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22139: Vedrine: RE: 22111: Esser: Hispaniola's forest tragedy (fwd)
From: E Vedrine <evedrine@hotmail.com>
A very interesting note but fails to mention the real root of the problem
which has to do with European colonization. This problem started out in
Haiti as a sort of punishment for the New Black Republics independence
(1804) as one reviews carefully the country's history. Quoting Paul Farmer
(an American anthropologist and physician), Mc Geehin (2002) points out that
as late as 1824, the French monarch Charles X pressed Haiti's president
Boyer for 150 million francs and the French would pay half of customs charge
for trade. They would do that as indemnity for the losses of the plantation
owners. The Haitian government at the time strapped for cash; so it had to
turn to its valuable vast amount of forest which was a source for cash.
Deforestation began at a large scale. The export market converted the timber
into cash. That was the motor revenue that the Haitian government generated
in order to pay their indemnity to France. Mc Geehin cites Paul Paryski who
states that in the year 1845 alone, 18,600 cubic meters of mahogany were
exported from Haiti. From there, we have a clear picture where the
environmental history of begins (as an alternative opening) since Mc Geehin
goes further in his essay stating that a proper point would be with European
contact to the island of Hispaniola. His historical statement reveals that
the latter colonizer had a profound affect on Haiti's vegetation patterns.
He goes on talking about the impact of European settlement by quoting
Paryski where this author states that in the early 18th century,
exploitation of the forest resources of the new French colony (Saint
Domingue) now Haiti, accelerated as whole mountain ranges were deforested
for valuable forest hardwoods. Land had to be cleared for plantations and
other types of agriculture.
Both the former Preval and Aristide's administrations, in a way were looking
for a political discourse that would draw the attention of the majority of
the people, of course the attention of the so-called "opposition" (with a
sole goal: Aristide must resign) were trying to inflict the punishment on
the French by reviving the Kreyol saying "Ayiti dwe Lafrans" (Haiti owes
France). Aristide, in his calculation, went further demanding $21.7 billion
in reparations for charges paid after independence in 1804. Truly, on one
hand, many people supported that claim and would like to see the money to
help Haiti (though conscious people may pinch themselves in a way to have
doubt about its use), but at the same time some critics would see Aristide
as someone of rhetoric, a manipulator who emphasized a lot on the issue and
who is in a way, trying to make more people ignore the country's real
problems (lack of infrastructure at all levels) when many things could be
done with little amount of money and within a short period of time. On the
other hand, many Haitians know that France would not easily give such a
large amount of money in reparations. Different from Preval, and Aristide,
Prime Minister Gerard Latortue shifted his focus diplomatically, trying not
to awake the sleeping cats and particularly under a U.S - France led
occupation backing up his government. He declares that Haiti does not want
reparations from its former colonial master France but thinks Paris has a
moral obligation to extend it credits... Its contribution could be a line of
credit for French companies for infrastructure work in the emergency or road
construction sectors. (Reuters - Paris, May 12, 2004).
So, the mismanagement of Haiti's environment is not something recent when
analyzing all these historical facts. It has its roots in the European
colonization.
E.W.Vedrine,
Chief editor - Haiti’s Super Web Directory
http://www.palli.ch/~kapeskreyol/bibliographie/vedrine/web.html
& E.W.Vedrine Creole Project,Inc.
http://www.palli.ch/~kapeskreyol/bibliographie/vedrine.html
P.O.Box 255110; Dorchester, MA. 02125-5110 (USA)
>From: D. Esser torx@joimail.com
>
>BBC News
>http://news.bbc.co.uk
>
>May 26, 2004
>
>Hispaniola's forest tragedy
>
>
>The island of Hispaniola has lost most of its forest cover over the
>last two centuries and deforestation continues, notably on the
>Haitian side of the border.
>
>BBC science correspondent Richard Black asks whether environmental
>issues such as deforestation, and their links to poverty, have been
>an issue in the estimated 500 deaths from flooding.
>
>Haiti is one of the most deforested nations on Earth, and one of the
>poorest.
>
>A United Nations report in 1995 concluded that forest cover was
>"impaired" in 97% of the country.
>
>Bare slopes have little protection when the rains come
>
>Since then that figure has increased - put simply, many Haitians need
>wood for fuel and to sell.
>
>In the Dominican Republic the situation is somewhat better - around
>15% of the country is still forested.
>
>To the modern eye this might seem plenty. But 200 years ago almost
>the entire nation would have been wooded.
>
>Research conducted seven years ago concluded that logging, mainly by
>local people to clear land for agriculture, was a major factor.
>
>Ruined land
>
>When heavy rains come to land which is not bound together by tree
>roots, the soil is simply washed away.
>
>River banks disintegrate, and water can pour through settlements
>unimpeded by natural barriers.
>
>Over the years this lack of natural protection from floods has ruined
>much of Haiti's agricultural land - removing peoples' livelihoods,
>and putting extra pressure on forests which remain.
>
>The situation is exacerbated by Haiti's high population density, one
>of the highest in the world - more people means more demand for land
>and wood, and so more deforestation.
>
>The severity of these rains is highly unusual for Hispaniola, raising
>the question of whether they are a consequence of climate change.
>
>Computer models of global warming do predict that the frequency and
>strength of tropical storms will increase, but it is impossible to
>link one particular weather event to a slowly changing global climate.
>.
>
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