30646: Forrest (Reply) RE: 30641: Horelle (reply) Re: 30627: Edouard (question) Haitians on list (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: fmooy@tulane.edu

I don't know what your background is Guy, or what your connection is to Haiti, 
but your comment is way off the mark. In general Haitians are very aware of the 
problems that exist here. Furthermore, my impression is that most Haitians here 
want things to change. They want a better life for themselves and their 
children just like all people everywhere. The thing is...they want it on their 
terms. That concept should be easy to grasp by anyone from the United States 
(or other similarly developed areas). "Have it your way" as the now somewhat 
dated advertising campaign goes...Isn't that what the west is all about?

The problem is that we in the "developed world" want it our way and seem to be 
hell-bent on making sure the "developing world" has it our way too. If the 
Haitians you interact with seem exasperated and overwhelmed by the state of 
affairs in their nation today, you might ask yourself how US and Western 
European intervention has contributed to that state. Similarly, if your Haitian 
colleagues seem quick to point an accusatory or finger at the 'blan' (let's use 
the Kreyol spelling) today, there is plenty of historical precedent to support 
that mistrust.

You ask the question: "are you sure you want to do something about it?" but 
what do you really know about what Haitians are doing about it? I don't present 
myself as any kind of expert...I am not Haitian and it would be ridiculous for 
me to claim that I fully understand these complex people, but I try to 
understand what I can. One think that I do understand is that many, if not 
most, Haitians would just be happy to be left alone by the international 
community. The fact is that too much "development" aid actually impedes 
Haitians' efforts to ameliorate their situation (think pig eradication or 
surplus crop dumping and those are just recent examples.)

In any case, I am not trying to pick a fight, only to suggest that different 
cultural perspectives lead to different solutions to problems. In the Haitian 
context, sometimes these "solutions" are in conflict with one another. When 
they do, it is important to remember that we 'blan' are not gods, in fact our 
insight into the Haitian situation is actually pretty myopic. Our efforts to 
aid the people of Haiti have largely failed, while everyday millions of 
Haitians are succeeding at helping themselves.

Your Friend and a Friend of the Haitian People,

Forrest Mooy
Fonkoze S.A. Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Juris Doctor Candidate, May 2009
Tulane University Law School
email: fmooy@tulane.edu