Haitians expressed outrage on Friday, November 22, 2024, following controversial remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, made during the G20 summit in Brazil earlier this week.
In a video recorded from a distance, Macron is seen responding to a Haitian man who criticized France for Haiti’s dire state. Macron described Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council as “total morons” for dismissing former Prime Minister Garry Conille and accused Haitians of transforming the country into a narco-state.
Although the exchange occurred on Wednesday, the video went viral on social media Thursday, sparking indignation across Haiti. The Haitian government promptly summoned the French ambassador to demand an explanation for Macron’s remarks.
The Transitional Presidential Council, currently governing Haiti, has yet to issue a statement addressing Macron’s comments. However, the people of Port-au-Prince voiced their anger, reflecting a deep mistrust toward France, Haiti’s former colonizer.
“This is complete rubbish,” said truck driver Nicolas Jean Bernett. “The French still think of us as animals, just like during the times of slavery,” he added.
Camille Chalmers, an economist and Executive Secretary of the Haitian Advocacy Platform for an Alternative Development (PAPDA), described Macron’s words as “indignation” and said they revealed “contempt and ignorance of Haitian history.”
Chalmers also emphasized France’s historical responsibility toward Haiti, referencing the crippling reparations France demanded after Haiti’s successful slave revolt, which led to the establishment of the world’s first Black republic in 1804.
“Not only do they have a historical responsibility for reparations and restitution related to the ransom for independence. They also bear some responsibility for the chaotic situation Haiti is experiencing today,” Chalmers said.
The dismissal of interim Prime Minister Garry Conille on November 5 by the Transitional Presidential Council further deepened Haiti’s ongoing political instability. Conille was replaced by Alix Didier Fils-Aimé amidst an already turbulent democratic transition.
Shortly after the appointment of the new Prime Minister, armed gangs, who control approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince, launched an assault on an upscale community. In a rare instance, residents joined forces with police to resist the gunmen.
The escalating violence has devastated the country. According to an October 2 report from the International Organization for Migration, gang conflicts this year alone have killed thousands and displaced more than 700,000 people.
Macron’s remarks have added fuel to growing frustrations in Haiti, where the legacy of colonial exploitation and current political instability remain deeply intertwined.
(AP)
