Michael Deibert - Haiti Will Not Perish: A Recent History

PRAISE FOR HAITI WILL NOT PERISH

Deiberts exhaustive reportage gets an edge from his righteous anger on behalf of a people with whom he has a deep and abiding connection. An invaluable sourcebook for the period, and also a riveting read.

Madison Smartt Bell, author of All Souls Rising: A Novel of Haiti

Deibert brings his journalistic eye and deep affection for Haiti to an unflinching and urgently needed work, documenting the political corruption, culture of impunity and international meddling that have plagued this nation over the past two decades.

Carrie Gibson, author of Empires Crossroads: A History of the Caribbean

An engrossing tour through Haitis extraordinary history of survival. Its great strength is Deiberts sharp ear for Haitis many voices, for too long muted by a jaundiced media.

Matthew J. Smith, University of the West Indies

PRAISE FOR MICHAEL DEIBERTS PREVIOUS BOOK THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Scrupulously researched compassion impels [Deiberts] curiosity

The Guardian

Michael Deiberts work is the very model of what strong independent journalism can accomplish. His Congo book is no ordinary achievement. It bulges with both the grand sweep of history and a rich variety of voices gathered through enterprising, on the ground reporting.

Howard W. French, author of Chinas Second Continent

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Deiberts writing has appeared in The Guardian , The Washington Post , The Wall Street Journal , The Miami Herald , Le Monde Diplomatique , Folha de So Paulo and the World Policy Journal , among other venues. He has been a featured commentator on international affairs on the BBC, Al Jazeera, Channel 4, France 24, National Public Radio, WNYC New York Public Radio and KPFK Pacifica Radio. He is the author of In the Shadow of Saint Death: The Gulf Cartel and the Price of Americas Drug War in Mexico (2014), The Democratic Republic of Congo: Between Hope and Despair (2013) and Notes from the Last Testament: The Struggle for Haiti (2005).

HAITI
WILL
NOT
PERISH

A RECENT HISTORY

MICHAEL DEIBERT

Haiti Will Not Perish: A Recent History was first published in 2017 by Zed Books Ltd, The Foundry, 17 Oval Way, London SE11 5RR, UK

This ebook edition was first published in 2017

www.zedbooks.net

Copyright Michael Deibert 2017

The right of Michael Deibert to be identified as the author of this work have been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

Typeset in Adobe Garammond Pro by seagulls.net

Index by John Barker

Cover design by Alice Marwick

Cover photo Chantal Regnault

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of Zed Books Ltd.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978-1-78360-863-8 hb

ISBN 978-1-78360-798-3 pb

ISBN 978-1-78360-799-0 pdf

ISBN 978-1-78360-800-3 epub

ISBN 978-1-78360-801-0 mobi

Fuata nyuki ukafe zingani (Follow the bee and die in the hive)

Swahili proverb

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

During the 20 years I have been involved with the extraordinary nation of Haiti, my work there and my attempts to understand the place have been inestimably helped and my spirit so often revived by so many people.

Among the sons and daughters of Ayiti Cherie itself, I was aided in decoding the complexities of the country by the wisdom of Marilyn B. Allien, Jean-Claude and Sylvie Bajeux, Lolo and Mimerose Beaubrun, Russell Behrmann, Thony Belizaire, Angie Bell, Alice Blanchet, Richard Boncy, Patrick Brun, Gertrude Celidon, Clotilde Charlot, Adrien Demes, Michle Duvivier Pierre-Louis, Andr Elize, Pierre Esprance, Emmanuelle Gilles, Lannec Hurbon, Bazelais Jean-Baptiste, Naomie Labaty, Frantz and Tacha Large, Fidji Lemoine, Jean-Claude Louis, Lorraine Mangons, Charles Manus, Louis-Henri Mars, Alain Maximilien, Herby Metellus, Daniel Morel, Guy Noel, Raoul Peck, James Petit-Frere, Luxama Pierre-Richard, Louino Robillard, Jacques Roche, Angela Salellas, Marc Steed, Claude Sterling, Michael Stitt, Wendell Theodore, Brunette Tondreau, Hans Tippenhauer and Alexandre Viard.

Other foreigners also heard the call of the lwa and could not resist it, and I have been grateful for their friendship and advice: Philippe Allouard, Nadge Bellande Robertson, Peter Christopher, Katherine Coder, David Doherty, Anna Ferdinand, Ben Fountain, Anne Fuller, Carrie Gibson, Gerry Hadden, Javier Hernndez Valencia, Jessica Hsu, Bahare Khodabande, Amy King, Jacqualine Labrom, Reynald Lally, Eirin Mobekk, Patrick Moynihan, Laura Parker, Jane Regan, Chantal Regnault, Thos Robinson, Sarah Sandsted, Alex Smailes, Michael Tarr, the Trimble family, Manuel Vazquez Boidard, Jan Voordouw and Amber Walsh.

Thank you also to my far-flung friends who stood by me through the years of poverty and adversity it took to write this book: Justin Cappiello, Natasha Del Toro, Anna Edgerton, Sasha Elliott, Melanie Erker, Meghan Feeks, Daniela Guzmn Pea, Andrew McConnell, Fernando Peinado Alcaraz, Natalia Pizzatti, Nomi Prins, Francesca Romeo, Pedro Rodriguez, Claudia Scalise, Philip Schnell, Laura Shafferman, Sutton Stokes, Claire Sturm and Hilary Wallis.

Thanks to Zed Books and my editor there, Kika Sroka-Miller.

This book is also a tribute to the memory of my mother, Jann Marie Deibert, that of my maternal grandmother, Leah Breon, and that of my paternal grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth Deibert. To my grandfather, James Breon, my father, Caleb Deibert, and my brothers, Benjamin and Christopher, thank you for your support along the way.

Michael Deibert
Miami, April 2017

ABBREVIATIONS

AAA Ayiti An Aksyon

ADIH Association des Industries dHati

AFP Agence France-Presse

AJH Association des Journalistes Hatiens

ANAMAH Association Nationale des Magistrats Hatiens

ANC African National Congress

APC Armored personnel carrier

APROSIFA Association pour la Sant Intgrale de la Famille

ASEC Assembles des sections communales

AVIGES Association des Victimes du Gnocide de la Scierie

BCED Bureau du Contentieux lectoral Dpartemental

BLTS Bureau de Lutte contre le Trafic des Stupfiants

BNRH Banque Nationale de la Rpublique dHati

BOID Brigade dOpration et dIntervention Dpartementale

BRH Banque de la Rpublique dHati

BRI Brigade dIntervention Rapide

CAED Coordination de lAide Externe au Dveloppement

CAMEP Centrale Autonome Mtropolitaine dEau Potable

CARICOM Caribbean Community

CARLI Comit des Avocats pour le Respect des Liberts Individuelles

CASEC Conseils dadministration des sections communales

CCIH Chambre du Commerce et dIndustrie dHati

CEA Commission dEnqute Administrative

CEDH Centre cumnique des Droits Humains

CEP Conseil lectoral Provisoire

CEPR Center for Economic and Policy Research

CIAPEAJ Commission Indpendante dAppui aux Enqutes Relatives aux Assassinats des Journalistes Hatiens

CICIG Comisin Internacional Contra la Impunidad en Guatemala

CIDA Canadian International Development Agency

CIEVE Commission Indpendante dvaluation et de Vrification lectorale

CIMO Corps dIntervention et de Maintien de lOrdre

CIVPOL Civilian Police

CLED Centre pour la Libre Entreprise et la Dmocratie

CNDDR Commission Nationale de Dsarmement Dmantlement et Rinsertion