Opinion: Haiti’s broken promises

by Ihotu Ali

Earthquake survivors in Haiti. / Photo provided by LAMP for Haiti.

In 1804, Haiti experienced its first broken promise. After winning a hard-fought war for independence, France refused freedom to Haitian slaves unless they paid 150 million francs (the modern day equivalent of $21 billion) and plunged Haiti into debt and crippled governance for generations. Now, with government buildings devastated and a population in crisis from January’s earthquake, Haiti must again trust in the promises of foreign nations and hope that this time, they stay true to their word.

A long-awaited donor’s conference at the United Nations last week produced impressive projections of immediate and long-term aid to Haiti. Over $5 billion was pledged by various nations, and a target of over $11 billion was set over the next 10 years. Former President Clinton, once administrator of sanctions on the poor country, made a surprisingly solemn apology for the devastating effects of his administration’s free trade policies on rice and agricultural industries in Haiti. The United States lobbied for the successful elimination of Haiti’s remaining debt to the World Bank and granted temporary protected status (TPS) to resident Haitian immigrants, allowing them to remain legally in the country for another 18 months. Deportations of undocumented Haitian immigrants have been stopped indefinitely.

The key cornerstones all seem to be in place for a comprehensive response and strategy for Haitians to recover and rebuild their lives and country. The only missing piece, according to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is “implementation.” “We must make sure,” he said at the donor conference, “ that Haiti gets the money it needs when it needs it.”

A slow and stumbling start

Yet despite the millions and billions donated and pledged, the implementation of emergency relief for Haitians thus far on the ground is, at best, embarrassing. Initial logistics delays, poor coordination, and overly militarized disaster responders have crippled the capacity of the international response and called into question the effectiveness of thousands of poorly organized NGOs in the country.

As in any mass disaster, aid workers do the best they can under impossible circumstances. However, the funding itself has even garnered criticism. Despite grandiose promises, The New York Times mentions that Haitians are still “skeptical” because millions of dollars pledged in 2004 and 2009 for previous disasters never showed up. Fifty-five percent of the $1.5 billion requested immediately post-earthquake has still not been disbursed. Even before the donor conference, there was enough aid donated for each survivor to receive $1000. Yet three months later, most Haitians still have vastly inadequate sanitation, little medical care, and no waterproof shelter for the impending rainy season.

According a study conducted by LAMP for Haiti, the Lawyers’ Earthquake Response Network (LERN), and the Bureau des Avocats Internationaux (BAI), at least 10% of displaced families surveyed in Port-au-Prince in late February had no tents or tarps; in some camps the figure was as high as 50%. Half had never received food aid and many were only eating once a day. Latrines were rarely available and even when available they serviced as many as 500 people. Long waits and unsanitary conditions forced many camp residents to relieve themselves in the streets.

These findings underscore Haitians’ complaint that they haven’t been asked what they need and how it should be provided to them. The inefficiency and inequality of aid distribution in the urban camps have been called Haiti’s “second wave humanitarian disaster” and have been highlighted in hearings before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in reports from the International Crisis Group, and in petitions on Change.org.

Broken promises and human rights violations

Expert volunteers and hard work have no doubt saved many lives; however, Haiti still faces the threat of broken promises and human rights violations caused by donors as well as by a struggling Haitian government. Overcrowding and poor conditions in Port-au-Prince prompted President Rene Preval’s major plan to relocate urban camps to rural areas and reduce the risk of disease epidemics. Meanwhile, the rainy season approaches and few communities have been moved; others have been forcefully evicted, raising additional human rights concerns. Preval’s administration also recently announced that schools would re-open, yet eager children in uniform were turned away from most schools because buildings were still unsafe, and tents had not arrived to conduct classes elsewhere.

Edmond Mulet of the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) also notes rising reports of sexual violence and rape in the camps. The UN plans to deploy an all-female unit of military peacekeepers and is investigating the issue. However, few other initiatives have taken place to reduce the threats of gender-based violence. In the U.S., immigration advocates have been outraged at the cases of over 30 Haitian-Americans held indefinitely in immigrant detention centers after being evacuated (they had been visiting Haiti), only to be held in the U.S. for not having the proper residency papers with them upon entry. They were only released after The New York Times exposed their story nationwide.

Rebuilding a Haiti full of promise — and accountability

In January, the stories of devastation and suffering and resilience from the streets of Port-au-Prince made an indelible mark on America’s heart. We made heartfelt promises and gave freely to people in great need. However, today’s news about Haiti includes more matter-of-fact plans for reconstruction, debates over the capacity of the Haitian government, and efforts to ensure women and the Haitian diaspora have seats at the table. All are crucially important, however intellectual, discussions.

But in the meantime, Haitians wait for plans to materialize and food and shelter to arrive to keep out the rain and mud. Unless foreign nations and concerned citizens continue to keep pressure on aid accountability and the dire situation on the ground, we may again reinforce the skepticism held by many Haitians who lived through the earthquake only to encounter a “second-wave disaster.” Haiti has had enough promises broken.

The Change.org petition for aid accountability in Haiti is available at change.org/haitijustice.

Published in RightsNews Volume 28, no. 2, April, 2010.
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