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7408: current situation (fwd)
From: patrick sylvain <sylvaipa@hotmail.com>
A dear friend, who is living in Haiti, wrote part of this e-mail to keep me
informed of the actualities from a personal point of view: "Things are very
bad since saturday. Barricades everywhere in the city. I was not able to
leave for the capital. We are blocked. I was tired of
staying at home, so I went to work and arrived just in time before they
attacked OPL that is just 3 streets from here. Now I cannot leave the
office anymore I just have to wait 'till the wave of "kouri" with people
with rocks and guns leave the area. Exciting times."
You know, I've gotten to the point where I'm beyond tired of being (us as
Haitian or as a "nation") the laughing stock of ourselves. yes, ourselves.
Our acts are so destructively cynical, that they are cradled rock-solid in
apathy. Indeed, we have allowed the white-racist-conservatives of this
world to point to us and say: "they can't rule themselves."
We all know of the imperialistic and pseudo-colonizing nature or attitude of
the superpowers; and as a "people" we have identified, named and analysed
our "enemies'" strategies. Yet, despite our nationalistic or populist
rhetoric, we continue to dig our grave. MAKOUT, LAVALAS, CONVERGENCE,
Patripòch, Boujwa-parazit, they are Haiti's grave diggers. The problem
originated from our lack of vision as a people and the hatred since slavery
that we carry with us into the bedrooms. What we produce reflects our
condition, our pathos as a people. Let's put the nationalistic rhetoric
aside, do we really love ourselves? Do we trust, respect and support one
another as Haitian? What kind of love do we have for Haiti, if any? Again,
let's put the rhetoric aside and reflect upon our material condition that is
shaped in historical and social contexts.
I trully enjoyed many of the posts, but I'm challenging my fellow Haitians
to adopt a humanist language and to reflect with honesty about our
conditions as a people, as a nation. Nearly two hundred years of
"independence," what is our legacy? What are we building and saving for our
posterity? Of course, I will never negate our brave, clever, glorious
revolution. It was indeed glorious. But, then what? If not in 1804, at
least 1934 should have been a starting point for nation building. Instead,
we are degrading. We are developing toward under-development. A progression
into a chaotic regression. Do not scream and be upset when the media refer
to us as the poorest nation in the Hemisphere. We are poor, dirty, corrupt,
unstable and filled with self-hatred. Please, do not be quick to say "I."
Let's look at the collectivity. We know there are beautiful and honest
Haitians. We know. But, let's reflect with honesty. Let's grade ourselves.
Wouldn't it be a shame when we do go through another occupation!
In hope of democracy, love and veritas,
Patrick
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