The colors were so vivid during my recent stay in Cap-Haitien that they still occupy my mind.
The blue of the sea. The turquoise of the wrought iron gate of the hotel. The green of the leaves of the innumerable trees which surrounded the establishment and which, in a way, protected it.
And then, all over the city, there were colors, like those seen through a kaleidoscope, hand-painted billboards and murals paying homage to great figures in Haiti’s history – like King Christophe and Toussaint Louverture – and to Michaël Benjamin, the darling child, who died on stage in Paris last October.
What colors do we give to anxiety? And to uncertainty? Because they too were everywhere in this corner of the northeast of the country, far from the capital and the headlines. Palpable anxiety and uncertainty in the community, unnamed and unspoken, but entirely justified. Even I, who always see the ti-punch glass half full, have to admit it.
Start again elsewhere
The Haitian diaspora here has helped build modern Quebec. Immigration has been so often marginalized in recent times that it seems important to remember this. Even recently, she demonstrated her abilities following the death of Fritznel Richard. The asylum seeker died near Roxham Road last December. This road, which gives hope of the possible to many, has become the end for Mr. Richard. Like an orchestra, Haitian community leaders led efforts to unite various services and raise donations to provide a dignified funeral for the deceased and a sum for his wife, whom he was trying to join during the tragedy. . Too many of our elected officials have chosen to treat the Roxham Road as a political crisis, but this story reminds us that the crisis is humanitarian.
May the misfortune of Fritznel Richard also serve us, the members of the Haitian diaspora, as an aide-memoire. That of our power when we join forces. Rarely have they been so necessary.
light up the tunnel
The reasons that led to the impasse in which Haiti finds itself today are numerous and it is important to know them. The country is full of brilliant historians and, fortunately, they will continue to do this duty of memory. But together, members of the diaspora, we must take action not by forgetting history, but by ensuring that recalling it does not slow us down. Should France, for example, eliminate Haiti’s debt? Obviously. Claiming it is one thing. But waiting for this outcome is not a solution to the country’s immediate problems.
Canada is in a leading position to lead a possible international mission in Haiti. The anxiety and uncertainty that exists in Haiti is also present within the Haitian diaspora, nourished by the (bad) memories of previous missions, such as that carried out by the UN peacekeepers and to whom we owe cholera introduced in Haiti in 2012, responsible for the death of nearly 10,000 Haitians and which affected 820,000 others.
In an interview with the Globe & Mail published on January 18, Bob Rae – Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations – told journalist Steven Chase that the United States, the UN and Canada were in talks to determine what form of intervention would give the most lasting results.
Words count and I would prefer that we talk about accompaniment and not about intervention.
In the same interview, Ambassador Rae reiterated a principle that other members of the federal government have been trumpeting for months: Canada insists that the approach used, for all elements of a solution, be led by Haitians. Those concerned and the various Haitian diasporas around the world have been recommending it for a long time. The message seems to have been understood, it is reassuring.
But what will this accompaniment look like? The Diaspora deserves an answer. And with one voice, we must demand it. In 2002, according to the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, 3.1 billion US dollars were sent to Haiti by the various Haitian diasporas – including those of the United States, Chile and Canada. These diasporas cannot be seen as mere ATMs. They – we – represent important stakeholders who can and should not only be consulted, but who should and can contribute well beyond the funds transferred each year. It is our responsibility.
Communication as a lever
There is one thing that some American politicians do particularly well: town halls. These gatherings between elected officials and voters, in intimate (albeit televised) arenas, allow leaders to explain the most complex. But above all, this important exercise allows elected officials to better feel what worries the people who take part in it and who represent a good sample of the population. Former President Barack Obama excelled at town halls. In particular at the one on the economy organized by Facebook in Palo Alto, in 2011. There, among people from Silicon Valley, Obama was able to answer questions from a worried generation. He was able to talk about government programs in place, projections and, most importantly, he was able to go in depth – what press briefings and scrums casual do not allow to do.
The Haitian diaspora in Canada deserves a town hall. To understand the rest and be heard. But for that, the Haitian diaspora must organize itself better and recall its influence. Our diaspora is too often fragmented, divided along socio-economic classes and political allegiances.
This fragmentation problem is not unique to us. Other communities will recognize themselves in my grievances. That doesn’t make them any more acceptable. Let’s put those divisions aside.
The Haitian diaspora in Canada also deserves a survey. There is currently an American initiative that deserves to be applauded. With the participation of Florida International University, a collective of organizations from the Haitian diaspora has just launched a major survey. The objective is to better quantify the contribution of this community and to better understand it, beyond the count. The results will make it possible to establish a plan which will be able to amplify the voice of this community and its influence with government institutions, NGOs, the business world and also with the media.
Civil society in Haiti has also given us an example to follow. The Montana Accord represents a possible recommendation to resolve part of the impasse. We must support him in his recommendations and in his actions.
The Haitian diaspora here is already doing a lot. I am thinking in particular of the essential Maison d’Haïti in Montreal, which is celebrating its 50e birthday this year. But we can and must do more. I wish us to be more united, but above all, let’s be more strategic. Whatever the solution that will be applied in Haiti, it must not be presented to us as a fait accompli. Our participation must be paramount. Let’s not forget that.
* Message to the Haitian Diaspora