WORDS FOR REBUILDING
Life resumes
The Haitian writers on site began with a narrative drama, told the unimaginable, the scenes which they have assisted. Some left the country, to better reflect abroad, others by choice or necessity have remained there, face the same difficulties as their compatriots. Thus, Lyonel Trouillot, price Wepler 2009 for his latest novel [1] in the first column of a series published daily at the Point, begins by talking about the drama did not spare many of his relatives:
"We can not cry so many deaths at once. It becomes almost ridiculous. You can not choose the job. "But very quickly
life gets over it and his columns will move on very concrete aspects facing it alongside his compatriots, as the search for water drinking, the organization by the people themselves at the quarter where it is located or in the refugee camps that were created spontaneously.
Petion Ville Club since the earthquake (photo Julien Tack)
particular, it describes the Petion Ville Club, a club until January 12 attended by the local bourgeoisie and wealthy foreigners, with its great golf course and now has no fewer than 10 000 refugees from all social backgrounds:
"A dirty life it holds (Goodbye to the golf course and other "facilities" yesterday reserved for the rich). There are corners hairdresser, soft drugs, a pastor with speakers, a corner market vegetables, selling coal. The interim seems slowly settle in permanently. " [2]
A vision problem
This finding is echoed by the Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck:
"The streets, football fields, turned into a multitude of refugee camps. A new life is organized. It is wrong to think this is temporary.
Refugee Camp (photo Julien Tack)
Knowing the shortcomings of my country and not expecting any consistency or continuity of ideas from the international community (Haiti will not the first case of abandonment media-humanitarian), this temporary is already transforming before our eyes (despite the denial of Haitian leaders and foreign) in the final. " [3]
And what emerges from the many accounts of Haitian authors is precisely the lack of response of the Haitian government and the sense of abandonment felt by the population a feeling that does not date from yesterday if we are to believe the writer Gary Victor, who lives in the tough neighborhood of Carrefour-Feuille:
"We have always had a problem of governance, a vision problem, we have a problem with contempt of this population, and that is the problem today is that people feel alone, feel abandoned, feels abandoned to itself, but fortunately I think that this population has shown it could be organized, because it must be said (...) is a population that is fighting, which continues to have confidence, but unfortunately, it ' a population that is unchecked, a population I can tell who is stateless. " [4]
If CNN did ...
In defense of a state whose fragile infrastructure was destroyed (several ministers have also died in the collapse their department), Raoul Peck, very critical, said that international aid could have acted quite differently if she had wanted the Haitian government assumes a greater role in organizing the rescue:
" Several days later, we still do not feel the grip of the state.
director Raoul Peck
And it is not won in the coming weeks. The original error is that international aid has not thought of (desired ?) To establish first the physical and logistical means that the administration could be surviving in a condition to react, communicate, navigate. When I see the speed with which CNN has set up office, antenna, secretariat (and bar emergency?) On the tarmac of the airport, I think we could have done better.
Whatever the weakness of the Haitian State, he would have immediately been put at his disposal a HQ, means, media logistics experts. This was not done. Each was rather self-excited to occupy more area of possible intervention, at worst, for reasons of interest, at best for reasons of diplomatic vanity. " [5]
Correct structural defects
But the same Raoul Peck adds, with the force of a cry of "one country does not die." Here or there, one hears the expression Haiti, year zero, that is to say that in his terrible misfortune, Haiti may have the opportunity to start in earnest on a new footing. Intellectuals, by their reflection can make paths. For example, in the sixth column for the item, Lyonel Trouillot responds to a presidential speech:
"In one of his few interventions aimed at an audience of Haiti, the President said that schools should play again. How? Which schools? That one area, education and the school system, which serve as an example of the direction we want to rebuild. Do we reinvent the system of quasi-segregation (the richest to the foreign schools, high school French, American school / middle-class and lower middle class to wealthy schools and congregations "good" private schools / the poor to lower-rated private schools and public high schools / very poor without the right to schooling) or do your last real republican school contributing to greater equality and strengthen civic consciousness? This is a major test awaits Haiti.
What school tomorrow for these children? (Photo Julien Tack)
This great misfortune may be an opportunity to correct structural defects. What will be done in the field of education will tell if this spirit of solidarity is only due to the fact that decency born evil or is a strong element that will help create a fairer society. Humanism short or possible new beginning? This is the theme of conversation with old friends, looking down the evening. " [6]
Two weights, two measures
But already in its fourth chronic [7] , Lyonel Trouillot was the bitter realization that some harmful practices are not changed in Haiti:
"At the entrance to the hotel (...) which is housed the CNN crew, safety officer refuses to let me pass. It blocks all Haitians. Someone yells that's the homesickness: the failure of his fellows, and that it stops people do not come begging. The boss comes in and apologizes.
Lyonel Trouillot
But the damage is done. Before the earthquake, one of the misfortunes of this country was the "two double standard "which establishes different treatment criteria odious. After such a calamity, such practices can they be sustained?"
A society completely unbalanced
This "double action", it was already, before the earthquake, be summarized in three or four numbers speak for themselves: "78% of the population lives on less than $ 2 per day, 54% with less than $ 1 a day. 3% of the population owns 50% of the country's wealth " [8] Trouillot think of those who were already living in extreme precariousness:
" The economic disaster has hit all sectors. But those who suffer and will suffer every day are those who already lived day by day, evil, rose in the morning and went out into the streets without a specific destination, but with a purpose, somewhere, anywhere, which provide a meal. Those, if reconstruction is not thinking in relation to an employment policy, they will suffer long, to become professionals of the assistantship. It is hoped that a plan is being prepared for reconstruction and economic recovery. " [9]
Reset 1804
poet Rodney St Eloy, ended his testimony [10] a note of optimism while also stressing the importance of thinking about social reconstruction:
"The urgency now is to cross this valley of tears, to cope with the earthquake, giving humanitarian and cooperation face a real and effective social solidarity. Haitians who are standing must bury their dead, mourn, and hand in hand, repeat 1804, this time with the support of all countries of the world. "
Haitian Flag whose motto is "unity is strength"
Only international aid should not falter once the emotion aroused by the hype, fallen.
Bridging gaps
Again, the writers have a role to play to keep alive our memory this tragedy and that the flame does not go out of our commitment to this country because The challenge is immense and will be long term:
"Literature somewhere we can fill, no faults, it is below the earth but there are loopholes within ourselves. And one of these major faults is forgotten. "Said precisely the great poet and writer in a story Frankétienne [11] which was dedicated to him a few days after the earthquake.
Frankétienne
Frankétienne The same who at the time of the earthquake, was working on a piece he calls himself prescient. Rodney St Eloy describes the moment in the aftermath of the tragedy, which, along with Dany Laferriere, he went to Frankétienne:
"The house is cracked Franketienne. We stopped at his house, and he tells us, in tears, he did not live to 74 years old this barbaric thing. He talks about his play he is about to play, and he repeats and says that the earth wobbles, shakes, and the palace collapses. We look at the ropes that serve as decorations in the room. He speaks of Sarajevo, and to pursue his theater on the ruins, as at the extreme, it will need its words. "
Frederick Gircour (chien.créole @ gmail.com)
[1] Lyonel Trouillot, yanvalou for Charlie, Actes Sud (2009)
[2] Lyonel Trouillot, What cat has taken the language of the executive?, Published on the website of Point 25 January 2010 (http://www.lepoint.fr/ actualites-monde/2010-01-25/jour-6-quel-chat-a-pris-la-langue-de-l-executif-par-lyonel-trouillot/924/0/416779)
[3] Raoul Peck, I am writing you a world of no return, Humanity (http://www.humanite.fr/Je-vous-ecris-d- one-world-without-return-By-Raoul Peck)
[4] France Inter, Special Issue 24 January 2010 at 20:00, on Haiti. Telephone interview conducted by Eric Delvaux.
[5] Raoul Peck, I am writing you a world of no return, Humanity (http://www.humanite.fr/Je-vous- Write d-a-world-without-return-By-Raoul Peck)
[6] Lyonel Trouillot, What cat has taken the language of the executive?, Published on the website of Point 25 January 2010 (http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-monde/2010-01-25/jour-6-quel -chat-a-pris-la-langue-de-l-executif-par-lyonel-trouillot/924/0/416779)
[7] Lyonel Trouillot the morning news, published on the site Point du 23 January 2010 (http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-monde/2010-01-23/haiti-carnet-de-bord-les-nouvelles-du- matin-par-lyonel-trouillot/924/0/416544)
[8] economic data published on the website of the Embassy of France in Haiti (http://www.ambafrance-ht.org/spip.php?article359)
[9] Lyonel Trouillot, What cat has taken the language of the executive?, published on the website of Point 25 January 2010 (http://www.lepoint.fr/actualites-monde / 2010-01-25/jour-6-quel-chat-a-pris-la-langue-de-l-executif-par-lyonel-trouillot/924/0/416779)
[10] Interview Rodney St Eloy, published January 21, 2010 on the site Montray Kreyol (http://www.montraykreyol.org/spip.php?article3471)
[11 ] Issue The Great Library of France 5, on Haiti (http://www.france5.fr/la-grande-librairie/index.php?page=article&numsite=1403&id_rubrique=1406 & ; id_article = 14,945)
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