Worldwide Furor of Criticism of Israel over Attack that Killed 10 & Injured 50 from Nine Countries in Gaza Aid Flotilla

The world is stunned and sickened to learn about the Israeli Defense Forces storming the aid flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies to the besieged people of Gaza.

A BBC report says that troops "clashed" with protesters. How does that go exactly? The heavily armed Israeli forces point their guns and shoot? It was a cold-blooded massacre. Israel has no problem with killing defenseless people on a humanitarian mission.

This U.S. Memorial Day, thoughts and prayers are with the people of the aid mission and their families. In particular, the ten who were killed and the more than 50 injured.

On Sunday, May 30, 2010, participants in the international flotilla carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip held a memorial service at sea to commemorate the 34 Americans killed and 173 injured in Israel's 1967 attack on the U.S.S. Liberty.

Joe Meadors, a signalman on the Navy surveillance ship 43 years ago and a member of the Free Palestine Movement delegation to the flotilla, will lead the ceremony in honor of his crewmates.

Mr. Meadors believes that while the facts of that day in 1967 may never be fully acknowledged, the men who died should not be forgotten. "I am sailing again in the Eastern Mediterranean," he said, "to remember the brave heroes from the Liberty and the forgotten 1.5 million people trapped in Gaza."

Both the Israeli and U.S, governments conducted inquiries into the incident, and issued reports, which concluded that the attack was a mistake, due to Israeli confusion about the identity of the USS Liberty. Some U.S. diplomats, veterans and intelligence officials involved in the incident continue to dispute these official findings, saying the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty was not a mistake, and it remains the only major maritime incident in U.S. history not investigated by the U.S. Congress.

In May 1968, the Israeli government paid US$ 3,323,500 as full payment to the families of the 34 men killed in the attack. In March 1969, Israel paid a further $3,566,457 in compensation to the men who had been wounded. On 18 December 1980, it agreed to pay $6 million as settlement for the U.S. claim of $7,644,146 for material damage to the Liberty itself.

Interestingly, the ship itself got nearly as much compensation as the sailors' surviving families.

It is believed that the USS Liberty was attacked and an attempt was made to sink it, in order to draw the involvement of the U.S. into Israel's war with Egypt.

Hopefully, Mr. Meadors is among the survivors of the attack. Reportedly, the Israelis have detained activists accompanying the convoy.

No word on who was killed yet, but the list of international passengers from nine countries is available here.

The U.S. has reportedly said that it deeply regrets the loss of life. Britain deplores the loss of life. The Irish government is concerned for its citizens who were abroad the aid flotilla. Indonesia is urging the UN to investigate the attack. The UN Security Council is scheduled to discuss the Israeli attack. There is a worldwide furor of criticism of Israel over this latest incident.

Other sources for this post: FreeGaza.org

UPDATE 05.31.2010 5:07 pm:

Turks march against Israeli attack

Israeli security forces fired tear gas at protesters in the occupied West Bank [AFP] Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the Turkish city of Istanbul and around the world to denounce Israel over its attack on the convoy of Gaza-bound aid ships that left up to 10 people dead. Around 10,000 people marched from the Israeli consulate in Istanbul towards the city's main square shouting slogans and waving banners saying "Killer Israel". Source: Al Jazeera:

UPDATE: 06.04.2010, 10:36am

Israeli MP says Israel started shooting before even boarding flotilla ship (Video)

Top Jewish Rabbis condemn Israeli Flotilla Massacre (Video)

Meet the 19-Year-Old American Killed in the Flotilla Attack
By Paul Woodward (original post appeared on War in Context)

US Citizen 19yr old Shot 4x in Head on Gaza Flotilla via IDF (Video)

Former US Ambassador Edward Peck Says Flotilla Activists Were Defending Themselves (Video)

Flotilla Survivor says Israeli marines boarded unarmed American ship throwing grenades (Video)

Glenn Greenwald Clobbers Eliot Spitzer in Debate on the Gaza Flotilla (with Video)


IDF Released Several Faked Photos – How Can They Be Trusted in ANY Investigation?
By: EdwardTeller

Norman Finkelstein “Israel is now a lunatic state” (with Video)
Finkelstein: “What happened with the Gaza flotilla was not an accident. You have to remember that the Israeli cabinet met for fully a week. All the cabinet members discussed and deliberated how they would handle the flotilla. There were numerous reports in the Israeli press, numerous suggestions, numerous recommendations about what to do.

At the end of the day they decided on a night time armed commando raid on a humanitarian convoy. Israel is now a lunatic state. It’s a lunatic state with between 2 and 300 nuclear devices. It is threatening war daily against Iran, and against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah in Lebanon has all ready stated on several occasions that if Israel attacks it will retaliate in kind. Things are getting out of control. We have to ask ourselves a simple basic fundamental question. Can a lunatic state like Israel be trusted with 2 to 300 nuclear devices, when it is now threatening its neighbors Iran and Lebanon with an attack? These are serious issues!”

How NOT to Steal Haiti's Sovereignty and Independence (Q&A)

Original post: How to Steal Haiti's Sovereignty and Independence

What is the take away after reading this story for us non-Haitians who sincerely want to give what we can to add something positive to the situation?

Non-Haitians need to pressure the U.S. government to change their foreign policy towards Haiti. It's clear that the IMF, World Bank, IDB et al's structural readjustment programs haven't worked. Haiti is destroyed. It's clear that "free-trade," privatization and other neoliberal measures have killed the local industries and destroyed food production in Haiti.

While some priorities have changed (the top priority is rebuilding) and TPS has been granted to Haitian immigrants (for now). The list of priorities from this report by Haitian Lawyer's Leadership Network (HLLN) remains relevant: What Haitian-Americans are asking of the next US president

Philanthropy is commendable, but it must not cause the philanthropist to overlook the circumstances of economic injustice which make philanthropy necessary.

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Are our voices as important as our house plans?

Non-Haitian voices are best used when raised in support of Haitian voices and Haiti. Although corruption, injustice and other violations of human rights must be addressed and are top priorities, perspective, sensitivity and context would go a long way in assuring Haitians that there is good will and Haiti's best interest at heart behind calls for transparency, integrity and accountability.

The international community needs to do more listening. The time to have raised Cain was during the political interventions, coups, and the repression. The complicit silence of most of the corporate media, NGOs, religious community and people of conscience in the international community is part of the reason Haiti was mired in political chaos, death and destruction for the majority of these past ten years and beyond. Building infrastructure, institutions and social services was not a priority for the "international community." Evidently, most were in Haiti to make a quick buck -- the Haitian people's welfare was not on the agenda.

And since when does it make sense to dispense democracy from behind the butt of a gun? Pointing guns at hungry, dispossessed and destitute people is criminal. Why fire shots into a crowd of mourners at the funeral of a hero priest Father Gerry - killing one young man? Haitians don't want the UN military occupation. Abuses by MINUSTAH are growing, yet not one blue helmet has ever been held accountable. MINUSTAH either puts away the tanks and guns for tractors and construction equipment or they must all go home.


Or should we with particular skills that are necessary right now be apolitical?

POLITICS: Haitians have been struggling for autonomy and independence for 200 years. The main issue Haiti has faced vis-a-vie the international community has been a lack of respect for Haiti's sovereignty, Constitution, laws, government and people. A lot of it has to do with racism and white supremacy. This also explains the paternalistic nature inherent in the "aid" that Haiti receives.

Point of fact, this Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission is anathema to most Haitians because half of it consists of foreigners and its Chair is Bill Clinton. Haitians see this as a violation of their Constitution and a loss of sovereignty. This is a major issue, which doesn't seem to be permeating the consciousness of the collective "international community."

SKILLS: The problem with the NGOs in Haiti is that they're not building permanent, long-lasting structures or institutions. They're building flimsy ones that will not hold up to the test of time. The fact is, permanent structures would put them out of business and that's not the plan for most.

Questions for you: Are you guys building permanent infrastructures and institutions in Haiti? Ones that you would live in and be governed by?

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you
feed him for a lifetime."

--Old Chinese proverb

How to Steal Haiti's Sovereignty and Independence

Left: Sylvester Le Rock - former Warden of Les Cayes Prison where the massacre of at least 10 prisoners occurred. Mr. Le Rock has been promoted and now oversees the National Penitentiary of Port-au-Prince. Right: Jean Roulin Celestin - Haiti's Prison Commissioner explains the apparent promotion of Mr. Le Rock this way: "a prison is a prison."

The Haitian National Police (HNP) are often an instrument of state sponsored terror, violence and oppression. They are used to crush dissent. However, they must be reeling with shock and surprise to find that they are now the subject of an "investigation" by the very entities which to date have been their allies and partners in crime. The New York Times, the UN, USAID, U.S. Embassy, the religious community and most NGOs (one exception: Partner's in Health did one expose on the human rights abuses of the IDB) have stood by and watched the HNP and Haitian justice system operate with impunity in jailing political dissidents, hunting down and killing members of Fanmi Lavalas (President Jean Bertrand Aristides' party and overwhelmingly the most popular Haitian political organization) and a whole barrage of other extra-judicial activities that violate human rights.

It was never a problem up to this point and time that most of Haiti's jails were filled with political dissidents or people who were "detainees," that is, who had never been charged with a crime or seen a judge. In fact, the Global Policy Forum notes that "Since early 2001, Washington had blocked important economic and humanitarian aid to the country. Earlier, it had reneged on police training and on funding for UN human rights and election monitors." Of course, those actions were taken in order to destabilize a Haitian government that the U.S. wanted removed, so they make allowances for the suffering that occurs while enforcing their foreign policy interests.

When will the New York Times investigate MINUSTAH for the massacres in Cite Soley and other violent incursions into the vulnerable shantytowns in Port-au-Prince and other extra-judicial murders they allegedly committed in the process of "securing the peace" and capturing those they term, "gang members" and "Chimeres?" In reality, MINUSTAH's actions were designed for the majority of the time to crush political dissent.

Maurice Geigher -- contractor for USAID. Explains how there were indications that people had been shot in their cells. The families of the dead prisoners were never notified of their death.

This sudden penchant and appetite for investigations into Haiti officials' crimes is surprising, given that the New York Times has refrained up until now from reporting the many acts of brutality committed by the HNP as the UN watched on -- particularly against political dissidents and peaceful protesters. This latest crime investigation follows a story about the disturbing actions of the Mayor of Petionville, Claire Lydie Parent -- who had a cemetery excavated, apparently without notifying the dead's surviving relatives.

It's very interesting that the New York Times, USAID, an American Priest and the UN have now gotten together to condemn the Haitian police and justice system for practicing violence and perpetuating human rights abuses. Do they possibly share culpability for these crimes? Especially those committed during the reign of the puppet regime of Gerard LaTortue?

The timing is questionable. While one can't entirely dismiss the NY Times "concern" for the Haitian populace's human rights, we still have to question their motives because their actions in the past are not matching up with their actions now. Not a peep about human rights violations from most of the U.S. media during the Duvalier dictatorship and the killing of over 50,000 Haitians. The deaths of over 5,000 after the first U.S. sponsored coup in 1991 didn't seem to make much of an impression either. After another U.S. planned, sponsored, financed coup in 2004, the New York Times called its investigation of the international crime that eventually saw over 8,000 dead and 35,000 raped, by the euphemistic title "Mixed U.S. Signals Helped Tilt Haiti Toward Chaos."

Investigative reporter Max Blumenthal recorded his criticism of the New York Times "exposé":

"which claimed to expose how the a taxpayer funded Washington non-profit with close ties to the Bush administration, the International Republican Institute, and its Haiti operative, Stanley Lucas, fomented a coup in Haiti that deposed its democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In fact, the story was remarkably similar to a story I wrote nearly two years ago for Salon.com. On January 3, 2005, a New York Times staffer named Ursula Andrews emailed me, asking for help with research. I was excited that the newspaper of record was finally picking up on the story, and complied with their request. When the Times published its story, it contained no citation of my work."

Is the U.S. government laying the groundwork for direct control of Haiti's institutions? This article by the New York Times could be a first salvo in anticipation of the barrage of criticism to be expected from such a move. They perhaps see the need to establish a chain of evidence to solidify their case. Human rights abuses in Haiti was of no particular concern for the U.S. up until now, particularly when their puppet Gerard LaTortue (unfortunate name) ran the show.

Read and listen to Andrew S. Natsios of Georgetown University and Mark L. Schneider of the International Crisis Group's testimonies to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The statements from Natsios and Schneider were not surprising -- just the usual U.S. propaganda lines about Haiti, with no perspective on how Haiti was brought to this state by the interventions, occupation, trade policies and paternalistic actions of the U.S. government and their active arms in Haiti - USAID, UN and NGOs. No question, they had help from the Morally Repugnant Elite (MRE), but the strategy and planning was evidently done by the internationals. One surprise however, was Sean Penn going so far as saying that Haiti is not ready to be independent. Haiti, said Mr. Penn, should not be "prematurely" independent -- that would be "murder by another name."

In Mr. Natsios' testimony, he makes mention of the ouster of President Aristide, stating that Aristide during his time in office had, "..simply replaced one tyranny with another."

Mr. Natsios, did not however present evidence to back his unsubstantiated claim about President Aristide. He also did not find the U.S. to have any culpability for their sponsorship of the two coups that brought chaos and violence to Haiti.

Natsios does concede that "...US and UN Security Council Sanctions in the 1990s contributed to the end of the hope of industrialization and economic growth." He does however place the blame for Haiti's condition squarely on the shoulders of the governing class, "gang violence" and poverty :

"This tragedy was not simply a natural disaster; it was a man-made disaster stemming from a failed Haitian state characterized by widespread patrimonialism, corruption, and critically ineffective service delivery. Despite $5.3 billion in foreign aid invested by bilateral and multilateral donors from 1990 to 2005 (approximately $1.5 billion of which came from the U.S.), Haiti persists as one of the poorest and worst governed countries in the hemisphere, if not the world.

Much of this US government assistance has been humanitarian rather than nation building assistance, and has kept people alive through repeated political crisis [emphasis added]. The Government of Haiti has been characterized as autocratic and unstable. To ensure loyalty within a society that has been riddled with gang violence and plagued by abject poverty for decades, elites have created patronage networks to employ their supporters, provided selective public services to them, all funded by rent-seeking and limits on the creation of legitimate institutions which might challenge their monopoly control over the society."

All seem to be looking to the newly formed Interim Commission for Haiti Reconstruction to save Haiti from itself. The Commission cedes Haiti's independence and makes the Chair, Bill Clinton, the new Viceroy in charge of dispensing donor funds for Haiti's reconstruction.

Natsios mentions that "The composition of the Action Plan‘s proposed Interim Commission for Haitian Reconstruction has been called into question by Transparency International‘s Senior Consultant Roslyn Hees: ―the majority of the commission would be made up of international agencies and a minority would be made up of Haitian representatives. Even within the Haitian representation, there is no one from civil society, except a representative of Haitian unions, who cover a minuscule proportion of the Haitian workforce since most of the workforce is informal and not unionized."

Natsios dismisses the criticism with double speak: "Although it is essential that the Haitian government assume ownership in the agenda-building process, it is critical that the U.S. contributes only to a long-term development plan that is both inclusive and transformational."



Thank you New York Times for exposing this injustice to the prisoners of Les Cayes. Thoughts and prayers are with the surviving families members of these prisoners, who have suffered this devastating bereavement. Those who perpetuated this crime against humanity at Les Cayes Prison must be brought to justice and held accountable. However, the New York Times should understand the skepticism they incur regarding the intent behind their sudden concern over human rights abuses by officials in Haiti.

See the video at the New York Times website.

UPDATE 05.26.10
The Bellingham Herald reports that "President Rene Preval has asked the United Nations for help in forming an independent commission to investigate allegations that dozens of prisoners were shot by Haitian police during a jail riot in the southern city of Les Cayes a week after the Jan. 12 earthquake."

URGENT ACTION ALERT: Haiti Camps Report a Diphtheria Outbreak

Camp Canaan

While in Haiti, we notified a health monitoring service about suspected outbreaks of up to 100 cases of diptheria in Camp Cannan, twelve miles north of Port-au-Prince. Camp leaders gave us the figure. Based on the WHO public announcement to the media on May 11 that there "was no evidence of epidemic diphtheria", monitors reasonably believed our report to not be plausible. Even now, there has been no official announcement to many of the NGOs of the outbreak, highlighting challenges in communication with public health. Someone should listen to the Haitian people.

On Tuesday, May 18 the United Nations announced agencies are helping health authorities in Haiti carry out an emergency vaccination campaign after an outbreak of diphtheria in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Cases of the disease were first reported on Saturday, May 15 in Camp Batimat in Cité Soleil district, one of the settlements housing people displaced by the January earthquake, Christiane Berthiaume, spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), told reporters in Geneva.

Camp Cannan is located near Cité Soleil and is a source of what little food residents can obtain.

About 2,000 people possibly exposed to the diphtheria bacterium are being specifically targeted in the vaccination campaign, carried out by more than 80 vaccinators, the UN said.

With up to 8,000 people exposed in Camp Cannan, we can suggest the numbers may be much higher.

Diphtheria is an infectious disease that spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets from the throat through coughing and sneezing. The illness usually affects the tonsils, pharynx, larynx and occasionally the skin. Symptoms range from a moderately sore throat to toxic life-threatening diphtheria of the larynx or of the lower and upper respiratory tracts.

Here is our report on the lost voices of Camp Canaan and the Potemkin Village that is Camp Corail. It is urgent that they be heard.

Much of this was published in the LA Progressive and OEN, but it desperately needs to be restated, especially in the wake of the diptheria outbreak.

Read more here.

25 Million In Interest from the Frozen Funds of Uday Hussein Sought for Haiti's Children

Federal inmate Arthur Morrison seeks $25 million in British pounds, which is interest from the frozen funds of his former associate Uday Hussein, son of Saddam Hussein. Morrison wants to donate the funds to faith based groups helping the children of Haiti.

Morrison is also boxing great Muhammad Ali's one-time manager. He said that Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein, had entrusted 87 million British pounds in 1990 to himself and Ali to buy pharmaceuticals, milk and food for the children of Iraq.

Morrison was convicted of making phone threats between 1989 to 1992 to hospitals where an ex-girlfriend worked.

Morrison's former business partner, Joseph Priscak of Africa 6000 International sought the help of Jeremiah Wright in getting the interest from the Hussein funds released. The AP is attempting to make Jeremiah Wright the focus of this issue because they've attained a copy of a letter Wright wrote on Feb. 18 to Joseph Prischak stating that he, Wright was "toxic" to the Obama administration and that Obama "threw [him] under the bus." Wright did however write to Treasury Secretary Geithner on Priscak's behalf. No one from the Obama administration responded to Wright and the White House has so far had no comment on the matter.

Read the rest of this story here.

Canada's Contribution to Haiti: Money for Containment

Why does a country with one of the lowest crime rates in the Western Hemisphere need 9,000+ UN troops, US troops and 4.4 million dollars for prisons?

^{Ben Piven's photostream}
We've all seen, read, and heard about the deplorable conditions in which the people of Haiti are living under in the aftermath of the earthquake. Don't despair. Hope is on the way with the construction of a 4.4 million dollar prison that is near completion in Croix des Bouquets, courtesy of one the "friends of Haiti" – Canada. Question: Will the opening of this new facility and others in Jacmel and Leogane alleviate the homelessness problem?

Canada has committed 34.6 million dollars to ensure that the Black Haitians are securely contained. Haven't you noticed the new shiny riot gear of the Haitian police?

Who needs schools, housing, agricultural development and other social services when you’ve got prisons?

As the Haitian Policemen go about doing what they are trained to do,
don't forget Canada's role.


Sources:
Government of Canada Announces Additional Funding for
Humanitarian Assistance and Key Projects to Support Haiti Action Plan

Minister Cannon Concludes Haiti Visit by Announcing Canadian
Funding for Justice and Corrections Initiative


Background:
Haiti's violent image is an outdated myth, insist UN peacekeepers
Reed Lindsay in Port-au-Prince | The Observer, Sunday 11 May 2008

Paradise Lost: the Caribbean’s shocking secret
Marie Colvin | The Sunday Times | August 3, 2008

Crime and the Caribbean
Violence, murder and social breakdown are threatening many small states in the Caribbean
The Times | July 30, 2008

BRIEFING: Haiti's image of fear 'a big myth' to some
Reed Lindsay | The Washington Times | March 04, 2008

Comparing crime, poverty and violence in the rest of the Hemisphere to Haiti:
US free-trade agents and the compliant mainstream media are always telling Haitians how developed the other Caribbean and Latin American countries are, compared to Haiti.

To have foreign ownership while your masses languish in extreme poverty is not an "accomplishment"...

Sean Penn in Haiti: NGOs Not Spending Money to Head Off Diphtheria Epidemic

Video courtesy of AC360 | CNN

Sean Penn is angry. He says he has held his tongue and did not want to get into finger pointing about the performance of some NGOs in Haiti until now, but is compelled to speak up because he watched a 15 year old (who is the first confirmed victim of diphtheria) die as Penn tried all day to get him the medicine needed to stop this preventable disease from taking the youngster's life. The boy was shuttled by Penn to different aid agencies seeking the medicine that would have prevented his death, but he received the right treatment too late.

He hunted every corner of Port-au-Prince for an antitoxin for Oriel, a 15-year-old boy who contracted diphtheria, an acutely infectious disease spread through respiratory droplets.

The American Red Cross didn't have it. Nor did any of the major hospitals. Penn even had the U.S. military on the search.

The United States stockpiles the vaccine and antitoxin. But in Haiti, it took Penn -- even with his star power -- 11 hours to get his hands on one dose.

It was at a medical warehouse and Penn wrested the head of the World Health Organization from bed to unlock the door at a late hour.

"This country is not ready for an emergency," he says.

[...]

Penn cannot comprehend why, with an abundance of aid agencies working in Haiti, prevention like this has to be so difficult. He is not one to shield his anger, or mince words. "If the boy were to die," he says, "this would be murder."

A diphtheria epidemic is something that aid agencies like the American Red Cross should have been prepared for, says Penn. Aid organizations are "dominated by an inertia that killed a fifteen year old," he concluded, and they should "get off their butts, or people are gonna die en mass."

"The disaster is still on," as NGOs aren't spending the money on the people and not addressing the medical crises that may kill more people then the earthquake itself did. He says that aid groups have not been helpful and "were not prepared" to deal with preventable medical diseases. Sean says he hears a lot of criticism from NGOs of the Haitian government, but "Right now, if I were putting my money on an agency that is actually ready to act, it would be the government of Haiti."

Sean Penn says he has held his tongue and did not want to get into finger pointing about the performance of some NGOs in Haiti until now, but is compelled to speak up because he watched a 15 year old (who is evidently the first known victim of diphtheria in Haiti since the earthquake) die as Penn tried for hours to get him the medicine needed to stop this preventable disease from taking the youngster's life.

The boy was shuttled to different agencies as Penn sought the medicine that would have prevented his death. A diphtheria epidemic is something that aid agencies like the American Red Cross should have been prepared for, says Penn, but organizations are "dominated by an inertia that killed a fifteen year old" and they should "get off their butts, or people are gonna die en mass." Penn insists that the designated disaster funds should be made available now, to fight the coming devastation if the medical needs of the people are not addressed.

RIP Oriel Lynn Peter.

HatTip to Defend Haiti on Facebook

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Oil Developers want the Island of La Gonave: Is Haiti For Sale?

A summary of the "La Gonave Master Plan":
The developer, Global Renewable Energy, claims to be focused on "alternative energy projects," and has already pitched the plan to "buy" the island of La Gonave to the Haitian government, yet a public disclosure of the status of any agreements is unknown outside of the principles involved.

The developers' first priority is to build a "crude oil refinery", "petroleum product tank farm", "food processing plant", and "industrial port" in the planned "industrial city", but they are promoting their project (Ironic at all to call it the "La Gonave Master Plan?") as an "island paradise and business mecca", that will be a "home for international business and the destination for world travelers." Why develop La Gonave? Because "Developers within the energy sector will be more likely to assume the risks due to the large profit margins that may be realized by them." GRE minimizes the environmental impact that an oil refinery on La Gonave will have, saying:

"The oil refinery is created from mini-refineries. This type of refinery has much less impact on its surroundings. The refinery will be located within the industrial city and visually isolated from the rest of the island by the Jatropha Plantation. Additionally, the refinery and industrial city are located on La Gonave’s most western tip thus minimizing any impact on La Gonave. The prevailing wind direction is from the east. This prevailing wind direction will carry the minimal emissions out to sea to the west thus not negatively impacting La Gonave or the rest of Haiti

When the project is complete in the 20 year span visualized by GRE, Haitians who remain on the island, will be 60% employed ("a large trainable workforce") by the project's proposed businesses (mostly the "industrial plantation"). Haitians might well ask, what of the 40% not employed? Also, what of the fact that local island residents will be hindered from traveling freely from/to the island because the only way to get there will be via a private executive airport or the large industrial dock for cruise ships?

The majority of the island (a 65,000 acre project) will be taken up by an "industrial plantation." Haitians should be concerned that the Republic of Haiti's government will only be designated as a "shareholder" in the proposed agreement. Who will be the civic authorities in this "island paradise"? It should be unacceptable that this "master" plan proposes a sort of Vatican City of the Caribbean with no official government oversight.

Will Haitians want a cadre of international business executives placidly profiting from the natural resources of Haiti and running the island of La Gonave like a "business?" Hopefully not.

The master plan has no seeming plan to reimburse the people they will be displacing from their lands. In Haiti, there have been protests held in opposition to projects similar to this proposed plan, since they displace and disenfranchise the peasants by taking away their land. One example is this protest that was held in 2007 on World Food Day by peasant groups, who presented a petition against Jatropha plantations to the Haitian Parliament. The developers and the Haitian government (if this plan gets approval) can expect the same response. Haitian popular organizations will exercise their democratic rights and want a say in what happens to Haitian lands.

Haitians should put forth a competing idea or propose amendments that benefit the Haitian people. The plan might for instance, give a share of the profits from industries on the island to social services or the government could institute a minimum salary or dividend (like in Brazil or Alaska); or fund proper health-care facilities, schools, social services; or require that the locals form the governing body of the island; or that proper jatropha farming or other alternate energy form do not disturb the ecosystem of the island; or that a ferry system to/from the island be financed and run from a public fund.


A successful model of change that would empower Haitians is the model of Pandiassou. Pandiassou was an almost uninhabited, devastated region of Haiti, mired in erosion and despair, until Pandiassou was transformed [pdf] by the leadership of one man working with the local community:

"Frère Armand has both feet firmly on the ground. For example, on first arriving in Plateau Central, he quickly saw that the whole area needed reforestation.

He rolled up his sleeves and, with the help of the peasants, replanted 200 hectares of desolate land. All this and more has been for the benefit of the people.

{...]In January 2008, the Haitian Government awarded Frère Armand a large contract to build 150 lakes nationwide over a 3- year period .

This recognizes his success in the Central Plateau and also makes water storage, aquaculture and dry-season supplemental irrigation new components in the country’s long-term agriculture policy.

Frère Armand reports that news of the lake building program has reached as far as Africa where youths are writing that they want to come to Haiti to join the work."

Guy Antoine, who runs the website Windows On Haiti recommends Pandiassou and the artificial lakes of Frère Armand as one of the top 10 places to see in Haiti before dying.

Kòmantè: Vizite Pandyasou ak travay devlòpman kominotè Franklyn Armand reyalize yo, epi lamenm w'ap reyalize: a) Anri Kristòf vivan toujou; b) ou pa kapab pèdi lespwa pou Ayiti. Avèk vizyon e volonte de fè nèg ak fanm vanyan (tankou Frè Aman), e byen tankou "Phoenix" la, Ayiti ap refèt ankò. Peyi dayiti bezwen anpil mirak natirèl, tankou sa ekip ki antoure Frè Aman an reyalize nan Pandyasou, se pa chite ajenou sèlman ap lapriye gras mizerikòd.

Rough English translation:
Comment: Visit Pandiassou and the community development works Franklyn Armand has realized there, and on the one hand you will see: a) Henri Christophe still lives; b) we must not lose hope for Haiti. With the vision and willpower of men (like Father Armand), Haiti will rise like a "Phoenix" and be rebuilt again. The country of Haiti needs a lot of miracles, like the example set by Father Armand in Pandiassou, proving that getting on bended knee and praying alone will not end the misery.

[Guy refers to forum member Claudia's post: Pandiassou, Haiti] "I believe that the settlement of Pandiassou can serve as a model to the rest of the developing world because the local people are treated with respect, they are involved in the decision making process, and the vision of the project is long-term. I would love to see such a model put in place in some of the harder-hit regions of Africa. Pandiassou truly gives hope to the world."

Global Renewal Energy on the island's green energy potential: La Gonave "...is situated such that the Trade Winds blow across the narrowest portion of the island "[it is] Ideal for wind farm development." So why is that not the focus of their so-called "alternative energy projects" or "green energy potential" efforts? The reason is evident, the island is rich in oil reserves, so profit before people forms their primary focus. The preservation of the environment is not a priority.

Consequently, how ironic that GRE plucks out this rationalization as why an energy company is the entity best qualified to "run" the island, GRE says that: "Creating an island community that is focused on sustainable development through renewable energy requires an energy company to lead the project that has the skills to manage the island’s renewable natural resources to meet human needs while preserving the environment."

Haitians should be concerned when they look at how disastrously an "energy company," British Petroleum (BP), handled the "preserving the environment" aspect of what GRE claims is an energy company's skillset. The fact is, if anyone needed more reasons why an energy company should not be given the power to run a so-called "plantation" industry community, then a story which ran today in the New York Times on the oil spill by BP: "Gulf Oil Spill Is Bad, but How Bad?," should be reason enough.

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