Thursday, May 13, 2010

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?
HP_natpalace_haiti
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Haiti's violent image is an outdated myth, insist UN peacekeepers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"...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can understand that there is frustration regarding Canadian aid funds for containment. I do try to keep informed about my countries aids agenda, and as such I know that Canada has, what I consider to a solid and proactive aid policy. We have an aid policy that does not send food to any country, rather the aid is always targeted to justice and governmental good governance support. That is our role, and I am proud of this. Every nation is assigned with tasks and responsibilities in this world of international aid and the role we have is to build the detention centres or train police, or facilitate a developing nations elections and government structure. We are not trying to put black people in jail. I always wondered why Canada didn't send food to aid other countries. I took the time and learned about our role and the rational that developed our policy. Canada has being working on this for years, and prior to the earthquake, it was reported that Haiti's government structures were starting to "turn the corner" and Canada was proud that Patel's government was making strides towards responsible government. January 12th brought everything shattering to the ground. Canada will help Haiti rebuild; I guess building a prison is a priority right now, but we will be there for years to come. Support Canada as it supports Haiti. Support transparency and not corruption. Support efforts to stop rape, assaults, murder etc. Canada doesn't do glamour aid. If you see brutal police etc, write to the Canadian International Development Agency and inform them of the problem. Nobody in positions of power are reading these blogs.

thezenhaitian said...

A: "Canada has being working on this for years, and prior to the earthquake, it was reported that Haiti's government structures were starting to "turn the corner" and Canada was proud that Patel's government was making strides towards responsible government. January 12th brought everything shattering to the ground."

Haiti's "government structure" was brought "shattering to the ground" by the U.S., France and Canada, when they planned, financed and executed the removal of Haiti's democratically elected government (read about the Ottawa Initiative).

As voting members of the UN Security Council, they are responsible for the brutal occupation of Haiti by MINUSTAH. This UN military force has committed countless atrocities in Haiti, including massacres in the shantytown of Cite Soleil. Watch the video, if you have the stomach for it.

I'm not aware of a "Patel" running the Haitian government, nor am I aware of a Rene Preval. Preval is the pawn of the foreigners, who has lowered the tariffs on foreign imports, refused to raise the sweatshop slave labor wages and he and his parliament have ceded Haiti to foreigners by approving the so-called Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, which is to have an equal number of Haitian and non-Haitian representatives. As the Chair of the Commission, former U.S. President Bill Clinton is Haiti's new Viceroy.

As for high-powered government officials reading blogs -- that's really not the point of this blog. This blog is giving people without voices, a voice, and putting a face on the suffering caused by the actions of the Canadian, U.S. and French governments and their proxy occupying military force from the UN.

We will not be silent while the people of Haiti are suffering. We will be their voice. This blog, in it's own very minuscule way, is a part of the historical record.

In truth, in spite of all the prisons Canada builds in Haiti and all that the "international community" has done to contain Haiti in debt and dependency, the fact remains -- NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE.

thezenhaitian said...

To clarify: without justice, there can be no peace.

thezenhaitian said...

Use this link to the Ottawa Initiative, rather than the one above.

Anonymous said...

Points taken.

"you cannot change the past, only the future"

Anonymous said...

"you cannot change the past, only the future"

let me change this to

"there is no future, if you don't know the past"

I just finished following the link and checking the veracity of it (the Ottawa Initiative); one story led to many others... and this was after reading a number of the links herein. I am stunned (sickened) on so many levels that any sort of apology is feeble. I have much to learn and share with others.

Bill Bell said...

I am very much obliged to you for this information. As a Canadian taxpayer I can only say that I am embarrassed and ashamed.

Unknown said...

I believe that some Canadian also did contribute to help Japan after the incident. I'm so proud to be a Canadian.



Thanks,
Dom
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