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Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

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  • Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

    With all the news of the death and destruction of Haiti in the news and why world powers are so interested in an impoverished island, I thought I'd research a little about its history and ran across this article. We all should be aware by now that the media feeds us about 1% truth and 99% ignorance and as Armenians we should know that no military power in this world acts on purely good faith.

    Once France’s richest colonial possession, earthquake-hit Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world

    Once the richest French colony in the Americas - contributing as much as 50 per cent of the mother country's wealth - Haiti now vies with Nicaragua for the title of poorest country in the New World. Thanks to yesterday's magnitude 7.0 earthquake, it is likely to fall further behind its fellow developing nations.

    The nation, the western half of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, came under French rule in 1697 when it was called Saint-Domingue. (The eastern other half of the island - now the Dominican Republic - went to the Spaniards.)

    Through the course of the 18th century the colony became the richest in the French-speaking New World, thanks to coffee and sugar plantations run on slave labour.

    Given its former vast natural wealth, how did Haiti become so poor?

    THE FRENCH CONNECTION
    Haiti has been plundered throughout its history. It got off to a bad start immediately following independence from France in 1804, when Jean-Jacques Dessalines and an army of slaves defeated French troops sent by Napoleon to restore slavery.

    Dessalines, himself a former slave, was proclaimed emperor by his men who named the island after its American Indian name, Ayiti, which means 'land of mountains'.

    Dessalines's rule was short, violent and populist. He forbade white people from owning property and ruled that the black population must either work in the plantations or in the army.
    He was assassinated in 1806.

    A nation forged by a slave revolt set a terrible precedent in a world heavily dependent on slave labour and France persuaded Spain and the US to join it in an economic embargo.

    Desperate for international recognition, Haiti eventually agreed in 1838 to pay reparations to France in order to compensate slave owners and their heirs. The sum, 150 million francs, is estimated at $21bn in today's money, and kept Haiti in debt to France for the next 80 years.

    To add insult to injury in the interim, Haiti's national bank was plundered on several occasions by US, British, French and German forces. Expatriates from the same countries bankrolled multiple plots against ephemeral governments in order to further their business interests; in its 200-year history, Haiti has endured 32 coups.

    THE AMERICAN TAKEOVER
    In 1915, the United States occupied the country, fearing the growing influence of the German community there. A period of stability followed, although the introduction of chain-gangs to improve the country's infrastructure was deeply unpopular in a country founded by slaves.

    The US's primary legacy when it pulled out in 1934 was a strong, well-organised military. For the next 50 years the country would be governed by military dictatorships epitomised by that of physician Francois Duvalier.

    'Papa Doc', as he was known, seized power in a military coup in 1956.

    THE PAPA DOC YEARS
    'Papa Doc' Duvalier (above) won elections in 1957 on a populist ticket but threw off any pretence of democracy in 1964 when he made himself president for life.

    The US tacitly supported him because of Haiti's strategic location close to Fidel Castro's Cuba, and for fear that it would also turn communist.

    Papa Doc is widely credited with 30,000 deaths - mostly at the hands of the Tonton Macoutes, the paramilitary force he created to replace the army, which he disbanded for fear that it would topple him.

    Papa Doc confiscated land held by peasants to give to members of the Tonton Macoutes. He further consolidated his power over the poor black majority by reviving Haiti's voodoo traditions - setting himself up as a voodoo priest.

    This period was famously evoked in Graham Greene's 1966 novel, The Comedians, later filmed with Richard Burton and Alec Guinness.

    THE HAITIAN DIASPORA
    When Duvalier died in 1971, he was succeeded by his son Jean-Claude, or 'Baby Doc', who continued his father's repressive policies, but began to lose the support of the black majority.

    He fled the country in 1986 for France with the assistance of the Reagan administration in the United States. Today he is believed to be living modestly in Paris - or Brooklyn. Attempts since then to hold democratic elections have ended in disarray.

    The corruption and repression of these kleptocratic regimes, which stole aid money meant for the poorest, forced educated professionals into exile. There are large populations of Haitians today in Miami, New York and French-speaking Montreal as well as on other Caribbean islands.

    Haiti has never really recovered from this brain drain which led to a serious lack of teachers and doctors.


    ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
    The almost total deforestation of Haiti has added to the island's problems. In 1923, over 60 per cent of Haiti was covered by lush forests; in 2006, that had fallen to less than two per cent, thanks to the demand for charcoal, the main source of fuel in dirt-poor Port-au-Prince, and land for agriculture. This has led to soil erosion, desertification and floods.

    http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/58405,...a-doc-duvalier
    "Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." ~Malcolm X

  • #2
    Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

    thanks Kanadahye.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

      Because previous generations of Haitians didn't establish the type of culture and government that would allow them to fight off outside forces and influence and now their kin are suffering and having to do the leg work.

      A lot like Armenia.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

        See... sometimes you don't need to launch a war against a population of people but just "wait" for a "natural" disaster so you can move in the military and take over the land.

        _________________________________________________

        _________________________________________________

        Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Aid is reaching earthquake-torn Haiti, but getting it to the people who need it remains a challenge.

        Large quantities of medications, baby formula and other relief supplies are sitting on the tarmac and in warehouses at the Port-au-Prince airport, but no one is moving it out, according to CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta.

        "It's like everywhere we go, just walking through the airport, outside the airport even, people are saying, 'We need supplies,' " Gupta said.

        Gupta found pallets of formula, pain medication and antibiotics standing unattended next to the runway.


        http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ex.html?hpt=T1


        "International aid contributions since the quake have totaled hundreds of millions of dollars. U.S. spending for relief in Haiti has hit $170 million, the federal government announced Thursday.

        About 13,100 U.S. troops are in and around Haiti -- nearly 2,700 on the ground and 10,400 more offshore. Many Marines spend time in Haiti during the day but sleep on ships at night. More U.S. troops are to arrive by this weekend, bringing the total to about 4,600 troops on the ground."
        Last edited by KanadaHye; 01-22-2010, 07:54 AM.
        "Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." ~Malcolm X

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        • #5
          Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

          Nobody is taking over anything.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

            Originally posted by Muhaha View Post
            Nobody is taking over anything.
            Really... when is the last time you saw a foreign military on American soil after a natural disaster. I forgot, the situation in New Orleans was obviously under control after Hurricane Katrina. American military presence in 130 countries around the world and growing...
            "Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." ~Malcolm X

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

              This was the graceful transfer of UN occupation of Haiti to a US occupation.
              Azerbaboon: 9.000 Google hits and counting!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

                Originally posted by KanadaHye View Post
                Really... when is the last time you saw a foreign military on American soil after a natural disaster
                Never. What's your point? How does this prove America is taking over Haiti?

                Originally posted by KanadaHye View Post
                I forgot, the situation in New Orleans was obviously under control after Hurricane Katrina.
                I fail to see your point, again.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

                  Originally posted by Federate View Post
                  This was the graceful transfer of UN occupation of Haiti to a US occupation.
                  In what way shape or form is this an occupation? Are we there against the will of the Haitian people?


                  Those evil Americans sending in people to help, and look, they've already brainwashed the population to chant our name. Oh-em-eff-Gee, the horror.

                  HAITIANS CHANT USA! USA! DURING LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT RESCUE FROM EARTHQUAKE RUBBLE
                  Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Why is Haiti so poor? A history of quake-hit island

                    Originally posted by Muhaha View Post
                    Never. What's your point? How does this prove America is taking over Haiti?
                    What do you mean "taking" over? You do understand the concept of installing dictators and corrupt officials don't you?

                    Originally posted by Muhaha View Post
                    I fail to see your point, again.
                    My point is, you don't see Russian troops coming to "help" during a disaster. Of course, the American/Hrya media is so good at twisting the actual story that even when you LITERALLY point out the facts and history, the people still believe the B.S.

                    Originally posted by Muhaha View Post

                    Those evil Americans sending in people to help, and look, they've already brainwashed the population to chant our name. Oh-em-eff-Gee, the horror.


                    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRfFAlN6X_Q
                    The uneducated are easily brainwashed. Maybe next time they should try constructing buildings that aren't susceptible to earthquakes with the "ahem" modern technology.
                    Last edited by KanadaHye; 01-22-2010, 01:14 PM.
                    "Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." ~Malcolm X

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