Updated 3rd paragraph.
Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
By Chido Nwangwu. Follow on X (Twitter) @Chido247
For Haiti, a predominantly African-Igbo-Caribbean heritage country, the months of February and March 2024, were wrecked by gangsters, criminals, political goons and self-hating squads of evil doers!
It’s been an unrelenting, agonizing and brutal struggle for Haitians to sustain 12 hours of One day as a period of normalcy!
For Haitians, through its recent history, there are very few years of calm without the bloodshed and freelance killings by purposeless gladiators for power. Also, a look at its past shows the brutal exploitation and hijacking of the financial and mineral resources of Haiti by France, the United States, United Kingdom/Britain, Canada and a couple of Europeans. There have been questions about whether the battle over the control of the rare and rich mineral, iridium, is the major instigator in the battle for Haiti. Iridium is a super mineral with heat-resistant materials useful for space vehicles, armed forces’ machines and other special projects. It is estimated to be worth several billions of dollars! Haiti is also said to have unexplored but very massive volumes of petroleum/oil.
It is equally important to note that the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) was the first antislavery and anticolonial clash which led to it becoming the world’s first Back Republic. Through connivance and overwhelming force, France and its allies toppled the Haiti Revolution in 1817. It has been one problem into another as primarily France, and (the United States) imposed arbitrary seizure and collection of funds from Haiti. France impoverished Haiti with cruel and false clams
Currently, what Haiti’s alliances of gangs are doing to Haiti and Haitians are terrible crimes! They do not allow for the distribution of foods, humanitarian supplies and medical aid. They make such needed activities unsafe. The gangs are taking instalmental control over many areas and airports.
Amidst that escalating violence, U.S Republicans in Congress continue to block the U.S State Department request for $40 million to deploy a Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti — led by Kenya’s contingent of 1,000 police officers.
It’s difficult to justify or understand Republican opposition to assist its traumatized hemispheric neighbor, Haiti.
Again, I ask: are Haitians the children of a lesser God? No!
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (who has Hatian roots/heritage) has reiterated President Joe Biden’s position:
“Our support is intended to help Haitians restore security, order and the rule of law and protect civilians, while at the same time remaining committed to supporting Haitian-led effort for a peaceful transition of power.”
Sadly, the once historic
Haiti remains, these days and years, a very dangerous and difficult case!
It’s unfortunate but true that except for a few decades of nationalist progress, most of Haiti’s history and political contests have been chronicles of cataclysmic events!
Literally, bloodstains are the most common marks of almost every flag and banner in Haiti’s history.
To make matters worse, the geographical location of Haiti on the venomous pathways of nature’s seismic violence, decades of exploitations and post-colonial mauling of the country, the brutal domination of its leaderships, mainly, by self-serving politicians and gangs have, nakedly, shown all the familiar manifestations of the failed State!
Yet, I am hopeful that despite the grim realities surrounding Haiti, today, in the Easter weekend of March 2024, a renewal of Haiti is possible!
•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, author of the forthcoming 2024 book, MLK, Mandela & Achebe: Power, Leadership and Identity., is Founder of the first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper on the internet, USAfricaonline.com, and established USAfrica in 1992 in Houston.He has appeared as an analyst on CNN, ALJazeera, SKYnews, and served as an adviser on Africa business to Houston’s former Mayor Lee Brown. Follow him on Twitter @Chido247
