristide ki fè mwen te envite li. Nan tout peyi ki ap vanse, ou jwenn ansyen prezidan ap patisipe nan lavi entèlektyèl peyi yo. Domèn edikasyon an, se yon espas kote moun sa yo ta ka kontribye nan devlopman peyi a, san pase politik yo pa vin antrave kapasite yo pou yo pataje ak jenès la. Malerezman, demach mwen an pa t mache. Malerezman, jiskaprezan, grandèt nou yo refize chita ansanm Ayisyen ak Ayisyen. Men, lè blan konvoke yo, ou wè lenmi jire chita kot-a-kot tankou timoun piti. Gade sa ki sot pase ak KEP a semenn pase a. Chenn nan tèt pi di pase chenn nan pye!

Lotrejou mwen te gen chans poze Danny Lafferière yon kesyon sou responsablite noumenm nan klas "afranchi modèn" nan, pou nou ranpli devwa "temwanyaj" epi "solidarite nasyonal"nou - epi kanpe ak gwo majorite popilasyon an, nan revandikasyon lejitim li yo. Misye reponn se ekriven li ye, sa pran anpil efo pou pwodui liv, limenm se konsa li wè wol li. Mwen aksepte repons misye a, men mwen pa dako ak li. Si sosyete Afwo-Ameriken an pa te gen moun tankou Paul Robeson, James Weldon Johnson, Michael Eric Dyson, James Baldwin, Cornell West, Spike Lee... ki pa limite entèvansyon yo nan espas literati - men ki ap fose sosyete a chanje konpotman li anfas gwo manman majorite popilasyon nwa a, jounen jodi a, Lamerik 2011 lan ta sanble ak Lamerik Jim Crow a - e noumenm tou ki vin viv nan espas jewografik sa a, se nan bounda otobis la nou ta ale kofre ko nou jiskaprezan - bouch be.

Sa mwen apresye nan tèks Dr. Aristide la, sè ke li chita sou domèn edikasyon an espesyalman. Se vre - akoz sikonstans ekzil l ap viv la- li gen nesesite lonji dwèt sou estipidite ki lakoz li nan kanpe lwen an, men li pa chita sou sa.

Poze tèt nou kesyon sa a: Poukisa blan yo wè yon salopri k ap danse prèske toutouni, k ap di betiz, desann pantalon li nan figi moun tout lasent jounen...merite pou Sekretè Deta Meriken an debake vin pase KEP lod mete li nan kous eleksyonaval la.....men yo vle kenbe 2 Ayisyen ki gen lasyans ak eksperyans pou yo pataje ak peyi yo - osi lwen ke posib?

E noumenm Ayisyen, ki sa n ap fè ak reyalite sa a? N ap kontinye blame Aristide paske li pa fè menm jan ak Miki epi desann pantalon li tou? Oudimwens n ap kanpe pou nou defann sa ki jis la, menm nan moman li pa pi popilè devan je MASSA!?

Jaf

THUNDER;

Ou mèt sote ponpe ;yo bati plis lekòl vre an 10 zan.Se yon bagay ki endenyab.Lè yo te ranvèse ARISTIDE malgre ke pa t gen lajan;te gen lise ak lekòl primè ki te kontinye ap bati.
Egzanp ki pi frapan ,se lise MATISAN an ;se te yon lise iltra modèn ke yo te abandonnen apre koudeta 2004 .Mwen te wè foto lise sa a ke yon repòtè kanadyen ;mwen kwè se te FENTON ,ki te pran foto.
A koz de tout lekòl primè ke yo bati ;yo diminye to analfabetism lan.
Yo te ka fè plis ;men lan pwen sa a ;pa gen gouvènman ki janm monte ann AYITI ,ki konparab a yo.
SE YON FÈ,e kelkelanswa sa w di ,pa p ka fè negasyon de sa

Kite jan de pwopagann sa yo pou dijesyon fanatik kòryas yo ak moun ki pa janm mete pye yo Ayiti e ki kite nou ap bafwe yo toujou. Mwen iminize kont bagay sa yo.

Lekòl ke w ap aple yo se blan ki te bati yo. Malgre ke yo lage yo nan men lavalas, lavalas pat fouti jere yo tèlman ke yo t ap vòlò. Menm lakrè pa genyen nan yo, alevwa pou pwofesè, alevwa pou ban.

Eske w konnen ke se sou lavalas ke pwofesè lekòl te fè plizyè ane yo pa t touche yon pyas? Sa te lakòz youn nan pi gwo kriz nan sektè edikasyon an ki te fè ke elèv lekòl piblik te antre an konfwotasyon ak sa prive yo.

Yon lòt fwa ankò, to analfabetizasyon an ki ogmante an pa genyen anyen pou l wè ak lavalas. Se 2 bagay ki lakòz sa:

1) Ogmantasyon lekòl prive

2) Ekzòd Ayisyen nan provens yo pou kapital lan

De 1990 a 2000, nonb lekòl prive double nan peyi an. Menm Preval te rekonèt lotrejou ke anviwon 95% lekòl nan peyi an se lekòl prive. Nan rès 5% ke leta genyen an, anviwon mwatye p ap fonksyone vre.

Anplis, kounyea akòz ke peyizan Ayisyen an pa ka fè konkirans ak pwodwi etranje yo, yo reyalize ke latè pa bay ankò. Tan pou yo kite pitit yo kwoupi nan travay latè ak yo, yo pito voye yo lavil menm si se restavèk ke yo voye yo al fè. Peyizan sa yo mete espwa yo sou timoun sa yo konprenan ke yon jou se yo k ap leve yo atè a. Lè timoun sa yo rive nan lavil kay matant entèl oubyen mesye entèl, yo genyen plis chans pou yo arive frekante lekòl. E se sa ki fèt.

Genyen yon relasyon ki sanble ekziste ant pousantaj moun k ap viv lavil ak to analfabetism. Plis moun k ap rantre lavil, se plis to anafabetism lan ap diminye. Se pa kounye an ke sa ap fèt, ni se pa sèl nan peyi an ke sa se yon fè.

Nan opinyon pa m, mwen panse ke lavalas ralanti anvi pou aprann nan peyi an. Yo se youn nan sektè ki montre jèn yo ke yo pa bezwen ale lekòl pou yo yon bagay demen. Depi yo ka kenbe yon kawotchou ak yon 9mm nan men yo, yo kapab the next Ronald Kadav, Francko Camille, Rene Civil, Kiben, Nahoun Marcelus, Yvon Zap-Zap, Dread Wilme, Amaral Duclonas...

Pou sante mantal wou, retire koze lavalas lan sou kesyon sa a. Se lè yo pa sou pouvwa ke yo genyen yon pakèt projè pou jèn yo, kou yo pran pouvwa, yo fout tout jèn sa yo yon kawotchou ak yon 9mm pou proteje pouvwa a. Se pa pou anyen ke chante GNB an te di ke : Aristide prizon! ...Chimè lekòl!

Nou kwe ke le fet ke Aristide te retounnen nan universite pou'l te aprand e resevwa yon PhD. montre inpotans EDUCATION nan vie 'l.
Li pat chita ap bwe champagn, fe ski nan les Alpes, ni achte chateau.

Edikasyon rete yon priyorite pou li e nou si ke si li tounnen nan peyi'l se sou sa ke'l pra'l travay.
Aristide toujou rete yon inspirasyon e yon role model pou pep la!
Yon malere parey yo ki jwen mwayen rive nan yon nivo sosyal e intellektyel san se pa papa'l ki mouri kite byen ak richess pouli.

Fok nou bay kredi kote kredi a ye!

revelation a écrit:Nou kwe ke le fet ke Aristide te retounnen nan universite pou'l te aprand e resevwa yon PhD. montre inpotans EDUCATION nan vie 'l.
Li pat chita ap bwe champagn, fe ski nan les Alpes, ni achte chateau.

Edikasyon rete yon priyorite pou li e nou si ke si li tounnen nan peyi'l se sou sa ke'l pra'l travay.
Aristide toujou rete yon inspirasyon e yon role model pou pep la!
Yon malere parey yo ki jwen mwayen rive nan yon nivo sosyal e intellektyel san se pa papa'l ki mouri kite byen ak richess pouli.

Fok nou bay kredi kote kredi a ye!

Sa se achivman pèsonèl Ti Moris ke w ap ba n m la a. Sa pa genyen anyen awè ak sa ke m ap pale an.

Yon enspirasyon nan kisa? nan poud blanch ak dechèpiye kès leta?

Al chita tande Revelation.

NON;

Ou mèt ,pete, pyafe ;voye monte ;sou zafè edikasyon an ou kakit.Moun ki ale fè ankèt ann AYITI rekonèt sa mesye LAVALAS yo fè lan domèn edikasyon an.
Yo te bay ,konbyen lise;konbyen lekòl primè yo bati.

Sou DIVALYE ;a pèn si lan tout peyi an te gen 7 lise.E malgre sa sou FRANSWA ;bagay WOZO gen dwa di w ;pwofesè yo pa t touche non plis;malgre se ti kras lekòl sa yo ki te genyen.

SISPANN RANS;se pa paske ou rayi mesye yo ;pou w ap voye monte konsa.

Radot sou radot! li klè gen anpil pwogrè ki te fèt nan peyi a sou prezidans Aristide ak sou prezidans Preval I. Si n ap onèt se pou nou gade reyalizasyon sa yo nan kontèks politik ak ekonomik yo te fèt la tou. 1) Aristide pa te janm fini yon manda prezidansyèl, 2) Li pa te jwenn konkou li ta bezwen nan men swadizan klas entèlektyèl peyi a, alevwa pou reyaksyonèe Mon Kalvè yo 3) blan yo te kanpe an kwa kont tout anjannda pwogresis li te gengen.

Epitou, reyalizsyon yon peyi se pa reyalizasyon ni yon moun, ni yon pati politik. Se vye atitid sot sa a ki mete nou kote nou ye la a. Pandan peryod Lavalas la, madan Mildred Aristide te travay ak Zanmi Lasante pou yo mete sou pye yon seri bon pwogram pou ede kwape SIDA, se pa t pou "pasyan Lavalas" - se tout Ayisyen ki te benefisye sèvis yo ki ka rekonesan pou sa. Ojis, jouk nan peyi Larisi, Pewou, Rwanda, modèl Ayiti a ap bay bon rezilta. Konsa tou Ayewopo ki bati sou Duvalier a, èske se avyon Air Tonton Makout ki vole ak ateri ladan l? Kidonk, fok nou sisppann fèe diskisyon nivo primè sa yo.

Lè yon moun ap defann Ayiti vre, ou pa gen chwa pou ou ekzije respè pou yon gouvènman lejitim ki monte nan eleksyon. Ou pa gen hwa defann dwa Leta Ayisyen pou li jwenn lajan prete nan sistèm finansye entènasyonal la pou li bati lopital, lekol ak lot enfrastrikti pou nasyon an. Se enbesil ki kwè koze sa yo konekte ak yon endividi osnon yon mouvans politik. Jounen jodi a, ki Ayisyen ki enterese konnen si se "les cacos", "les piquets", "l'armée souffrante" ki te bati plis lekol? Sa ki klè sèke sistèm edikasyon nou an malad. JENERASYON pa nou an - kit ou ba li pote non Lavalas, Duvalyeris osnon Manigatis, se yon jenerasyon ki po ko mete devwa li opwop. Sa n ap kite pou timoun yo pa bèl. Anvan nou fout mouri, eseye kite yon ti kichoy ki valab, se sa ki defi nou. Ki sa n ap kite pou timoun yo?

Joel mwen sonje byen se nan prison lafontant mouri e li te genyen anpil lenmi mwen sonje ke Claude raymond te nan prison men lè w tande Jean Clown di w :Ils ont été lachement assassinés se tankou sa loup te di agno a ;Si ce n'est pas toi,c'est ton frère" jou Jean Clown reprann otorite l nan peyi dayiti e jan mwen wè neg yo ap bere l anba se pa enposib se manman pitit mare vant nou sere.

lè m di Arisitde dwe aprann genyen moman poul rete dousman.rapò fos pa an favè l pou le moman.se sa ki koze echek li li atake fòs ki pi fò pase l .Lè Castro ak Chavez ap rele Ti bush Dyab men deyè yo byen pwoteje.nan la vi sa se pa lè w beswen domi ou ranje kabann w.Pou di dyab sa kasayol te di bef la fok ou ka koresponn ak li.

jaf

Mwen pa lage koz pep la non ,men tou mwen pa ka pran echek sou echek ak yon gwoup moun epi map adore yo tou tan ,No way jose.se sak fè mwen di ke ayiti beswen yon pati revolutyonè tankou PRD ya ki pa chapel yon moun ,men yon vrè pati politik ki genyen yon pwogram poul pran pouvwa e ki konnen ki jan poul defann pouvwa kont malfrendeng.

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NON;

Ou mèt ,pete, pyafe ;voye monte ;sou zafè edikasyon an ou kakit.Moun ki ale fè ankèt ann AYITI rekonèt sa mesye LAVALAS yo fè lan domèn edikasyon an.
Yo te bay ,konbyen lise;konbyen lekòl primè yo bati.

Sa a se pou konsomasyon fanatik yo ak moun ki pa janm mete pye yo an Ayiti. Ban m raple w ki moun ki te konn ap jape bagay sa a se Robert Roth, nèg ki te sou payroll Aristide.

Le gros roseau a écrit:Joel mwen sonje byen se nan prison lafontant mouri e li te genyen anpil lenmi mwen sonje ke Claude raymond te nan prison men lè w tande Jean Clown di w :Ils ont été lachement assassinés se tankou sa loup te di agno a ;Si ce n'est pas toi,c'est ton frère" jou Jean Clown reprann otorite l nan peyi dayiti e jan mwen wè neg yo ap bere l anba se pa enposib se manman pitit mare vant nou sere.

lè m di Arisitde dwe aprann genyen moman poul rete dousman.rapò fos pa an favè l pou le moman.se sa ki koze echek li li atake fòs ki pi fò pase l .Lè Castro ak Chavez ap rele Ti bush Dyab men deyè yo byen pwoteje.nan la vi sa se pa lè w beswen domi ou ranje kabann w.Pou di dyab sa kasayol te di bef la fok ou ka koresponn ak li.

Sa m vle di w sè ke LAFONTANT te mouri anvan ARISTIDE te prete sèman;pa t gen jan se ARISTIDE ki ta kòz lanmò misye an;sèvis sekrè ameriken yo pa t vle LAFONTANT;misye te gen twòp apwi lan milye makout lan e yo te deja ap mijonnen koudeta a e yo te bezwen yon rejim militè pou kraze mouvman popilè an ;sa pa t ap fasil ak yon LAFONTANT vivan.

Kanta CLAUDE RAYMOND premye bagay fòs espesyal ameriken yo te fè ,se te arete CLAUDE RAYMOND e misye te sou youn lan bato ameriken yo kote sik misye te monte l.

Fòs espesyal yo te arete RAYMOND pou menm rezon yo te arete SÒ ÀN an 2004.Depi yo debake ;depi gen yon moun ki ta ka monte yon rezistans kont yo;yo arete w

Revision historique!

Apre ke Aristide te finn genyen eleksyon an, sete youn lafyev, youn isteri jeneral. SA ki ekri anvan post sa'a se youn menti de oyun fiefe mente... Alo si'm vle kwe sa yo di la'a, Arisitde se oyun ti zanfann ke ki merite pwan lsoti e pemet rantre nan apradi menm anvan li ta mouri... Nou mechan Ayisien, le nou genyen mayo ekip nou renmen pa genyen anyen lot ekip la fe ki bon! PA genyen okenn Rochambeau pami nou ki ka kanpe youn lit pou rekonet vlae youn ennmi. Nou pa ka we okenn move zak, okenn krim ou ere de leader karismatik ke nou adore. 2 Je nou femen, pwen nou femen, nap tann asasen an pou nu ka rekomanse kraze brize anko... Jean Claude tounen depi 16 janvye poko genyen youn moun ki mouri ou blese, map[ pareye ka nou menm nan moun ki vinn rankontre chef lwa lavalas ke moun pwal komanse pedi lavi yo... Genle si se chale ki fe msie ap tounen, eske pa genyen lot kote nan kek deze nan LAfrik ki fe pi cho?

Pou sila ki pa konnen yo, Lafontant te mouri 29 Septanm 1991 nan selil prizon l nan Penitansye Nasyonal anba katouch. Ti nèg k ap radote yo se pou yo ale tcheke liv listwa yo ankò.

That is a very nice essay wrote by President Aristide. This is completely difference from his last speech. The rhetoric, the circumstance, and the audience were carefully mastered. That is exactly what I expect from a former President with a wealth of knowledge like Aristide.

Avec ce ton professoral, President Aristide peut aider le pays. J'encourage le president a continuer ses recherches et continuer a ecrire de beaux "essais" comme celui ci. Je pense qu'il peut publier cet essai dans les journaux scholartic"peer reviewed", comme ca, son text bien elabore peut etre disponible aux etudiants du monde.

Nice job, President Aristide!