Since I came to Haiti, there is always one part of day-to-day life here that has intrigued me. It is the fact that even though it seldom seems to change things, at least for long, everyday people are quick to gather for a good protest or manifestation. The reasons for these demonstrations can range from someone being killed without getting any government attention, the rising cost of food prices, lack of jobs or simply that it’s a political holiday, so the timing is right.
Now, I don’t claim to understand the Haitian mindset, and can see both the good and bad sides of these uprisings. I mean, sure, they can be dangerous or get out of hand, but in a country where the financial split between the rich and the average person is so drastic, and the political atmosphere always favors the wealthy, the average person (or group of average persons) are going to have to go further than talking to have their voice heard.
This week, these manifestations have moved onto our mountain and are even blocking me from getting our vehicle to the orphanage. The issue for these protests: road conditions.
Now, anyone who has driven to our center knows the rough terrain to get there. I have even often described it as “the worst road in Haiti,” though that’s probably not actually true. Even before Hurricanes Isaac and Sandy blew through, it was an awful drive to get there, and now with that much water running down every crack, it has gotten much worse.
To be honest, I probably do more than sympathize with the people in the nearby villages wanting the government to fix the road. The problem (as I understand it), though, still comes back to the fight between rich and poor.
Apparently there is a nice hotel at the end of the road that is frequented by rich visitors and higher-level UN workers seeking retreat from the city. These people are willing to travel the rough road to make their escape from daily Haiti life. We see these folks drive past the orphanage on their way to or from this hotel every day, though I have never been there myself.
The owner of this hotel, as I am hearing, is using his money and friends in the government to prevent the road from being paved as a way of keeping this area “exclusive.” Right now, it is only he and a few land-owning farmers. However, if the road is paved, he fears these land owners will begin to build houses to sell and rent on their property, and attract more people to the area. If that happens, he will no longer be on the fringes of Haitian society and would no longer have an “escape” to offer patrons.
This is where the problem comes in. The people need a better road. The rich don’t want the road. So the people protest.
The first night they protested, they began simply by shouting, firing off a gun, and digging a big hole in the road, thereby making it impassable. This was an attempt to draw in the government repair crews, and it worked. On Wednesday, I made a trip to the center to drop off food, but could only get half way there before being turned around by Haitian cops and UN police, who were following the repair crew. They had come in and bladed the road (which was actually a major improvement), and were working to fill in the hole. I went home making plans to return the next day.
On the trip Thursday, however, we were met close to the main road by many stopped trucks, again blocked from traveling up the road. The people decided that blading the road was not enough. They want it paved. To force the issue with the hotel owner, it seems their strategy is saying “if you want a bad road, we’ll give you one.” They dug a few more trenches across the road so that only motorcycles could pass. The burned some tires, and even rolled a big boulder in the middle of on curve in the road. Needless to say, hotel guests cannot currently get in or out.
We decided the we couldn’t wait another day to get the food to the center, as the supply was running low, so we paid a few motorcycle taxis to carry us and the supplies through the obstacles. Driving through the mess was an interesting sight, and it intrigues me that these people are even willing to cut themselves off, in order to stand their ground. At this point I can’t say if the people will get what they want or not, but they are at least not backing down from making their requests known.
Though this is making my job pretty difficult right now, not being able to drive to the center every day, you need to know that our kids are being taken care of and there is no imminent danger for them. Once you reach the village, it is business as usual in the marketplace and the same people digging holes in the road at night are spending the days in their fields cultivating their onion crops.
Still, would you pray for the situation? Especially pray that the government and the rich will start treating all people fairly and helping meet these basic civic needs. It would be nice to know that one day normal Haitians won’t have to have these protests and riots to be heard.
Wow–Jan was NOT exaggerating about the condition of that road. Praying.