The Haitian people: Sadly and badly in need of a champion
November 26, 2020
By Sir Ronald Sanders
Human rights and constitutional violations in Haiti have been ignored for too long by the Organization of American States (OAS). The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has also avoided dealing with incendiary political issues in Haiti.
Meanwhile, more suffering is being piled on the poor people of Haiti whose body count from malnutrition and organized violence continues to grow. Against this background, it is not surprising that Haitians are seeking every means of escape from their homeland.
In desperate situations, criminals take advantage of the vulnerable. Thus, a brisk trade has begun in trafficking young Haitians – this time into the Caribbean. Evidence of this is the discovery by police in Guyana on November 7 of 26 Haitians, including 2 boys and 5 girls who were being transported to the Brazilian border by a human trafficking ring.
Both the OAS and CARICOM are obliged under their charters and declarations to call to account member states whose governments act unconstitutionally or take actions that violate the human, civil and political rights of their people.
The two organizations were active and vocal throughout the five-month impasse in the Guyana elections, from March to August this year, and afterwards. During that entire period, the constitutional and electoral situation in Haiti was worse. But not a word of condemnation of the Haitian presidency was uttered by either body.
Haitian president, Jovenel Moïse, has been running the country by decree with no elected parliament since 2019, amid accusations of corruption, protests and the deployment of the military which has been accused of atrocities.
The chair of CARICOM did publicly declare, in January 2020: “CARICOM is deeply concerned at the continuing unsettled political, economic, humanitarian and social situation in its Member State, Haiti. Indeed, we are particularly concerned about the several incidents of violence and the associated and tragic loss of life”. Since then, CARICOM said nothing more.
Yet, four months later, in its April 2020 update on Haiti, the World Food Programme said that almost four million Haitians need urgent food assistance, and that at least one million of those are suffering from severe hunger. President Moïse has been close-mouthed about the gangs that, according to the Miami’s Herald’s Jacqueline Charles (a Haitian expert), “have been on a rampage in poor neighbourhoods — kidnapping, raping and killing at will”.
An editorial in the Trinidad Express Newspaper pointed out on November 25, “The US position is particularly hypocritical in the context of its backing of Haitian president, who has been ruling by decree since dismissing parliament, and who continues to preside over unending human rights abuses and the rise of Tonton Macoute-style death squads.”
It is well known in the OAS that it is the US government that is principally behind no action on Haiti by the organization whose secretary-general, Luis Almagro, has been ardent in calling out other countries, particularly Venezuela and Nicaragua, on human rights. The US and the “Lima Group” of countries in the OAS have been dependent on Haiti’s vote to secure the bare majority needed to secure adoption for controversial resolutions against the Venezuelan and Nicaraguan governments. Hence, the suffering of the poor people of Haiti is ignored.
Whether by coincidence or cooperation, on the same day – October 29 – US Under Secretary of State, David Hale, and secretary-general Almagro urged Moïse to hold “overdue legislative elections as soon as possible”. Moïse has ignored them, continuing to operate with untrammelled power, including by making appointments of personal loyalists to key posts in violation of the Constitution which requires such appointments to be approved by the Senate.
Recently, he has appointed the Commander of the Armed Forces, the head of the Police Force, the Governor of the Central Bank, and the chairman of the National Credit Bank. The holders of these offices were all appointed without the senatorial ratifications required by the constitution. Consequently, they are not vested with the administrative and financial independence necessary to carry out their duties as guaranteed under the Constitution. They are instruments of the president, vulnerable to his sole dictates.
Unrest and violence continue as groups demonstrate against corruption and call for elections. The Police has been active in breaking up protests, reportedly shooting dead one protestor and injuring two more on November 18.
Even within the Police force, protestors exist. A secret group called “Fantom 509” has been actively protesting poor wages and conditions. The recently appointed Police Commissioner, Leon Charles, commanded his officers to confront and lock up colleagues who are “Fantom 509” members.
On Friday, October 30, president Moïse officially put the Constitution of Haiti “on hold”. He formed a committee, to “revise” the draft of a new constitution, which, reportedly, was drafted by persons appointed by him. In any event, the president has no authority to modify, reform or change the Constitution.
This unconstitutional behaviour is yet another dangerous threat to democracy and political stability in Haiti if it continues unchallenged. It violates both the Charter of the OAS and the Inter-American Democratic Charter. It is also inconsistent with the CARICOM Charter of Civil Society. At the very least, they should rebuke Moïse for his violations of the constitution.
It is unlikely that between now and January 20, when US president-elect Joe Biden assumes the presidency, that there will be any movement by the US government – by itself or in the OAS – to address the plight of the Haitian people. Nonetheless the OAS – and CARICOM within it – should act.
The Haitian people are not a political problem; they are human beings sadly and badly in need of a champion.
Haiti has cut malaria cases in half. Its successful efforts must continue | Opinion
By Marie Greta Roy Clement
November 02, 2020 04:53 PM,
COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill, crippling global health systems and challenging political leaders to strengthen public-health infrastructure. As Haiti’s minister of health, I stand in solidarity with families who have lost loved ones and struggle with the severe damage this disease has inflicted.
Malaria Day in the Americas, observed on Nov. 6, underscores the urgent need to build more sustainable, resilient health systems in countries such as Haiti as we continue tackling one of the world’s most ancient diseases amid this unprecedented pandemic. Alarming recent research shows that pausing malaria prevention efforts in developing nations such as Haiti during COVID-19 will have deadly consequences.
The fights against COVID-19 and malaria are one and the same.
Before a single case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Haiti, we developed a multi-sector action plan —now under way — to confront this outbreak. The plan reflects the strategic vision of the Haitian government to build on the community-outreach component of our health system to respond to deadly, infectious diseases. Consequently, initiatives to fight tuberculosis and HIV and, particularly to eliminate malaria, remain a priority in tandem with our COVID-19 response.
As a result, we have stepped up additional measures of communication with the public to prevent delays in the tracking, testing and treatment of each malaria case in urban and rural areas.
We have had dynamic technical and financial support from partners, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC Foundation, The Carter Center, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization and other “Malaria Zero” partners, and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund). As a result, we have made immense progress toward Haiti’s goal of eliminating malaria.
Between 2010 to 2018, we cut cases of malaria in half, gathering viable data, identifying malaria hotspots and extending, through an effective community strategy, malaria diagnostic and treatment to communities that are difficult to access. This has allowed us to implement innovative interventions, such as indoor spraying and mass, targeted drug administration, which have helped prevent and significantly reduce transmission in endemic regions of the country. We have developed a more-robust disease surveillance system that lets us make rapid epidemiological decisions.
These successes in the fight against malaria given Haiti unprecedented opportunity to apply lessons learned to battling COVID-19, thanks to our heroic community health workers on the front lines. They sacrifice to ensure that their communities are safe and understand the dangers of deadly, preventable diseases. It is crucial to sustaining efforts to test, trace and treat those with malaria and COVID-19 while protecting front-line health workers.
Haiti’s health officials and partners, with the support of The Global Fund, have adapted outreach measures to protect from COVID-19 those delivering and receiving malaria interventions. We must leave no one behind; everyone’s safety depends on it.
Martine Moïse, Haiti’s first lady, has played an influential role as president of The Global Fund’s Country Coordinating Mechanism. There, she works to ensure adequate protective resources reach health workers in their efforts to save lives.
Economic hardships in Haiti prevent our population from easily exercising lifesaving measures during these challenging times. If health investments and partnerships stall, we’ll see damaging social and econonic effects. We must acknowledge that investments made to address diseases such as malaria in Haiti are matters of life and death.
We must step up the fight so that pregnant women in each community will receive life-saving bed nets to protect themselves and their unborn children from disease-carrying mosquitoes, and young children do not have to miss school because they lack access to malaria medication. These are the vulnerable voices that must be heard. They are the reason we must work to realize the vision of a malaria-free Haiti—and a malaria-free world.
Dr. Marie Greta Roy Clement is the minister of health to the Ministry of Public Health and Population in Haiti.