#3008: Insecurity: Morse replies

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: oloffsonram <oloffsonram@globelsud.net>


I might have to partly disagree with Mr Lydall on his interpretation of 
Insecurity in Haiti. It isn't just about demonstrations going sour. It 
also has a to do with the violent death and burglary rate. Zenglendoes.
Insecurity is also used as a political tool. Newspapers would sometimes 
change the description of the insecurity when they were backing a 
particular government.  For Example a major American paper said on July 
11, 1988 that.."there was more shooting but no one stirred. Every one 
realized that the army was merely celebrating". Of course this wasn't 
true. The army was frightening the population in order to re-establish 
the staus quo. The message was, in effect,"If you don't follow the army 
you die".
Another more recent form of insecurity is people being shot in their 
homes or cars (the nun, recently, on Bourdon, who wouldn't give up her 
car, shop owners, while closing up, being held up and shot, people 
making large withdrawals from banks and then being robbed or shot right 
in front of the bank.). There is also political retribution and 
sabotage (such as Lamy, Mayard, Malary, Bertain, Ismery,). 
I remember late one night, standing on the Maternity Ward in June 
of '88 and watching a lone jeep wandering through the deserted streets 
of Port-au-Prince shooting every few minutes as it went from 
neighborhood to neighborhood...Celebration?

Richard Morse