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Re: Turning Haiti into One Big Sweatshop
Posted By: empress afrique In Response To: Turning Haiti into One Big Sweatshop *LINK* (Ayinde)
Date: Wednesday, 23 June 2004, at 4:30 p.m.
Greetings Ayindde and everyone else interested in this issue and its links to the Rasta community everywhere.
We should all be concerned especially since Cocaine and Marijuana trafficking are at the heart of all of this. They have arrested several members of Aristide's inner circle for suspiscion of drug trafficking for Columbians and they are now considering pressing charges against Aristide. Fortunately, South Africa has no extradition with the US so the Aristides are safe while MBeki is in power. Unfortunately, there are oppositional voices who are against the state taking the financial damage that caring for Aristide is costing.
Needless to say that the fact that they sent Aristide to the Democratic Republic of Congo upon being ousted and that he then went to Jamaica and now is in South Africa should be a warning to All Rastas everywhere of what they can do. The fact is that Aristide was ousted by power hungry self hating black, mixed raced and brown and white folks who just despite black power. Aristide was probably the first president in recent times to really try to bring power and prosperity to the majority. This is akin to the revolution that was attempted in Jamaica in the 1960s when professors from the University of the West Indies at Mona and politicians tried to study Rastas for the betterment of their society.
I feel that the theory about marginalized folks and self hatred is proving itself true when it comes to the Haitian Rastas too. I really felt that issues such as color and class would not be so prevalent in such a community or for such a group of folks. Unfortunately I was wrong. Haitian Rastas or dreads are just as stuck on color and class for all of the wrong reasons. To them Bob Marley and HIM were yellow skin mixed race men who gained power and prominence because of their genetic proximity to whites. I am truly saddened by this. I also feel that they equate this pigmentation and its relative relationship to whiteness with monetary priviledge. Therefore, many don't associate with others and they have no respect for the ones without these characteristics-primarily white and brown skin. If you are dark you better have some cash.
I am appalled at how often I have been disrespected by dreads of Haitian and continental African ancestry. I expected that mistreatment from West Indian and white and brown dreads and Rastas but I believed that upon adopting this lifestyle and belief that Haitians would revert to the revolutionary era motto of L'Union Fait La Force. The Africans have been just as horrible in their treatment of me. I have been harassed and just insulted by them they look at me as a Bossal or a commoner wanting to be royal. They forget about the real history that many of the Africans who were sent abroad or sold for the mere 40 pieces of gold were the children of the royal families throughout West AFrica. CAse in point, was Toussaint Breda L'Ouverture who was the son of a king from Benin. Goodness knows that Dessalines was probably just as blessed. The fact is that we should treat others as we wish and deserve to be treated.
Finallly, the puppet regime of Boniface/Latortue put in place by misguided Haitians from the 10th Department primarily or almost exclusively the South Florida ones will get its payment back in due time. They did what they did for revenge supposedly because Ketant and other so-called drug dealers were given up by Aristide to the CIA. Well, those guys were not taking care of as many folks as they could have with their drug dollars. In fact, they used their gains to recreate capitalism. An economic structure that is anti black self determination. In addtion to that they also thought that they could get the money that had been kept from the Lavalas administration by the Bush and Chirac regimes well I guess they were wrong. Many promises have been made but so little has been donated thus far.
They are old men who need to pay for their monthly doses of Viagra. And they planned to replace the need with power gained from holding high governmental positions. Well photo ops with the president and Colin Powel and Jacques Chirac were not enough. They made Gerard Latortue look fat and stupid. Colin Powel scolded him during one photo op in Haiti and this set the tone for others.
I cannot believe that Mr. Latortue dropped the demands for the repayment of the $21.4 billions that Haiti had to repay to France until 1947 to keep its freedom. This is not reperations this is a repayment. The French government has promised just $ 2 billion dollars to the new Haitian government. This is way too little and it leaves them off the hook.
Again self hatred. Latortue and his croons were just so blinded and enchanted by Jacques Chirac's good French accent and the attention of being so close to one so authentic. And now he has cornered Haitians to further downpressure.
I heed all rastas anywhere to pay attention to this situation in Ayiti. I feel that it was precipitated by the Ilebrations that were occuring for the 200 anniversary of the Independence of the first black republic and the only successful slave revolution thus far. What I experienced since the selection of GW in 2000 and especially last year in 2003 and continue to experience in an urban city in the US tells me that the persecution is real. I feel like a runaway slave searching for my North Star. I look up to the sky everyday looking searching for a way to my savior the one who said no to slavery and yes to black self determination. HER and HIM . I believe I believe when will they come to save me and help me out of this babywrong!
Fight the power and stand up for truth. Believe in HER and HIM and their tribe and keep trodding.
Guidance and blessings.
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