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Donald Trump will name a new ambassador to Haiti
The White House revealed last week the name of the diplomat who will occupy the post of "ambassador of the United States to Haiti." It is Michele Jeanne Sison, who has already served in eleven missions for the United States abroad.
Even before entering the White House, President Donald Trump, had demanded that all American ambassadors named under the Obama administration resign by the date of his swearing on January 20th. Peter Mulrean, Ambassador of the United States in Haiti was one of the diplomats concerned by this decision. After having spent 33 months in office in Haiti and having accumulated 29 years of service in the American diplomacy, he returned home on Monday, February 27th, 2017 and decided to retire.
Since then, the U.S. ambassador's post in Haiti remained vacant. It was the Chargé d'affaires Brian Shukan who assumed the interim position at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, while waiting for the appointment of a successor by the White House and that person’s confirmation by the Senate.
The matter unresolved until July 20th when Donald Trump revealed his intention to name several people to key positions in his administration. Among these people was Michele Jeanne Sison, who was called to serve as Ambassador from United States of America to Haiti.
On its Web site, the White House reviewed briefly Mrs. Sison’s diplomatic career, which begun in 1982. She was an ambassador three times, in Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands (from 2012 to 2014), in Lebanon (from 2008 to 2010) and in the United Arab Emirates (from 2004 to 2008). She served in 11 American missions abroad among which were India, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin and particularly in Haiti between 1982 and 1984.
In 2014, Mrs. Sison was named by the Obama administration and confirmed by the Senate as a permanent adjunct representative to the American mission at the United Nations. Before she begins in her post in Haiti, she must still receive Senate approval.
Born in Washington on May 27th, 1959, Michele Jeanne Sison studied political science at Wellesley College. She also attended the London School of Economics (LSE). She has two daughters, who are in college. The White House underlined that the diplomat is fluent in French, Haitian Creole and Arabic.
Mormons to break ground on Haiti temple this fall
(The Salt Lake Tribune)
A Mormon temple is in the process of being built in Port-au-Prince.
A groundbreaking is set for Oct. 28, the governing First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said this week.
Uruguayan native Walter F. González, a general authority in the Utah-based faith, will lead the invitation-only ceremony, according to a news release.
LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson announced plans to build the Haiti temple in 2015. The nation is home to more than 22,000 Mormons (out of an overall population of nearly 11 million) and 46 LDS congregations.
Mormons view their temples as houses of God, places where faithful members can participate in their religion's most sacred rites, including eternal marriages.
There are 182 LDS temples across the globe either in operation, under construction or announced.
Haitian Students Compete In First Global Robot Olympics in DC
Haiti participated in the first-ever Robot Olympics on July 16 – 18. The event, hosted by FIRST Global Challenge in Washington, D.C. features teams from over 160 countries at the DAR Constitution Hall.
Three Haitian students who competed are from “Institution Nouvelle Source” (Team Haiti-First Global Robot Challenge). The team led by Francois Joseph Berwith, 16-Year-Old François Carl Lovensky, Alex Abigaël ALCEUS and Wilford Guensly Perceval spent the last few months learning about programming and engineering with the goal of building a robot that will compete in the FIRST Global Challenge.
Participating teams are composed of students – aged 15 through 18 years old– with the common goal of increasing their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics so that they can become the next generation of scientific leaders who will work together to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems from food security and access to clean water, to finding better medicines and securing cyberspace.
The International FIRST Committee Association (FIRST Global) was founded by philanthropic inventor Dean Kamen, and is headed by former U.S. Navy Admiral and Congressman Joe Sestak.
“By engaging the students of the world in a collaborative competition to help solve the world’s most pressing problems, FIRST Global inspires students to learn the skills they will need to make the discoveries their parents and grandparents would consider miracles, fantasies, or just plain science fiction,” said FIRST Global Founder Dean Kamen.
A cruise ship full of vacationers does more to help Haitians than billions in aid
Is it obscene to show up to one of the world’s poorest countries in a giant, floating amusement park? It felt like it was
By Marni Soupcoff
National Post (21 July 2017)
On a Caribbean cruise last week (which my family and I enjoyed even if, or perhaps because, we consumed our yearly allotment of dietary sugar and fat in a matter of days), I got off the boat at our first stop: Labadee, Haiti. There, a local guide walked a group of us from the boat around the port in a relaxed tour. We oohed and ahhed at the gorgeous beaches on the hilly peninsula; we nodded politely as we learned of the supposedly miraculous medicinal properties of the local vegetation. (Apparently, endocrinologists would be out of business if people would just use Neem tree leaves and yams more judiciously.)
The experience was lovely, my paranoia about contracting the Zika virus from an infected mosquito notwithstanding. But the experience was also … well, weird. Is it obscene to show up to one of the world’s poorest countries in a giant, floating amusement park where guests regularly punctuate rides on the carousel with hotdog and cupcake between-meal snack breaks? It felt like it was. In addition, it felt somewhat fraudulent to even claim to be in Haiti.
Labadee is in Haiti. It’s a remote Haitian fishing village. But Labadee is also a private resort leased by the Royal Caribbean cruise line. There’s a tall, no-nonsense fence, complete with barbed wire and armed security folks, which separates the resort from the rest of the area … and the impoverished locals.
It’s disturbing. Seventy per cent of Haitians have no direct access to potable drinking water. Are we showing up in gaudy Lilly Pulitzer dresses and sniffing, “Let them drink ‘Labadoozies’”? (The Labadoozie is Royal Caribbean’s signature rum-based concoction, named, I like to think, by someone with a well-developed sense of irony.)
I was silently mulling these questions as I toured the place. But my tour guide seemed to have little use for such first world mental flagellation.
He spoke English well. He also spoke French, German, and a couple other languages. He learned them all in high school, he told us. The same was true of his younger siblings. His older sister spoke only Haitian Creole. She’d grown up just before Royal Caribbean had started leasing the resort and bringing significant money into the area, he explained, so the enhanced school options hadn’t existed yet.
I have never been as certain as some libertarians that rational selfishness is the best way to create systematic social benefits.
According to the guide, Royal Caribbean’s construction of water and electricity infrastructure has also been extremely beneficial for the surrounding villagers. Does it matter that the company’s motivation was to power a roller coaster and serve tourists Pina Coladas?
I have never been as certain as many of my libertarian-leaning friends that rational selfishness is the best way to create systematic social benefits. Yet, the Labadee example is persuasive in its small way.
Over US$13-billion in charitable relief (both public and private) was earmarked for Haiti after the country’s deadly 2010 earthquake. We don’t know how much of that money made it directly to the Haitians who needed the help, but some dispiriting estimates hover around 10 per cent.
A few years after the earthquake, a blog post by two employees of the Center for Global Development summed up how unsuccessful the charitable push had been in making a difference. “Haiti received an amount almost equal to its gross domestic product,” wrote Vijaya Ramachandran and Julie Waltz, “but several hundred thousand people remain in tent camps set up in the aftermath of the quake. Port-au-Prince (the Haitian capital) still lacks good roads, electricity and safe drinking water.”
As our guide reminded us, there are still displaced Haitians living in tents today, seven years after the disaster. And according to the CIA World Fact Book, the country’s unemployment rate is around 40 per cent. (Our guide estimated unemployment at 80 per cent, his view possibly influenced by the fact that less than a third of Haiti’s labour force has a formal job.)
In contrast, Royal Caribbean and its gauche, cash-grabbing operation have been successfully employing hundreds of Haitians, and injecting money directly into the Haitian economy, for decades. If the proof is in the pudding, and the pudding is crucial infrastructure, the profit method is proving the more successful chef.
On my way back to the ship, I bought a few toys I didn’t want from one of the local vendors licensed by Royal Caribbean to sell trinkets on the resort. I did it to “help.” My guilt-fuelled donation made no difference, I’m sure. But staying on the ship out of shame wouldn’t have helped either. And cumulatively, the price paid for the selfish but genuine enjoyment of a beautiful, vibrant place seems to be doing some good.
National Post
Twitter.com/soupcoff
Approximately 150 Haitian are arrested every day in Pedernales
According to the organization that specializes ground border patrol (CESFRONT) and the Dominican Department of Immigration, during the last few days, more than 1,000 Haitian (628 men, 327 women and 84 children) with inadequate immigration documents, were repatriated to Haiti by the border post of Pedernales in the Southwest section of the Dominican Republic.
During these operations, 40 fake ID cards were seized from the Haitians along with 30 motorcycles, which have been use to illegally transport the migrants.
CESFRONT indicated that the control operations are continuing and that on average 150 illegal Haitian workers are arrested every day in the urban area of the city of Pedernales and other communities in the region.
Haiti participates in the 8th Francophony Games in Abidjan, Ivory Coast!
((rezonodwes.com)) –
Last week, the Secretary of Youth, Sports and the Civic Action, Régine Lamur presented, the athletes of the delegation which will represent Haiti at the 8th Francophony Games in Abidjan, Ivory Coast from July 21st till July 30th.
Operating within the theme of Solidarity, Diversity and Excellence, these Games represent an opportunity for French-speaking youth to meet, compete and interact in a spirit of celebration and healthy competition within the framework of promoting cultural diversity and the French language.
Twenty-eight athletes including 18 soccer players, 6 cyclists, 2 judokas and 2 table tennis players, as well as 10 artists, including 5 dancers (hip-hop), 2 puppeteers, 1 photographer, 1 painter and 1 sculptor, 14 chaperones, and other officials will constitute the 62-member delegation from Haiti. They goals is to match or surpass the results they got in 2001 when they earned 3 medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze) or in 2013 when they earned 2 medals (1 Gold and 1 Bronze).
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Feature: Introducing Ama Makeda, Haitian Visual Artist and Yogi
Drawing her inspiration from the visual intensity of Haiti, Christina Clodomir-Makeda instills within her paintings the abstractness of Georgia O’Keeffe. Her work captures the vibrancy of life, as well as the feelings and emotions of the brilliant wonder that nature is.
By Debbie Jonas, Afropunk Contributor.
The first question we asked her was about her artist name “Ama Makeda” and the profoundness of her words was mesmerizing: “Everything I am has a special meaning. In the Akan tradition of Ghana, West Africa, Ama is a name given to all girls born on Saturday, the day of the Goddess Ama. I was born on Saturn-Day, which is why I placed this name upon me during the time I was searching and reclaiming my African Identity. Makeda was the name of the very well-known queen of Sheba, a beautiful and beyond intelligent and wise woman, the last of a long dynasty of Ethiopian queens, and the mother of King Menelik 1st, which is also one of my son’s name. After adopting these names, I was very conscientious of the highly energy I had called upon me. But in front of my Art I only sign Makeda.
She mainly paints flowers and the reason is quite interesting: “Before I painted flowers, I tried many styles. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, as I was deep into etheric explorations, and had a beautiful meditation in a garden of Wynn Farm Ecological Reserve, Kenscoff, Haiti. The experience was a great way to accept healing from this big hit. When I opened my eyes, the flowers around me, seemed much bigger, they were speaking… revealing their etheric bodies to me, and speaking of divine energy. That was it. Letting go of the small brush, and small surfaces, letting go of symbolism, was letting go of all mundane fears and absorbing this cosmic mission to the fullest. As a growing artist, my capacities to make effective this divine energy, this serenity, this supreme peace, also grows and attains all that come across my Artistry.”
Makeda has always been an observer of energy and has been dancing since age 14. She just got certified as a Yoga instructor in Varkala, India and plans to be an international yoga teacher, spreading divine energy all over, through all the channels she was gifted to express and share it. As a Yoga teacher, she wants her classes to be a fusion of her artistry as they will be going beyond paintings. To the Afropunk community, she says: “I enjoyed sharing part of me with you all, and these will not be my last words to you. I will keep talking to you through social media and will also be announcing all upcoming exhibits, Yoga classes, workshops, retreats, dance performances, and all the other beautiful fusions. INFINITE LOVE PEOPLE!”
Plea to Trump to extend Haitian Temporary Protected Status
Q: I am here lawfully with Haitian Temporary Protected Status. I read that the Department of Homeland Security will end the program Jan. 18. If that happens, will they try to deport us Haitians all at once?
John Eugene, Florida
A: I remain optimistic that DHS will extend TPS for Haitians beyond Jan. 19. If I’m wrong, I doubt that Immigration and Customs Enforcement will make deporting Haitians a priority. ICE and the immigration courts are already overwhelmed. Many Haitians will have defenses to deportation. When they assert their claims, the courts will be clogged further.
DHS granted about 60,000 Haitians TPS after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010. As I wrote in May when I called on President Trump to extend Haitian TPS, Haiti has yet to recover from the Earthquake. And, it has suffered from a disastrous hurricane and cholera outbreak.
Political factors favor another Haitian TPS extension. Florida Gov. Rick Scott and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, both Republicans, support an extension. The Congressional Black Caucus has pushed hard for an extension as well. Though the caucus is almost entirely Democratic, TPS is one of the few programs that benefit primarily black immigrants. President Trump may be reluctant to end it. Why look racist, mean and heartless by deporting such a small group of immigrants?
As for mass deportations, many Haitians with TPS have been here 10 years or more and have U.S. citizen children, allowing them to apply to an immigration judge for a Cancellation of Removal green card. Those cases are hard to win. The applicant must prove exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, parent, child or spouse should the person be deported.
Still, Haitians with the qualifying relatives will certainly apply, stretching out their deportation for years. Others will apply for asylum, another time-consuming process. Haiti remains politically unstable, and many Haitians have legitimate asylum claims.
Trump claims he wants to focus deportation efforts on criminals. Ending Haitian TPS would be further evidence that it is all immigrants that are his target.
Allan Wernick is an attorney and director of the City University of New York’s Citizenship Now! project. Send questions and comments to Allan Wernick, New York Daily News, 7th Fl., 4 New York Plaza, New York, NY 10004, or email to
Briefing Security Council, Special Representative Calls upon Haiti Leadership to Restore, Strengthen Independence of Judiciary
With the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) making way for a new peacekeeping operation focusing on justice support, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the country said today.
On the heels of the Secretary-General’s latest report on MINUSTAH (document S/2017/604), Sandra Honoré, Special Representative and Head of United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, briefed the Security Council on the latest developments in the country. She said that, less than three months before MINUSTAH gave way to the new United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), the country remained on the path to stabilization and democratic consolidation. She added, however, more needed to be done to consolidate the security and stabilization gains of recent years, create greater social and political cohesion and truly reinforce State institutions.
In that vein, she called on Haiti’s executive branch and legislature to restore, without delay, the country’s judiciary and to bolster its independence. It was troubling that a third branch of power was not yet fully functioning, she said, emphasizing that a lack of tangible progress on the rule of law was impacting on people’s lives, their human rights, investment and economic growth.
She said that, without a properly functioning justice system, the Haitian National Police could not ensure security for all citizens. “As the National Police grows in strength and performance, all efforts must aim to create the necessary framework for the effective delivery of justice and the rule of law,” she told the Council, adding that resolute implementation of reforms and plans for inclusive dialogue were all the more important to sustainably consolidate the gains made so far and to pave the way for the transition to MINUJUSTH.
“Ultimately, Haiti’s security, political, social and development agenda can only be shaped by the national authorities and the Haitian people themselves,” she said, adding that much-needed donor support could help national-led efforts where needed and desired. Emphasizing that MINUSTAH’s drawdown and transition to the new Mission had been designed to ensure an orderly transfer of security tasks to State institutions, she said the international community’s partnership with Haiti and support for its reform agenda would be critical going forward.
Welcoming the Secretary-General’s report as objective and balanced, Haiti’s representative said his country was making process to build the rule of law and to anchor democracy. His Government had taken note of the report’s criticisms regarding limited progress in the administration of justice, shortcomings in the correctional system and human rights concerns, he said.
Emphasizing that Haiti’s cholera epidemic was far from being eradicated, he appealed for a prompt and sustained resumption of development assistance that would help lead to sustained growth. On MINUSTAH, he welcomed the orderly withdrawal of its military component, adding that lessons drawn over the past 13 years would be harnessed wisely for the benefit of the incoming Mission.
During an open debate, Council members and other delegations welcomed recent developments in Haiti, encouraged the Government to do more to strengthen human rights and the rule of law and called for the international community to extend more support for the United Nations Haiti Cholera Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund.
The representative of Uruguay expressed concern over the island nation’s socioeconomic situation, emphasizing that many Haitians were living amid severe food insecurity and acute malnutrition. That the Haitian authorities were even thinking about reconstituting the armed forces was a serious concern, he added, emphasizing that such an effort would divert resources away from areas that needed urgent attention.
The representative of Bolivia expressed support for the President of Haiti’s proposal that the new Mission would be classified under Chapter VI of the Charter, as there was no threat to peace and security in Haiti. Recalling the Council’s June visit to Haiti, he said MINUJUSTH faced a raft of strategic goals to be completed within two years, and he raised concern that it might be unable to fulfil those objectives in such a short time. Commending MINUSTAH for its self‑assessment, he said it must now tackle outstanding issues related to cholera and sexual exploitation and abuse. He advocated support for the Secretary-General’s new approach to cholera, noting that, without attention to health, education and sanitation, Haiti’s path to sustainable development would be long and rocky.
The representative of Japan was among several speakers who underscored their countries’ troop and police contribution to MINUSTAH over the years. He expressed hope that MINUJUSTH would strengthen police and justice institutions, citing the challenges of the Haitian National Police’s ability to respond to large-scale violence, border controls, the need for police stations and rule of law issues. He also highlighted Japan’s $9 million contribution to combat cholera, through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other organizations.
The representative of the United States noted that the core of the new Mission would focus on the rule of law, police development and human rights. She also urged that more attention be given to Haiti’s economic situation and challenges related to humanitarian and disaster preparedness. The United States had been among Haiti’s strongest international partners for more than 30 years, she said, and it would continue to support the country.
Peru’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Haiti, said strengthening the rule of law and democratic institutions, and embedding a culture to improve socioeconomic conditions, were all essential to security and prosperity in the country. He underscored the principle of national ownership and inclusion, and reiterated the importance of the Government’s commitment to the rule of law, justice and security. He also welcomed the reform of the Haitian National Police and adoption of the strategic development plan. He noted, however, limited progress in improving judicial institutions and the administration of justice, and urged the Government to take actions related to justice and human rights.
The Vice-Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of Mexico said the strengthening of rule of law and national institutions were signs of a new era for Haiti in shouldering its responsibilities for the future. “The United Nations is not leaving Haiti. Rather, our presence is evolving,” he said, emphasizing that the Organization must support Haiti in shaping its development path and ensuring its people enjoyed the fruits of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Also speaking were representatives of the Kazakhstan, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Sweden, Senegal, Italy, China, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Chile, as well as the European Union.
The meeting began at 10:07 a.m., was suspended from 11:03 a.m. to 11:49 a.m., and ended at 1:20 p.m.
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Why a visit from the Haitian government has Quebec immigration lawyers worried
CBC NEWS
'We want to make sure if they are sent back, that they won't be facing problems,' lawyer says
By Benjamin Shingler,CBC NewsPosted: Aug 09, 2017 4:50 PM ETLast Updated: Aug 10, 2017 10:15 AM ET
A visit by Haitian government representatives to Montreal as thousands of people from the country seek asylum here is raising alarm among Quebec immigration lawyers.
Haiti's Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Rodrigue and Stéphanie Auguste, the minister for nationals living abroad, met with Mayor Denis Coderre after arriving in Montreal on Tuesday. The pair had even hoped to meet with asylum seekers staying at the Olympic Stadium, Rodrigue told a news conference alongside Coderre.
In the end, they did not visit the stadium, said a spokesperson for PRAIDA, the provincial organization that assists arrivals to Quebec in their first months.
The visit, however, is still cause for concern, said Jean-Sébastien Boudreault, head of the Quebec Association of Immigration Lawyers. He said any contact with the Haitian government could compromise the safety and privacy of those seeking refuge from the country.
"We need to make sure, first and foremost, that we are protecting the people we are supposed to be protecting, which are the people who are seeking a refugee status," Boudreau said in an interview.
"Some of them may not be received as refugees, might not meet the requirements of refugee claimant as stated in Canadian law. So, some of them might be sent back to Haiti and we want to make sure if they are sent back, that they won't be facing problems."
The visit from the Haitian ministers coincided with a surge in asylum seekers from the country.
There are 2,620 asylum seekers in temporary housing in Quebec. Seventy per cent of those who entered Quebec in recent weeks are of Haitian origin, Quebec Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil said last week.
The Canadian military was dispatched to build a camp on Wednesday to provide shelter to the new arrivals as they await processing.
Minister downplays concerns
At the news conference, Rodrigue tried to downplay the concerns, saying they were only visiting to offer support.
Rodrigue told reporters they are on a "fact-finding mission" to learn about the Haitians who came to Canada, and to see what kind of agreement can be reached with the Canadian government.
They will also help Haitians without identification get the documents they need in order to access essential services, such as passports and birth certificates, Auguste said.
For his part, Coderre said their presence was a sign that the government and Haitian President Jovenel Moïse are "taking the problem seriously."
The Haitian ministers were invited to Montreal by Haiti's ambassador to Canada, Coderre said.
The federal government learned of the ministers' visit two days before they arrived, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said. In a statement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said it will protect "the personal information of all asylum seekers."
"No information on individual cases has been shared with the Haitian ministers," the statement said.
A lot of them will be sent back: lawyer
Thousands of Haitian nationals continue to cross illegally into Quebec in the hopes of making a refugee claim.
A group of asylum seekers leave Olympic Stadium to go for a walk in Montreal last week. The stadium is being used as temporary housing to deal with the influx of asylum seekers arriving from the United States. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)
To be successful, a claimant must demonstrate he or she has a legitimate fear of persecution, war or other violence in their country of origin.
Many of them are likely to see their claim rejected, Boudreau said.
"You have to have personal reasons not to be sent back," he said. "I am afraid that a lot of them will be returned because they do not meet the requirements of refugees."
Haitians join other refugee groups in fleeing to Canada
To spot the failure of U.S. immigration policy, you don't need to look further than Quebec.
Fearing deportation, as many as 150 Haitians have been crossing the border into Canada every day this past week, hoping the United State’s neighbor to the north will have a more lenient stance than that of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Reutersreportsthat officials in Quebec have opened several sites,including Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, to house Haitians undergoing refugee processing.
Haitians living in the United States are not alone in looking to Canada for sanctuary. Fleeing the Trump administration’s crackdowns and deportations, over 4,300 migrants and asylum seekers from other countries, such asSudanandSyria, have crossed into Canada from the United States since the start of the year. And what the Trump administration does in January could make things even worse.
That’s when the temporary protected status (TPS) covering roughly 50,000 Haitians who came here before 2011 expires. They were granted the TPS after an earthquake in January 2010 devastated their country, with the most recentextensionby the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) holding until January 22, 2018.
While Canada has vowed to take in asylum seekers from some countries – notably, Syria – the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could also be on track to deport Haitians.
Trudeau has twice extended the ban on the deportations, but the last moratorium on deporting Haitians expired in August 2016. This, theCBC reports, prompted 3,200 Haitians without legal status in Canada to apply for residency based on humanitarian grounds. Some have received deportation orders, said Jaggi Singh, an organizer and member of the Montreal-based Solidarity Across Borders.
Given the length of time they’ve already been living in the country, Singh said, many have been allowed to access “special procedures” to stay in Canada.
Singh said that the increase in the number of irregular arrivals in Canada “is directly related to the election of Donald Trump.”
He points to thetravel ban, which aims to prevent migration from six Muslim-majority countries (Syria, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan) and “the demonization of migrants in general” as factors creating a climate of fear and uncertainty for migrants and refugees in the United States.
“If you’re a migrant of Arab origin, of Latin American origin, of Haitian origin, of Muslim origin, your integrity and dignity is directly under attack by the climate created under the Trump administration,” he said, adding that the framework for a lot of the issues facing migrants and refugees in the United States were built by former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
When asked who he is seeing cross the border, Singh responded, “Families — mostly families.”
TheSafe Third Country Agreementprevents people from applying for refugee status at the border, so once these “irregular” arrivals are processed, they are given access to health care and a work permit. They can also find housing and live there until their refugee claims are processed. If their claims are rejected, they will face deportation.
The deportation of Haitian asylum-seekers and refugees in the United States would seriously impact the development of Haiti. To start with, said Steven Forester, immigration policy coordinator at the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, remittances from these 50,000 people alone support somewhere between 250,000 and 500,000 people in Haiti.
“It would be a catastrophe – it would be destabilizing Haiti and it would increase desperation in Haiti, causing more sea migration, causing a commitment of U.S. Coast Guard resources,” said Forester.
“Haiti’s stability is in our national interest,” he added.
The argument for deporting Haitians is that seven years after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake thatkilled at least 46,000(some estimates peg fatalities at220,000), followed by a cholera epidemic (caused by U.N. peacekeepers,killing around 10,000),Haiti is now safe and stable.
However, asThinkProgress reported in May, while DHS says Haiti is safe for Haitians, the State Department feels that it is unsafe for Americans, specifically citing the “security environment and lack of adequate medical facilities and response” as reasons why Americans should reconsider traveling there.
In fact, even theDHS memooutlining the reasons why the TPS should end in January 2018 points out that “Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere” and that 40 percent of the population lacks access to health care.
Still, it reasons, Haiti had problems before the 2010 earthquake and so that particular disaster (nor the cholera epidemic, nor Hurricane Matthew, which further battered the country in 2016) aren’t sufficient reasons to allow Haitians to stay in the United States.
“Haiti is a textbook case for TPS because of the three calamities [the earthquake, cholera and Hurricane Matthew],” said Forester. “They’re dead wrong about there being enough progress.”
The original version of the article misidentified Jaggi Singh’s organizational affiliation.
Haitians flee over US border into Canada over WhatsApp hoax
Text said the Canadian government would cover 'the fees'
Thousands ofHaitians have fled from the United States toCanada under the threat of deportation under Donald Trump, some because ofWhatsAppmessages falsely saying the country would welcome them.
Around 58,000 Haitians are living in the US under temporary protection status (TPS) since the Caribbean island was ravaged by an earthquake in 2010.
However, the US President has threatened to end the status, leading many to consider Canada, especially after false rumours spread the country was automatically welcoming people with TPS.
One message, sent via WhatsApp and reported by CBC, said Canada "invited and even encouraged all Hatians to apply for residence."
It went on to say the Canadian government would cover "the fees".
But the false information could mean many Haitians will face deportation back to the US or even Haiti if their asylum claims in Canada are rejected.
Some 250 to 300 people have sought asylum in Canada every day, up from around 50 a day in July.
To cope with the increase, Montreal's Olympic stadium has been used as a temporary shelter for up to 1,050 asylum seekers.
Last weekend, hundreds rallied at the stadium to show their support for the asylum seekers, while an anticipated anti-immigration protest failed to materialise.
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- Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti
Solar eclipse in Haiti on August 21st, 2017
On Friday the Civil Protection held a press conference at the Prime Minister’s residence regarding the solar eclipse announced for Monday, August 21st, 2017.
"At the level of the Government, measures were taken to help the population," asserted Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant. He specified "The forbidden is attractive. Never allow yourself to be tempted to look at the sun. Sunglasses cannot protect your eyes against the intensity of the infrared and ultraviolet rays during the eclipse." He added that Monday, August 21st, 2017 was not a day off, but caution was necessary and that it was better to follow it on TNH which has assured the broadcast of the eclipse.
The Direction of Civil Protection announced that its staff will go door to door to sensitize the population and local governments will also mobilize their teams.
The National Aerospace Agency of the United States (NASA) specified that this solar eclipse can be seen by approximately 300 million people. The continents of North and South America according to their geographical positions, should be able to see the total or partial eclipse, which will last between 2 and 3 o'clock p.m. The total eclipse will last about 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
In Haiti the eclipse will not be total, but at 75 %. It will begin at 1:59 am p.m. and will reach its peak at 3:25 p.m. to end at 4:40 am p.m.
Construction will soon begin on Jérémie's International Airport
Last Thursday at the Toussaint Louverture International Airpot, Colonel Irving Méhu, Managing director of the National Airport Authority (ANN), announced the future reconstruction of the building that will house the fire department currenty in deplorable condition, and the renovation of the Diplomatic Lounge. In addition, the beginning of the building for Jérémie's International Airport is also slated to begin soon.
In order to solve the parking problem at Jeremie’s airport, especially during holidays, Irving Méhu confirmed having received instructions from Head of State to proceed with the enlargement of the parking. He indicated that legal and administrative initiatives must be undertaken to purchase the ground in front of the airport, to make this project a reality.
DISASTERS: Haiti: 6 women drowned and 18 other survived in a shipwreck at the Island of La Tortue.
The dead bodies of six women were found by local government workers confirmed the local mayor Josemane Lubin.
The accident was recorded when there were violent blows of wind, associated with a thunderstorm, which surprised the sailors of several vessels for about fifteen minutes.
The rescue by some people from the island, as well as by some other sailboats allowed 18 people to be saved. However, several others are still reported missing.
Some of the shipwrecked people were immediately transported to the hospital. The rescue operations continue, with the aim of finding other bodies or survivors, said Lubin.
The La Tortue City Hall has been unable to supply information on the exact number of people who were aboard this sailboat that was on its way to Port-de-Paix.
Interviewed by AlterPresse, Gabriel Santiague, who lives on the Island of La Tortue lamented over the poor conditions of sea transport, through which people in the area travel. Which could be on the basis of these repeated wrecks.
The Maritime and Navigation Service of Haiti (Semanah) cannot really manage the country’s ports, meanwhile boat trips don’t always take place in good weather conditions.
"No life jackets for the passengers. Boat captains do not consult weather reports, to inquire about weather conditions, let’s not forget the overloading of sailboats that serve the population in the area."
A Reception Party held in the Peace Garden Museum to Welcome Ballet Bacoulou of Haiti
Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation exchanges gifts with Ralph LATORTUE, Permanent Representative of Commercial Development Bureau of Haiti to P.R China
On August 14, a reception party was held in the Peace Garden for Ballet Bacoulou of Haiti in order to promote the friendly relationship between China and Haiti. The event was co-organized by Commercial Development Bureau of Haiti to P.R China and China World Peace Foundation, and was supported by Belt and Road official website of china.com.cn, Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation and Beijing Peace Garden Museum.
Among those who participated in the reception were: Mr. Wang Xiangyang, Permanent Representative of P.R China to Haiti, Mr. Zhao Huimin, Director of Foreign Office of Beijing Municipality, Mr. Li Ruohong, President of China World Peace Foundation and Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation, Mr. Lu Qingsheng, Chairman of China-Africa Development Fund, Mr. Liu Fenghai, Director of Liaoning liaison office in Beijing, Mr. Zheng Jianping, Director of Shanghai liaison office in Beijing, Ms. Xie Yuhua, Secretary-General of Gansu Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Li Wusheng, Chairman of Orient Landscape, Mrs. Yvrose Green, Artistic Director and Director of Cultural Department of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Haiti, Mr. Ralph LATORTUE, Permanent Representative of Commercial Development Bureau of Haiti to P.R China, Mr. Jean JEAN-PIERRE, Music Director of the Traditional Orchestra of Haiti and Mr. Peniel Guerrier, choreographer of Ballet Bacoulou of Haiti.
Li Ruohong said although Haiti has yet established diplomatic ties with P.R China, the hearts of two peoples are getting closer as the exchange of culture, economy and trade deepens between the two sides, and the gifts exchanged serve as a catalyst of our enhanced amity. During his speech, Li said the Belt and Road Initiative does not only apply to the 65 countries and regions along the route, it is also applicable for the whole world. Not long ago, China World Peace Foundation and UNESCO jointly carried out a cultural project entitled an interactive cultural atlas along the Silk Roads, and released Peace Garden Declaration in recognition of this endeavor. The program encompasses nine sectors, namely, Science, Technology and Know-how, Pharmacology and Medicine, Costumes and Clothing, Religion and Spirituality, Mythology and Fantasy, Languages and Literature, Arts and Music, Rituals and Celebrations, Food and Gastronomy etc. It is believed that the project will deliver a pragmatic cooperation to promote people-to-people connectivity.
Peniel Guerrier told journalists that it is hoped that the authentic dancing and singing performance brought for Chinese audience will elevate bilateral relationship and bring the hearts of two peoples ever closer.
Guests had an even deeper feeling of the charisma of Haiti and the red-hot hospitality from Ispaniola Island by dancing together with the troupe at the end of the show.
Wu Peihe, Director of Public Affairs Department of China World Peace Foundation told reporters that he was deeply impressed by the instrument and melody from Ballet Bacoulou. He hoped that more musical exchanges can be seen between the two sides and that more outstanding masterpieces featured by both cultures can be created, so that a bridge of music can be built to connect China with Haiti.
As an international NGO, China World Peace Foundation integrates resources from governments, businesses, academics and finances in an effort to boost friendly exchanges with governmental and non-governmental bodies. Committed in promoting reciprocal cooperation in international talents, technologies, information, capital and resources, China World Peace Foundation plays a major role in connecting people’s heart through various cultural events.
Beijing International Peace Culture Foundation
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Fearing Trump deportation, Haitians head to Canada and risk dividing their families
Jacqueline Charles
The Miami Herald
MONTREAL, CANADA
Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as Carole Wembert dragged one bulky black-and-red suitcase and toted two other bags, the load weighing heavy on both her mind and body as she approached the border crossing.
After 15 years in the United States, the Haitian immigrant had quit her job at Walmart in Fort Lauderdale. She packed up her four children, flew 1,200 miles to New York City, took a bus for seven hours and then a taxi before finally reaching the heavily forested spot on the U.S.-Canada border that has become a word-of-mouth entry point to a new life for immigrants.
The future in Canada was uncertain, but she was pretty sure what faced her in the U.S.: deportation.
“The president doesn’t want the immigrants to stay,” Wembert said.
He was repeating the widely-held belief among some immigrant groups that President Donald Trump is closing the door to immigrants. Haitians in particular are worried because nearly 60,000 — including Wembert — have been living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the special humanitarian relief given to Haiti since its devastating 2010 earthquake left more than 300,000 dead.
The Trump administration has been increasingly signaling that it may end the status for Haitians in January. That’s fueling an unprecedented exodus of mostly Haitian migrants from the United States across a dirt and gravel-covered ditch in upstate New York to Canada.
As the illegal flow of Haitian migrants continues into Canada’s French-speaking Quebec province, many families like Wembert’s — with U.S.-born children — could face a painful dilemma, say immigration experts: What to do with their children if they are deported to Haiti.
To win an asylum claim in Canada, migrants will have to convince an independent immigration and refugee board that they would be at risk of persecution or even death if they returned to their homeland. Failure to prove it means deportation.
Despite being allowed to enter Canada, many Haitian immigrants aren’t granted asylum. “The success rate for last year, 2016, was 50 percent so you’re facing a very real risk of being refused,” said Richard Goldman, an immigration attorney with the Committee to Aid Refugees in Montreal. “It’s not an easy case to make especially if you’ve been living in the States for many years.”
Dany Laferrière, appointed Officer of the Order of Montreal
Dany Laferrière, the illustrious French-speaking writer, heavyweight of Haitian literature and academician, received a badge of the Order of Montreal from its major last week, before the celebration of the city’s 375 year anniversary.
Denis Coderre took advantage of the celebration to honor seventeen individuals with the Order of Montreal, formerly called Academy of Great Montrealers, created in 1988 by the Montreal Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.
"I received honors in past but never during a historic such as today," declared the Haitian author.
The medal of the Order of Montreal pays tribute to people who have "contributed in a remarkable way to the development and to the brilliance of the metropolis." Along with Dany Laferrière (native of Petit-Goâve, Haiti), two other symbolic personalities were also honored at the medal ceremony. They were Yannick Nézet-Séguin who leads an orchestra and of visual artist Françoise Sullivan.
- Détails
- Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti
The longest cave of the Caribbean is in Haiti
In addition to its soft sand, natural beaches, stunning landscapes, and its renowned cuisine, Haiti possesses about ten caves which attract tourists and add to the island’s charm. However, the very few are aware that the world’s first Black Republic also has the longest natural cave in the region.
Cave Marie-Jeanne is the longest natural excavation in the Caribbean. On the three levels that have been explored up to now, it includes 56 recorded chambers. It is also a real labyrinth of 4 kilometers of galleries staged on five levels.
Walls, ceilings and floors in this cave are covered with spéléothèmes (concrete limestones in caves) of every types and size, which are unique to tropical caves. Some researchers believe that the formation of this subterranean structure goes back up about 60 million years.
Situated in Port-à-Piment, a small municipality in the South of Haiti, Cave Marie Jeanne is the longest natural excavation in the Caribbean. To reach its entrance, which situated at 120 meter in altitude, one needs to climb the small hill that leads to it for about ten minutes. The entrance is bushy, hidden behind trees and stalks which seem to protect a treasure. This adds to the natural charm of the place and creates a steep contrast to what is discovered by penetrating inside.
Court Dismisses Remaining Lawsuit Against U.N. on Haiti Cholera
New York Times, AUG. 24, 2017
The last remaining class-action lawsuit against the United Nations over the cholera epidemic in Haiti was thrown out Thursday by a federal judge, who upheld the organization’s assertion of diplomatic immunity.
In an order filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Judge Sandra L. Townes said the lawsuit, which accused the United Nations of responsibility because the cholera was introduced into Haiti by infected United Nations peacekeepers from Nepal seven years ago, had been dismissed for “lack of subject-matter jurisdiction.”
A little more than a year ago, a federal appeals court in New York dismissed the only other class-action lawsuit seeking redress for Haitians from the United Nations over the cholera epidemic. That ruling also held that the United Nations could not be sued in United States courts.
The dismissal of the Brooklyn case appeared to dash any hope by Haitian victims of the epidemic for financial compensation from the United Nations in an American court judgment.
Nearly a million Haitians have been sickened and roughly 10,000 have died from cholera since 2010. An award of damages against the United Nations could have run into many billions of dollars.
U.N. Apologizes for Role in Haiti’s 2010 Cholera Outbreak DEC. 1, 2016
The lead lawyer for the Haitians, James F. Haggerty, expressed disappointment over the dismissal but said it was “certainly likely” he would appeal.
“We firmly believe the U.S. legal system eventually bends toward justice,” Mr. Haggerty said.
Officials from the United Nations did not comment on the dismissal. But they had previously expressed confidence that the immunity argument would prevail.
Under the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, the organization is entitled to “immunity from every form of legal process” except when it has “expressly waived its immunity.”
Mr. Haggerty argued unsuccessfully that the United Nations previously had acknowledged liability for negligence by its peacekeeping operations, which he said amounted to a waiver of immunity in the cholera disaster.
Sunrise Airways will connect Florida to Haiti starting in October
Starting in October, the Haitian company Sunrise Airways will launch its direct flights to Orlando (MCO) and Miami (MIA).
The new service offered 3 times a week, marks the first flights of the carrier towards the United States and the first service without stopover connecting Orlando and Haiti. It is scheduled to begin on October 17th, 2017, subject to the approval of the government.
Sunrise Airways will launch an Airbus A320 on its new flight Orlando-Port-au-Prince. The plane will offer two classes of services: business and coach, with a maximum of 150 passengers.
"For us, as an airline company, and more importantly still for the large Haitian community living in the Orlando region, these new flights are an enormous development," declared Philippe Bayard, President of Sunrise Airways. "As an airline company based in Haiti, Sunrise is particularly proud to be the first one to bring the convenience of the service without a layover between Port-au-Prince and Orlando in the Central Florida market."
A bust of Toussaint Louverture was unveiled on Wednesday, August 23rd in Montreal
A Moment of pride occurred recently for the Haitian community of Montreal. The unveiling of the bust of Toussaints Louverture reminded everyone of the strength of the Haitian people.
This legacy in the city of Montreal symbolizes the contribution of the Haitian community for 65 years in the building of this big city. The Haitian community raised enough funds for the production of the bust. The association of taxi drivers of Montreal alone contributed a check for $ 1,000. While the base was offered by the City of Montreal, the Haitian community offered the rest. The sculptor of the piece was Dominique Dennery.
A bust of Emperor Dessalines was offered to the city of Gatineau by the Haitian Community in 2015. Dominique Dennery also designed it. She made a strong comeback, two years later, with the bust of Toussaints Louverture.
The graduation of a new class of Haitian soldiers in Ecuador
The Minister of Defense, Ambassador Hervé Denis, accompanied with his managing director, Colonel Louis Marcelin Daniel, visited Ecuador during the week of August 15th, 2017, to attend the graduation of Haitian soldiers. These servicemen were trained at a training school for soldiers in Ecuador. It constitutes the 5th class of graduating Haitian soldiers since 2012, within the framework of establishing a new national defense force for the country.
At the end of the ceremony, a working meeting took place between the Minister of Defense and his Ecuadorian Counterpart, Mister Miguel Cavajal as well as the members of the Ecuadorian army. During the meeting, Mister Denis made a presentation about the vision of the Haitian government for the new defense force as well as initiatives underway for his creation.
This meeting also was an opportunity for both parties to review the results obtained within the framework of the Agreement of Cooperation signed on September 21st, 2012, and to define new domains of cooperation. Both Secretaries expressed their satisfaction for the positive results and shared the interest of their respective government to pursue and strengthen this cooperation.
For that reason, Ecuador promised its support for the instructors' training, which will take care of the formation of soldiers on-the-spot in Haiti. Also, specialized programs will be offered for the Haitian officers who join the medical profession, engineering, agronomy and other domains considered useful to allow the new defense force to participate fully in the efforts of national development.