Forced Evacuations on July 5 in Pétion-Ville Violate Human Rights

Forced Evacuations on July 5 in Pétion-Ville Violate Human Rights

Posted: 07/05/2012 3:19 pm A solidarity delegation of U.S. college students and members of the Haiti Justice Alliance met on Monday, July 2 with a committee of representatives from Jalousie in Pétion-Ville, Haiti where 80,000 people reside and are facing imminent forced evacuations. Lacking consent, information, and alternatives, this is in serious violation of inalienable human rights.

According to the representatives, the Mayor of Pétion-Ville and the Minister of Environment visited the community on June 5 and informed the population that they were required to evacuate the mountainside by the beginning of the following month, marking approximately 10,000 homes. They explained that the area was intended to be bulldozed on July 5, clearing the impoverished dwellings from plain site.

Since this brief and shocking encounter, the community has been unable to get the government's attention. Protests and press releases haven't been successfully received with responses or solutions. Without a relocation plan and compensation for the homes, land, and inconvenience, these people are left wondering and waiting for their fate. Panic and worry have set in now that the date is approaching as questions are still left unanswered.

"Are they going to come in the morning, at night? We don't know anything."

Recent radio announcements confirmed the date of the evacuations, but community members are still unsure of the details. Individuals had received SMS messages 15 days prior to the proposed demolition, yet a formal dialogue hasn't taken place. President Martelly has remained apathetic, claiming he is against the evacuations, yet not stepping in to interfere with the destruction in any way.

"The president doesn't know we exist."

Disconnect between the Haitian government and the community has created insurmountable fear and confusion. The Minister of Environment has stated in news sources that the evacuation is necessary in order to create proper drainage systems to handle the continual flooding. However, none of this has explicitly been explained to the Haitian people, and they have not had a chance to voice their concerns. Question after question need answering. Where will they go? How much money will they receive? Where are they going to work? How are their children going to eat? How are they going to attend school? Left in the dark, these people are scared and live in misery.

Two and a half years post-earthquake, the majority of Haiti's population is still suffering, including the community in Jalousie. Amidst their strength and resilience, these individuals live in poverty. The representatives speak of their daily challenges: the hardships of unemployment, food scarcity, and the lack of involvement in the decision making process in Haiti. Most of the women in the room work as domestics and a handful of them support their families as single mothers, struggling to feed their children.

"In this area, water is like gold" one man said.

The added stress of a looming relocation has taken its toll.

"We are so tired we can't sleep"

Nestled into the rocky mountainside, the meeting room's window frames a perfect view of the gargantuan Oasis Hotel, partially funded by Bill Clinton. The stark contrast between the gleaming orange towers and the grey desolation surrounding paints a clear picture of the current social stratification in Haiti. It also perfectly exemplifies the misappropriation of funds and the skewed prioritization in regards to development.

Perhaps the intent is to relocate individuals to the countryside, decreasing the population in Port-au-Prince and improving living conditions. But relocation can't happen until several social structures are established, including connecting roads, agricultural development, and employment opportunities. Quick fixes and façade alterations aren't going to create lasting change. Development isn't a solution, it's a process. This process should include all participating and affected populations.

These representatives of Jalousie aren't asking for favors or handouts, they are asking for democracy. They are asking for the government to listen. They are asking for answers.

We are reaching out to U.S. policy makers and the international community to shed light upon this blatant disregard for human rights. We are requesting answers and an open dialogue from the Haitian government regarding the relocation plan. We stand in solidarity with the people of Jalousie in Pétion-Ville and demand attention on their behalf.

moun ki genyen kay pou yo domi ;dlo pou yo bwè pa konn misè e pa beswen tande soufrans sa ki pa genyen kay nan peyi chen manje chen saa. se sa ki mete nou kote nou ye ya.e ou jwen moun ki ta sanse genyen senpati woyyyyyy mantrave ak marc henry pou pov yo kap aplodi desisyon kriminel saa.

Mwen pa konnen si se li ke mwen li sa ki ekri an twò vit. Men, otè tèks saa pa montre ki kote ke dwa moun vyole nan evakyasyon fòse zòn danjere saa. Dwa ki vyole laa se petèt dwa ki di ke: moun genyen dwa bati kay yo kote ki fè yo plezi san teni kont de lavi yo ak lavi lòt moun

kote genyen imen menm lè yon bet sovaj rantre nan yon katye ,yo pran prekotyon pou yo pa fel mal .yo pranl yal remete nan abita natirel li.men se kanadyen ki te genyen rezon lèl te di si kanadyen te trete chen lakay yo jan nou trete ayisyen parey nou fok gouvneman kanadyen ta mete yo nan prison pou kriyote enver zannimo.

Yon neg ki te renmen moun ki te konn mete ayisyen nan kacho Fort Dimanch mwen pa espere lap ka konprann sa ki ekri nan teks saa non.Men marc henry o mwen ki grandi kote yo konsidere tout moun kom moun mwen sezi de li.

Pa genyen moun ki di ke fok yo evakye moun yo tankou bet. Men, sel bagay pinga moun di ke dwa moun yo vyole san bon jan agiman.

Kom nan peyi ke w ye a se imen ki rete ladann, mwen ba w defi al mete kay wou nan nenpot State oubyen Federal Reserved Park epi mante leta yon milyon dola anvan ke yo kraze kay saa. Pou m we si se lang ke yo pral tete ak wou

Mwen te konn gare machine mwen bor lan mer nan east side manhattan anvan mal nan biro anba Fdr drive la genyen yon paket moun ki mete tant yo la.se la yo domi se la yo fè tout beswen yo mwen pa janm wè la polis rantre vinn arete yo ni kraze tant yo ;o kontrè yo voye anploye welfare al pale ak yo pou ba yo konsey e ba yo yon aptman pou yo rete.Mwen te konn ap mete gas ak elektsitie nan bilding ke siti ya te renove pou malere ak drug adik ki pa ka peye kay pou yo rete nan bronx , nan Florida la genyen yon paket alkoolik ak drug adik ki ap domi nan park nan Orlando yo pa voye kraze tant yo ,yo chache ba yo tretman e chache bati kay pou midlle klass e pov ,map gade yon kote yon paket pov te rete sou yon teren prive ,proprietè teren te bay yon organisatyon charitab teren an pou yo te bati kay pou moun sa yo rete.sa se kote yo konsidere tout moun se moun.

men nan lanfè ke patron w yo rele ayiti se pa regade nou si moun sa yo mouri ak tiberkoloz ak nemoni ak pitit yo si yo pa genyne kote pou yo domi anba la pli.mwen ak w pa genyne menm moral .li pa nesesè pou nou diskite ankor.

Pa genyen moun ki di pou yo pa bay moun yo yon konpansasyon, men di ke se lanmou ke Martelly pa genyen pou yo se pa serye. Anplis bagay ke w site la yo pa konparab ak sa k ap pase nan Jalouzi an. Ozetazini, moun sa yo pa mete ni lavi yo ni lavi lòt moun an danje. Pou enfòmasyon w, se pa tant ke moun yo monte nan mòn nan se yon pakèt ti kay an beton e ki genyen etaj sou yo.

Wou t ap pale de peyi ki genyen "imen". Mwen pa kwè ke genyen kote ki genyen plis "imen" ke District of Columbia. Ebyen men kisa ke yo di sou zafè konstriksyon ilegal:

What Work Requires a Permit?

The following are types of work that require building permits:
•New construction
•Additions
•Demolition
•Construction of retaining walls, decks, fences, sheds, garages, and vaults
•Erection of signs and awnings...


Penalties and Stop Work Orders

There is a $2000 fine (per infraction) for:
•Work without a permit
•Work outside the scope of a permit
•Work before 7 am or after 7 pm Monday through Saturday or any time on Sunday

If you break these laws again, you may be fined up to $4,000 per infraction.

If you get a Stop Work Order for illegal construction, you will also have to pay a fine of 50 percent of the cost of the permit you should have obtained.

DCRA will not release the Stop Work Order until you pay the permit fee and fine.

Tankou ke w te di pou Marc, si w ta prezidan yon kote, mwen t ap peye kanntè menm pou chen lakay mwen pou l ka kite kote saa pou wou. Se pa sèl social work ki montre ke yon gouvenman reyi konpatriyòt li yo. Men, pwoteje moun yo menm kont pwòt tèt pa yo se lanmou tou.

Si'm ta prezidan mwen tap asire'm ke tout moun konn programm politik mwen e ke yo konprann li tou . Apre sa mwen patap lans rans ak moun . Si yon moun ap vinn menase renvesem mwen tap kraze bounda yo . Durant mon mandat mwen tap asirem geneyn ase polis ak agent de securite pou mwen mete programm ajusteman ak aseniseman publik la an mach .

Moun kap vinn fe bidonvil ninpot kikote mwen tap expulse yo lan monn kote papa ak maman yo te fett .

De l'ordre et de la disiplinn pou peyi sa chanje . Karott ak anpil baton pou fe peyi sa mache.

Thunder

sak fè gouvenman ke wap defaan lan pat mete yon code de konstriktyon menm jan ak sa w site ya.pou obeyi yon lwa ou yon kode fok ou konnen kel eksiste e fok ou konnen konsekans ou ka peye si w pa obeyi lwa a kode de konstriktyon.Lèw yon builder, (konstriktè) ap bati yon kay o Zeta Zuni ;premyèman li genyen poul pase yon ekzamen ki montre li genyen ekspertiz ase pou bati kay e diran konstriktyon genyne inspectyon ki ap fet pou asire ke li obeyi kod elektrik ,plonbery, chofaj etc.e menm lè kay la fini fok minisipalite ba li yon certificate of occupancy anvan ke moun ka viv nan kay la.ou pa ka mande yon moun poul obeyi yon kode kel pa konnen.se pa tou den kou bagay bati kay nan morn lopital la komanse.ki sa gouvenman te fè poul te stope saa?pou te mete yon fren nan anarchism saa?se komsi ou pa jnam eksplike ptit w danje ki genyen nan jwe ak alimet epi se lè kay la pran di fe se lè saa wap bat li.kom ou se yon san pitye ou toujou vle touye viktim o lye ou kritike iresponsab yo ki mete peyi ya nan eta sa.

mwen di wi fok yo demoli kay yo men se pa san yon plan pou ba moun yo kote pou yo rete.lage yo nan la ri ya san sekou pa yon solutyon.

marc


Kanta baton ou tap mete baton nan janm yo vre. se pousa mwen di kote w ta presidan mwen tap kouri kite kote saa vit.paske menm jan ou tap voye flè pou Preval ki te di patwon pa ka peye ouvriye sale minimum ke benoit te vote nan la chanb ou vle ke ouvriye kontinye travay pou mwens ke 3 dola pajou pou patwon yo pa kie peyi ya ou pa tap ba yo yon ti karot men se ak anpil baton ou tap dirije.mwen genyen enpresyon ou te ka di menm bagay ak sa herman Cain te di ya:If you're poor blame yourself."se pousa mwen regret mwen vin rankontre w sou internet la lèm gran moun paske mwen tap montre w ke se pa vle moun yo vle viv nan kondityon saa se peyi ya ki mal dirije.Ou pa ka konprann pou blame viktim yo ki pa genyen menm formatyon basic nan anyen.mwen sonje mwen te pase yon nwit ka yon abitan nan zonn Thiotte la nan yon kay an tach li tleman fè fret abitan mete yon gwo boukan di fe nan mitan kay la epi zeklè di fe ap vole rive jis nan pay ki kouvri kay la.mwen dil li pa ka fè sa li dim non doktè ou pa beswen inkyete w non anyen pap rive,.mwen te resi blije soti al domi deyor paske mwen te santi ke li te ka mete di fe nan ajoupa .men pou li se pa anyen.li domi byen domi ak boukan di fe ap chofel tandiske fredi ya tap manje tout zom deyor a.
ki donk se pou leta ta kraze tout chomyè sa yo tou?fok nou konn reyalite peyi ya byen anvan nou vinn kondane malere.pou nou pwoteje sankoutya ,malpwop , san visyon delenkan ki tap dirije peyi ya.

Roseau

Mwen seten wou tap dako ave'm paske mwen tap dirige pou tout moun moun en ho ak moun ba sou mem pye degalite .

Mark

se pa sa w ekri predi non.map mande tet mwen si w tap pemet ouvriye fome syndika an ayiti.siw tap konprann ke se pa malere ki vle konstwi kay tou patou san yo pa swiv lwa e kod konstriktyon nan peyi ya.tout bet beswen yon kote pou yo domi ak pitit yo.Lotrejou se animal control mwen peye pou retire yon rakoom ki pran ,lojman nan lakou lakay mwen ak tout pitit li.Lè w gemnyen yon gouvenman ki pa pwoteje peyisan ki pito siyen kontra ak gwo peyi ki lakoz prodiktyon agrikol nan peyi ya efondre moun sa yo pa genyen chwa; sak genyen chans pran kannntè, sak pa ka peye kapitenn bato pou voyaj la blije al fome bidonvil nan vil yo.Pwoblem yo konpleks fok ou leve nan peyi ya e ou genyen charite e amou pou pep saa pou konprann pwoblem yo byen.nan pwen oken diplom ki ka fè w metrise pwoblem ayisyen yo byen si w pa konn peyi ya byen.

lè w wè yon ayisyen pito rete esklav an dominikani o lye li tounen lakay li se pa fou li fou non.se paske lakay li yo tretel pi mal pase an dominikani.Ou pat tande yon jen gason ke yo te voye tounen an ayiti paske li te rantre o Zeta Zuni ilegalman li te touye tet li nan avyon.e byen se pou reson sa yo wi.ou se yon ti woch nan dlo pa konn doulè woch nan soley.ou leve nan yon peyi kote yo trete moun tankou moun ou pa ka konprann sosyete ayisyen byen tou tan ou pa viv ladann.Fok se gwo moral pou genyen an ayiti pou pa fè sa w pa dwe fè.

Roseau

Ce que je veux vous dire est simple. Lorsqu'on accepte de briguer un poste électif c'est parce qu'on a un plan pour changer les choses. On ne devient pas président pour se plaindre des choses mais pour changer des choses.
Roseau

Je vous assure que je n'accepterais même pas être un chef de section si je n'ai pas un plan et des moyens pour réaliser mon plan. Je ne serai jamais le maire des cayes si je n'ai pas une équipe capable de relever les défis du département du sud.

Roseau

Avant d'être élu tout serait planifié en concertation avec mon équipe de cadres, avec les membres de mon parti, les leaders de la ville des cayes, la population, paysans, cultivateurs, etc. Je ne vais pas faire comme les leaders haïtiens qu’une fois élus se demandent qu’est-ce qu’ils vont faire maintenant? Non Roseau, si j’accepterai un jour de faire de la politique active dans mon pays c'est parce que j'ai une équipe de travail, c'est parce que nous avons élaboré des stratégies, des plans et ciblés des objectifs réalistes et réalisables. Quand, comment, quoi, avec qui, combien, avoir la personne qu’il faut à la place qu’il faut.
Roseau

C'est pourquoi que je vous parle constamment de parti politique organisé car on ne peut pas organiser un pays sans parti politique organisé. Évidemment, ce ne sera pas moi qui vais changer les choses. Mon équipe changera les choses parce que nous avons planifié ensembles ce que nous voudrions mettre en place. Parce que nous avons rencontré les haïtiens et nous connaissons leurs besoins. Parce que nous avons de l'empathie pour les haïtiens que nous pourrons les aider à se mobiliser, à reprendre confiance en eux pour atteindre leurs objectifs personnels. Nous comprenons ce qu'il (le peuple )endure. Nous savons que ce peuple est en mode de survivre depuis trop longtemps et nous saurons quoi faire avec eux et pour eux . Nous serons une équipe empathique et gagnante.