18 images Created 11 Dec 2011
Haiti After the Coup
In January 2006, Haiti was preparing for elections but living under a regime installed shortly after US Special Forces removed Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power in 2004. For the second time in 15 years, Haitians had seen their elected government overthrown and thousands of their country's most talented people murdered or driven into exile. In Port-au-Prince where the violence following the coup had been the worst, I encountered an impoverished, tired and angry population, exhausted after years of instability and violence. The country's infrastructure had been neglected and its poorest citizens abandoned. The most popular political party in the country, Lavalas, was boycotting the elections but had given its support to René Préval's Espwa Party. For security reasons, Préval made few public appearances, unlike his unpopular rivals from the wealthy business class who staged carefully managed rallies in the streets of Port-au-Prince. As preparations for the elections went ahead, killings continued in Haiti's largest slum, Cité Soleil, where repression during the coup was most intense. The security apparatus of the country was in disarray. The Haitian National Police had been involved in numerous political killings during the coup, and the commander of the UN forces, MINUSTAH, had just committed suicide. What's more, MINUSTAH had been involved in numerous killings and unlawful arrests of civilians.
In 2007 and 2008, it was clear that the election of Préval had restored calm in Haiti. For the average Haitian, however, little else had changed: the country's economy was still dependent on foreign aid, unemployment hovered at 70%, 4% of children finished high school, families lived off a few dollars a day, food riots were erupting, foreign troops still patrolled the streets and investment in policing seemed to be the primary concern of the international community.
In 2007 and 2008, it was clear that the election of Préval had restored calm in Haiti. For the average Haitian, however, little else had changed: the country's economy was still dependent on foreign aid, unemployment hovered at 70%, 4% of children finished high school, families lived off a few dollars a day, food riots were erupting, foreign troops still patrolled the streets and investment in policing seemed to be the primary concern of the international community.
