What You're Not Hearing about Haiti (But Should Be)

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/14-2


Published on Thursday, January 14, 2010 by CommonDreams.org

What You're Not Hearing about Haiti (But Should Be)
by Carl Lindskoog

In the hours following Haiti's devastating earthquake, CNN, the New York Times and other major news sources adopted a common interpretation for the severe destruction: the 7.0 earthquake was so devastating because it struck an urban area that was extremely over-populated and extremely poor. Houses "built on top of each other" and constructed by the poor people themselves made for a fragile city. And the country's many years of underdevelopment and political turmoil made the Haitian government ill-prepared to respond to such a disaster.

True enough. But that's not the whole story. What's missing is any explanation of why there are so many Haitians living in and around Port-au-Prince and why so many of them are forced to survive on so little. Indeed, even when an explanation is ventured, it is often outrageously false such as a former U.S. diplomat's testimony on CNN that Port-au-Prince's overpopulation was due to the fact that Haitians, like most Third World people, know nothing of birth control.

It may startle news-hungry Americans to learn that these conditions the American media correctly attributes to magnifying the impact of this tremendous disaster were largely the product of American policies and an American-led development model.

From 1957-1971 Haitians lived under the dark shadow of "Papa Doc" Duvalier, a brutal dictator who enjoyed U.S. backing because he was seen by Americans as a reliable anti-Communist. After his death, Duvalier's son, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" became President-for-life at the age of 19 and he ruled Haiti until he was finally overthrown in 1986. It was in the 1970s and 1980s that Baby Doc and the United States government and business community worked together to put Haiti and Haiti's capitol city on track to become what it was on January 12, 2010.

After the coronation of Baby Doc, American planners inside and outside the U.S. government initiated their plan to transform Haiti into the "Taiwan of the Caribbean." This small, poor country situated conveniently close to the United States was instructed to abandon its agricultural past and develop a robust, export-oriented manufacturing sector. This, Duvalier and his allies were told, was the way toward modernization and economic development.

..more..

[MadHound]

1. Well, it has never really helped that Haiti really has no resources

The few that they did have, such as their forests, got used up for various consumer products. With no resources, no agriculture or manufacturing base, it is no wonder the country is hell.

Haiti has been essentially fucked over the past four hundred years in one form or another by one country or another.

[Hannah Bell]

37. they had plenty of resources.

[stray cat]

2. Many know the obvious explanations already - not rocket science

[rfranklin]

3. I lived in Haiti when Papa Doc ruled...

My shoolmate's father made all the major league baseballs using the dirt cheap labor there.

[Dr.Phool]

5. I think Disney made a lot of stuffed toys there also.

[april]

45. other co with cheep labor from Haiti are

WALMART,JC PENNYS,K MART

[april]

46. LINK

www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Caribbean/US_Haiti_Connectio.

* National Sewing Contractors produces Disney pajamas under contract with L.V. Myles. The company also produces girls' clothes for Popsicle Playwear of New York, sold under the "Sister Sister" label at Wal-Mart, Kmart, J.C. Penney and Kids R Us. Wages at the plant vary widely, with some workers making as little as $1 for eight hours of work-12 cents per hour.
The owner of the plant, Charles Chevalier Jr., is openly nostalgic for the days of the Duvalier dictatorship, when workers who attempted to organize were routinely murdered by state-sponsored death squads. "Jean-Claude Duvalier was a great man compared to these ...," he said recently in an interview with labor researcher Marcelo Hoffman. "I mean, his administration was good compared to what's happening now."
Like most factory owners who pay less than the minimum wage, Chevalier insists that he abides by the labor code. "Haitians do not work for less than the minimum wage," he said. "Even if they tell you so, they're Iying."
* Excel Apparel Exports, jointly owned and operated with Kellwood Co., produces women's underwear for the Hanes division of Sara Lee Corp., under the "Hanes Her Way" label, sold at Wal-Mart. The plant also produces women's slips sold at Dillard Department Stores and night wear for Movie Star, to be sold at Sears and Bradlees. Many workers earn less than $1.33 per day and the company raises its quotas at will. Before President Aristide raised the minimum wage, the quota for a typical operation-sewing waistbands on underpants-was 360 pieces per day. Now the quota is 840 pieces-a 133 percent increase. The workers did not have the right to object to the speed-up; they do not even have the right to speak to one another at work.

[girl gone mad]

4. The best movie I've ever seen about Haiti was "The Agronomist"

It's the story of Jean Dominique, a human rights activist with a popular radio program, but it touches on the recent history of the country.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. I agree.

Many many people have no idea of the history of Haiti and why it has become so poor.

[pnorman]

11. Thanks for that lead!

Here it is at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XBLK8/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=AMHDU6SXEW1PX&v=glance

I just put it in the Shopping Cart! (<$6 w/s&h)

[slipslidingaway]

Thanks, added to netflx. n/t

[lapfog_1]

7. Thom Hartmann is covering this now.

plus the result of more Ayn Rand experiments in "free market" bullshit corporatism (libertarian paradise).

ijdh.org (Brian Conchannon???)

[KharmaTrain]

8. A Bit Premature To Start The Guilt Trip...

In the hours after the quake I was critical that there was precious little US News coverage of the tragedy, but now it's wall-to-wall, and dare I say, it's provided some valuable information. This is a disaster of large proportions that would have done massive destruction no matter where it occured, unfortunately it centered on one of this hempisphere's saddest and most desolate countries. The pictures are astounding and it's evoking quite a response that is bringing a large amount of compassion...something sorely lacking in these days. While it's easy to find a freeper or asshat who finds ways to exploit this tragedy for their own stupidity or bigotry, the overall response has been positive.

Right now the focus is on bringing basic services to these people...clean water, electricity, medical attention, food...the basics that any population will need. In time there will be a need to look at why so many perished and how bad things are in the country. The US has its fingers in this mess, but so do other countries...being the largest French-speaking island in the region it's been ignored by its Spanish and English speaking neighbors. The hopes are the images of the destruction will push for some long-term assistance in this country but I fear that once the cameras go onto the "next big thing" this country will again fade into the media's rabbit hole.

[Cal Carpenter]

10. How is examining history

from a truthful perspective a 'guilt trip'? :wtf:

[bobbolink]

14. Because we're 'Murkins.... we're the best, donchaknow. We're not supposed to have to look at

ourselves.

The fault/problem is always "out there".

[Cal Carpenter]

28. I know we're a relatively young nation and all

but you'd think we'd have passed prepubescent self-centeredness and moved on toward more of a teenage self-consciousness by now.

Guess not..

Sad...

[KharmaTrain]

22. While The Ground Is Still Shaking...

Truthful but far from complete...Haiti's problems are a regional one...an International one. An entire historical perspective, not a selective one would serve a far greater purpose. Right now the focus is on digging out and restoring the basics...and any and all who can lend assistance should do so. Then let's see what long-term assistance is needed and give a closer examination as to this country's many economic, political and social troubles. And again, it's not solely a US matter...or this country's fault. Yes, focusing on past US involvement as being a key factor to the suffering is playing "guilt trip".

Cheers...

[Cal Carpenter]

27. Well you better get off the PC

get down to Haiti and start digging...and then in a few years you can come back with a report about what this 'closer examination' has revealed. Your logic is stunning. Let's see, people are dying today in the US because of lack of health care. So I suppose any posts about health care that aren't directly related to those individuals' survival should be put on hold until we save them all. So are you calling all the other threads these days about health insurance a 'guilt trip'?

LOL.

"Guilt trip". I can't imagine that anything other than a personal guilty conscience would spark such a child-like reaction to this article.

Truth hurts when people spend their lives in denial, I suppose...

[bobbolink]

29. Very well said. Thank you.

What you are responding to is the very same attitude we homeless people confront on a daily basis.

And, yes, it hurts.

It damages us.

[KharmaTrain]

31. I Have Been...And You?

$500 to Doctors without Borders and $200 to Yele. And your contribution? Oh, that's right, typing on a message board is sure to fix the world's problems.

Keep up the good work...

:rofl:

[Cal Carpenter]

32. Says the person with 20-some thousand posts

to the person with a few hundred.

As for the rest, it's none of your business...It's not about you, or me.

But good job deflecting from the point we were actually discussing. :shrug:

[KharmaTrain]

33. Nice Try...LOL

Deflecting? :rofl:

You sure didn't address my point of a greater look at the country's problems rather than blaming the US...but that's a typical game here.

My posts go back to 2002...so?

Sorry newbie (and I rarely use that word) I have no interest in your "business"...which wasn't what you posted. You questioned mine...I gave you an answer.

But I know you're sure making points here... :rofl:

[G_j]

20. well, just last week, the public didn't give a shit about Haiti

or it's history.

[EFerrari]

26. I don't think so. Right now people are talking and thinking about Haiti.

When this is over, no one will. This is exactly the right time for a history lesson. Guilt, not so much. That doesn't help anything.

[KharmaTrain]

30. A Matter Of Framing

I was not saying that we should ignore the problems that have happened in this country. Just as I find it wrong to play "my country right or wrong" on any issue, I don't play the "it's all the US's fault" as this article is framed. The US had nothing to do with the colonization of this country that created the real poverty and exploitation. Those were the French. And I haven't seen/heard of any of their relief efforts.

While this country's history is worth recalling...as it is every time there's a crisis there, my point is to look forward...firstly to help bring some semblence of stability back to the country and then to help rebuild where possible. But it's not all the US fault nor is it our responsibility to bear the full burden of the suffering.

[EFerrari]

34. Thomas Jefferson allied with the French against Haiti.

And now Clinton and Bush, who both signed off on a CIA coup, are raising money for Haiti?

There is no one more responsible for the mess in Haiti than we are. And knowing that doesn't make me feel happy or right or anything like that. :(

[WhiteTara]

9. the economic hit men have been working

overtime for decades.

[bobbolink]

12. Muddle-class people do not WANT to know why people are poor.

Very few WANT to know why people are poor in THIS country.

Very few are willing to hear anything about homelessness in THIS country.

There are more people who are willing to hear about poverty abroad, because it doesn't threaten them so much.

But it still just isn't sexy.

[leftstreet]

17. +1

[DisgustedInMN]

41. A very ...

... valuable and important point. "Conservatives" just sneer at the poor, blame their plight on them, and call them lazy. SOME "liberals" pay lip service, but in reality just enough to appear to care. When push comes to shove, it's easier to step over the homeless than it is to do a damn thing to fix it.

[raccoon]

43. Great post. nt

[peacetalksforall]

13. What many don't know - is why the U.S. and France conducted a 'regime

change' - a coup d'etat against President Aristede. But, they did.

The U.S. and France must have an agenda for Haiti. Whatever it is, the World Bank and IMF are in on it - they were ready for the U.S. invasion that yanked Aristede into the air and flown out of the hemisphere - with all arrangements made and coordinated.

Aristede, a former Catholic priest was elected in what was said to be a democratic process, i.e., democracy was in place.

But, for some reason it wasn't good enough for the United States, IMF, and World Bank.

What is not known well is that thousands of Haitians are being held in prisons in the U.S.

What are we doing and what is Obama continuing?

Why are there so many carry over policies from the death-destruction-dying decade of Cheney-Bush.

[bobbolink]

15. Why, indeed.

[AuntPatsy]

21. recommended thread already, would like to recommend your post as well...

[Mari333]

16. will this make the MSM or will we just listen to pundits and politicians make

purty speeches and wring their hands?

[tom_paine]

23. purty speeches only, Mari. The Corproate Media is not there to educate or inform

it's there to docilize, stupify, and through these methodologies, sell products.

[Solly Mack]

18. K&R

[Greyhound]

19. A perfect example of the "foreign Aid/Development two-step".

40 years of a "corporate friendly" kleptocracy created a prototype for the New World Order.

[slipslidingaway]

24. knr n/t

[fascisthunter]

25. America's Anti-Communism Zealous has helped us move towards fascism

so while they were fighting one extreme, they managed to adopt another extreme.

It seems that whatever this country touches, turns to shit.

[dipsydoodle]

36. Ditto

x(

[Josh Splarf]

35. Documentary: "Aristide and the Endless Revolution" (on U.S. coup in 2004, Haitian history, etc.)

This documentary is good in that it discusses the historical causes of much of Haitian poverty, especially the French role in maintaining a vindictive policy of keeping Haiti in debt, basically since the slave population broke free from the oh-so "enlightened" empire at the turn of the 19th century. And much on U.S. regional hegemony as well. Couldn't find a link to a site with the full film, however. If anyone finds it, please share. Here's the film's website, with a trailer, general info, etc.

http://www.aristidethefilm.com/

[ima_sinnic]

38. thanks for the link, needs more publicity

ironically, as a copy editor, I've been editing a book manuscript on the history of Haiti for the past 2 weeks. If Haiti had been allowed to develop in its own way, without being ripped off and f**ked over by powerful outside forces, who knows what it would be today.

[Josh Splarf]

42. Haitian history

That's interesting.  I'm a student of American history
(broadly defined) myself.  Haiti is usually marginalized in
our understanding of the history of the west, particularly
because it directly contradicts the very core of Europe's
vaunted Enlightenment principles, etc.  What is the book about
that you are working on?  Haiti has such a tragic history. 
First of all, without be placed squarely in the center of a
global imperial struggle, Haiti would probably would not be
separate from the DR.  I would like to know more, personally,
and intend on reading more soon.  Have you read the new one on
Haiti, Hegel, and Universal History? (title is something like
that)  Looks good.  

[ima_sinnic]

47. actually, I should have said "proofreading"

I am a freelance copy editor and do several books a year for a university publisher, usually in the field of natural history and field guides, but occasionally in other topics. This time they asked me to proofread a book that has already been edited and set in preliminary type, actually outside my field.

At its most basic level, it's about the relationship and influence of U.S. African Americans in regard to Haiti between the times of Douglass and Duvalier (1870-1964). One idea that comes out is the way U.S. foreign policy, intervention, and meddling undermined real progress there but in subtle and patronizing ways. People like Douglass were caught between a rock and a hard place in having to capitulate to U.S. administrations while trying to work for progress there.

It is scheduled to be published in May. Will be pricey but maybe you can find it through an interlibrary loan: http://upf.com/book.asp?id=POLYNF08
If you search Haiti on that same web site, you see they have published many books dealing with Haiti and Caribbean history and culture from various angles.

I do need to read more on the subject--since I'm hoping to retire in a couple of years, maybe I'll have some time to do that.

[eridani]

39. The Taiwan analogy is really, really ironic

Taiwain, with its Land to the Tillers program, stripped all rural property from landlords and gave it to the people who actually raised the food.

[olegramps]

40. Kind of sounds like where we are headed....

[april]

44. American co in Haiti good read

The U.S. government has shown an aggressive commitment to court U.S. businesses to invest in Haiti, but it has shown no commitment to the workers who produce for those U.S. companies.
22k - 3 sec @ 56k
www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Caribbean/US_Haiti_Connectio... www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Caribbean/US_Haiti_Connection.html