By Lily Janik, Staff Writer
There is plenty of complexity when it comes to understanding what’s going on in Haiti, and the mainstream media doesn’t always help us to understand it.
This is why I spoke with a Haitian student on campus, to understand her family’s story, but also to see how what I was hearing from them compared to what I was seeing on the news. I was baffled to find out that the gangs overtaking Haiti are very politically affiliated, and, from a young age, some members were recruited by the government and given weapons and money to do the government’s dirty work. This was the only way that kids could get off the street.
Weapons used by gangs are also mainly being imported from the United States, according to The Guardian. There has long been a political divide amongst the gangs, but recently, they have unified against the government. They state that they are tired of being used with no benefits, and they want education, democracy, and freedom.
Many people in Haiti acknowledge the gangs’ violent methodology is harmful. However, Haiti has known violence for many years, so, in some of their eyes, a little more violence to create change, for better or worse, is normal.
So what should be done? Well, in Haiti, people just want to be left alone. Jimmy Chérizier, known as Barbecue, is the leader of the now unified gangs in Haiti. He has said that he just wants fair elections, corruption to go away, and foreign influence removed from their politics. The people I spoke with shared these views. I think that we should respect these wants– we are incredibly responsible for Haiti’s current state, and historical attempts to influence Haiti have not worked, so why would it work now?
These attempts include the United States and France occupying Haiti, and the French demanding reparations after their occupation. They also include, according to scholars, the more recent allegations of rigging elections for our own interests, causing Haitians to suffer. If we truly want what’s best for Haiti, we can stop the importation of guns to Haiti, and provide humanitarian aid if need be.
It’s also important to note that when I interviewed this student about her experience in Haiti, she spoke about how she loves her beautiful country. She, and I think she can speak for many Haitians when she says this, wants to restore the peace so people can truly enjoy Haiti’s beauty.