Since freeing itself from the clutches of white supremacy two hundred and twenty years ago in what Baba Jacob Carruthers termed “the justifiable spirit of race vindication” Ayiti (Haiti) has seemingly lurched from crisis amid threats of re-invasion, extortion, exploitation, corruption, environmental chaos and destabilisation from the descendants of the vanquished European forces. (1)
Yet amid this turmoil, new reports were that, after the establishment of a transitional governing council, the Caribbean regional bloc CARICOM “Hails ‘Possibility Of A New Beginning For Haiti.” The members of the council have been named by some media outlets (other have refrained from doing so) as: Fritz Alphonse Jean, Louis Gérald Gilles, Edgard Leblanc Fils, Emmanuel Vertilaire, Smith Augustin, Lesly Voltaire, Laurent Saint Cyr, Frinel Joseph and Régine Abraham. (2) The council follows the resignation a month ago of the unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was appointed after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. (3) The western commentary is of Henry being forced out by armed gangs, headed by former police officer Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, that effectively took control of the capital Port-au-Prince. (4) It’s a well known (if not hackneyed) trope be it Cape Town or Chicago, Peckham or Port Au Prince, the term gang has the same meaning feeding into the narrative of lawless black thugs often ignoring the unseen hands propping them up. (5)
An alternative suggests that “gang warfare is a cover for imperialist intervention.” (6) Indicating that whatever acts they are carrying out are externally directed. Further, the term “gang” is a profoundly inaccurate appellation given that they are de facto well funded militias toting $30,000 dollar weapons – not the kind of hardware that a ragtag group of local hoodlums could cobble together, begging the question in exactly whose interests they are operating because it certainly not the people of Ayiti. (7)
Moreover, amid reports that the “gangs” have signed a truce the media narrative has shifted to diplomacy, with the appearance that CARICOM is taking the lead with few querying whether the process is even legal. (8) Even if CARICOM were really leading the initiative it still be a cause for concern given some of the anti-Haitian policies (and actions) that some of its members have enacted. (9) But many observers simply believe that it is merely a front for the CORE Group and that:
“CARICOM is taking a leading role in legitimizing foreign intervention in Haiti, literally selling out Haiti for increased funding, while using the current political crisis in Haiti as a way to both improve their own political fortunes domestically, regionally, and internationally.” (10)
Indeed, member states have readily accepted millions of dollars from the USA and Canada as they prepare to train and send yet more batalions of foreign troops to the embattled island, with Kenya waiting in the wings. MINUSTAH, the most recent foreign intervention force, led by Brazil under the auspices of the United Nations “left a trail of destruction, a trail of repression” that needs compensating. (11) Who is to say that this new iteration will not be MINUSTAH II – in Blackface.
One of the prominent grassroots movements countering the foreign intervention is MOLEGHAF (National Movement for Liberty and Equality of Haitians for Fraternity) that has outlined the fundamental steps that are needed for all revolutionary forces in the country to unite with the popular masses including:
- Progressive-revolutionary parties and organizations to refocus their efforts on organizing the masses until they regain control of political power.
- Revolutionary political parties and organizations, in collaboration with the popular masses, must mobilize all their energy for a genuine decomposition and collapse of the capitalist system
- Haitian revolutionary political parties and organizations to reconnect with the global community through progressive internationalization for the liberation of the exploited masses. (12)
In this first part, Sis. Èzili, provides a historical context of Ayiti’s fight for liberation and how the 2004 occupation was a precursor to the current machinations of CARICOM as well as some surprising information about the transitional council,
(1) Jacob H Carruthers(1985) The Irritated Genie: an Essay on the Haiitan Revolution. Kemetic Institute. p. xi; Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Voice Of Africa Radio (01/02/10) Ayiti Earthquake 2010 and the Colonial Narrative. https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/from-the-archives-haiti-earathquake-2010-010210/
(2) Agence France Presse (12/04/24) Caribbean Bloc Hails ‘Possibility Of A New Beginning For Haiti’ https://www.barrons.com/news/caribbean-bloc-hails-possibility-of-a-new-beginning-for-haiti-iba-jt-nn-mlr-dw-bbeb2cd2; Michael Rios and Mariya Knight (12/04/24) Haiti establishes transitional ruling council amid crisis. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/12/americas/haitian-transitional-council-established/index.html
(3) Sarah Morland (14/03/24) Haiti PM Henry’s road to resignation. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-pm-henrys-road-resignation-2024-03-14/
(4) Peter Beaumont and Luke Taylor (12/03/24) Haiti PM Ariel Henry resigns after gang insurrection caused days of chaos. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/12/haiti-pm-ariel-henry-resignation-details-update
(5) Daniel Finn (12/11/21) What We Really Know About the CIA and Crackhttps://jacobin.com/2021/11/what-we-really-know-about-the-cia-and-crack; The Black Presence in Britain (15/06/11) Attack the Block or Attack the Blacks? https://blackpresence.co.uk/attack-the-blacks/
(6) Gary Grass and Babette Grunow (10/06/23) In Haiti, ‘gang warfare’ is a cover for imperialist intervention. https://sfbayview.com/2023/06/in-haiti-gang-warfare-is-a-cover-for-imperialist-intervention/
(7) Ann Garrison (27/03/24) The Haitian State Is Neo-colonized, Not “Failed”. https://www.blackagendareport.com/haitian-state-neo-colonized-not-failed
(8) Democracy Now (12/03/24) “Haiti Needs Peace”: PM Ariel Henry Announces He Will Resign, Transitional Council to Take Charge. https://www.democracynow.org/2024/3/12/haiti_pm_ariel_henry_resignation. Prof. Jemima Pierre asserts that “Henry’s resignation and transition announcement attempts to “put a veneer of legality on this situation,” while the country continues to operate under occupation by foreign interests.”
(9) Kevin Edmonds (10/04/24) CARICOM, Regional Arm of the Core Group, Sells Out Haiti Again. https://www.blackagendareport.com/caricom-regional-arm-core-group-sells-out-haiti-again
(10) Ibid. The author states: “The CORE Group is an unelected imperial body that has taken upon itself to determine the path of Haiti’s political and economic trajectory since the 2004 coup against democratically elected president, Jean Bertrand Aristide. The CORE Group is made up of representatives from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, the European Union, the United States, and the Organization of American States. Within this grouping are a number of Caribbean states, who are often overlooked and fly under the radar due to the heavy handed presence of the United States and Canada in Haitian affairs.”
(11) Leandro Melito translated by Ana Paula Rocha (14/03/24) ‘Haiti should be compensated for the destruction caused by the UN military mission,’ says historian. https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2024/03/14/haiti-should-be-compensated-for-the-destruction-caused-by-the-un-military-mission-says-historian
(12) MOLEGHAF (13/03/24) MOLEGHAF Statement: A call for revolutionary forces to assemble. https://www.blackagendareport.com/moleghaf-statement-call-revolutionary-forces-assemble
we ask the question
How do we re-Liberate Ayiti? Part 1
1) Should we give the transitional council a chance to see if it can bring peace to Ayiti?
2) Or is it just MINUSTAH II in Blackface?
3) Is CARICOM really trying to help or is it merely a front for more western intervention?
4) Is MOLEGHAF’s agenda for Ayiti viable?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Sis. Èzili Dantò: is founder of the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network, a network of lawyers, journalists, activists and grassroots human rights and cultural organizations dedicated to institutionalizing the rule of law and protecting the civil and cultural rights of Haitians at home and abroad. She also runs the Ezili Dantò website (https://ezilidanto.com/), eyewitness project, Free Haiti Movement, the on-line journal, Haitian Perspectives and You Tube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@EziliDanto). Sis. Ezili is dedicated to correcting the media lies and colonial narratives about Haiti. A writer, performance poet and lawyer, . Ezili Dantò is a pro-democracy Haitian-American activist who was once legal advisor to President Jean Bertrand Aristide of Haiti. She is a gifted spoken word artist and the writer, performer and producer of the “Red Black & Moonlight” series – her critically acclaimed one-woman Jazzoetry Vodun dance theater works and the author of Vodun Woman: A Performance Poetry Collection and the Kenbe La books.
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