#2928: What does insecurity mean to haitians? (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: J. David Lyall <david@lyalls.net>

>FROM CIP/ECOSOF
>

I have been thinking on this subject, insekirite, and what it
means to Pierre on the street.

( alert! ) I have an opinion.

My view is that most people have not experienced any
real "crime" personally. Not as a north american would
think of it, as in burglary or robbery or assault.

What they seem to react to when they hear of it is
'manifestation', or political unrest. Dechoukaj
are, of course, political events, and get a similar reaction.

Reactions to Dechoukaj could very well be tainted by the
fact that I am a blan, but averse reactions to manifestation, 
( political demonstrations in english ) seems to me to be
a genuine thing. PauP manifestations frequently include
burning of cars, street blockades and tire burnings of course.

It appears to me that most people are sick of manifestations
and dechoukaj and blame the political actors for it.
They say that the police won't do anything about the destruction
of property involved in these things because they are ordered not to
do anything.

One new idea I heard in my last week in country is that the police
are afraid to do anything because they remember what happened
to the last police force. Strangely this had never occurred to me.

I seem to have become accustomed to the police being in the background
with a traffic ticket the most common menace.
But then, I live in small town california where the foibles of the 
NASDAQ
are the main menace to peoples well being.
_________
J. David Lyall,
  [ Jedidiah Daudi in full ki-Swahili ]
http://www.lyalls.net/
david@lyalls.net