#5068: RE: #5013: Slaughter of Creole Pigs (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Karen Davis <kdavis@marygrove.edu>

I have heard this story from MANY Haitian friends--it seems to be a common
narrative representing the US/Haiti gov't collusion in impoverishment of the
Haitian people. One woman I know even incorporates a creole pig into all of
her paintings, as a reminder.
Although I have not myself researched this history, I do own TWO
well-documented films on this history: "A Pig's Tale" and "Haiti's Piggy
Bank." One is put out by Grassroots International, which has a website. Both
films, but especially the latter, are well documented with interviews with
Haitian farmers & officials, historical film footage of pigs being rounded
up or killed, and an interview with a US AID official.
My understanding at this point is that swine fever HAD been identified in
pigs in the DR, but I have yet to see or hear any indication that there were
any Haitian pigs diagnosed with the illness; in fact, it appears that pigs
who had been tested & found clear of disease, who were quarantined to be
breeding stock, were also hunted down and wiped out.
On the US swine "replacements.
They were NOT "replacements" because (1) they were not GIVEN to everyone
whose pigs were kille; (2) they were SOLD to the few farmers who could
afford them at high prices, with many further expensive restrictions related
to feed, housing, medical care, & distribution of offspring; (3) there were
only about 1/10 as many expensive US pigs sent to Haiti as there had been
creole pigs; the financial benefits qwent to US hog breeders, US feed
suppliers, and the Haitian gov't officials, rather than to farmers to
compensate for their past lioss & future expenses.
I highly recommend viewing these films for further information.
Karen