213th Anniversary of the Assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Communiqué on the Situation in Haiti

- Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) -

Haiti commemorated, on October 17 of this year, the 213th anniversary of the assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines [the founder of the Haitian homeland], following almost two months of mass demonstrations by a large part of the population, which brought daily life in Port-au-Prince to a halt, amid strong repression by military forces.

The multiple protests began after the resurgence of the energy crisis that generated a shortage of fuel, resulting in a price increase nationally in a country where 70 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty.

More than 77 people have been killed so far this year according to reports of human rights organizations, which highlight the murder of Haitian journalist Nehemie Joseph on October 10 in very murky circumstances. Several independent broadcasters have been closed amid complaints of pressure from the government and businesses linked to the energy sector.

In the context of this unrest, the new United Nations Mission, the so-called BINUH, came into effect on October 16. It replaces its predecessor MINUSTAH, continuing a policy of interference whenever the people's self-determination comes into play, in a clear intervention in Haiti's political life, without the full participation of all the social and political actors of the country.

The Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO) calls for the immediate cessation of repression of social movements, to respond effectively to the victims reported in recent months. It also calls for finding the most appropriate ways to resume the dialogue, in a process that takes into account the participation of all sectors of society and that has the Haitian people as the protagonists for social, political and economic change in Haiti, free of the control of bodies that hinder the exercise of their sovereignty.

Steering Committee of the Latin American Council of Social Sciences

The statement was approved by the CLACSO Steering Committee at its 100th Session in Havana, Cuba, October 23, 2019.

(Translated from original Spanish by TML. Photo: E. Dupain)

This article was published in

Volume 49 Number 26 - November 10, 2019

Article Link:
213th Anniversary of the Assassination of Jean-Jacques Dessalines: Communiqué on the Situation in Haiti - Latin American Council of Social Sciences (CLACSO)

    

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