Addressing the Violence

So you've probably heard at least a little about the violence in Haiti. Or, if you're my mother, you're scouring the State Department warnings and church newsletters for anything that could befall your baby, and you're personally keeping track of each kidnapping and murder- and emailing me all the details (sorry, Mom!).

So I ask around a lot, and here's what I understand of it. National elections are slated for November 13. Everywhere you turn, you see banners encouraging everyone to register to vote and have an identity card made. The elections are meant to find a legitimate replacement for Aristide, who was ousted by a revolt in February 2004 and temporarily replaced by a US appointment.

Elections and democracy sound good, right? Not everyone seems to think so. Violence has been escalating for a while now, apparently protesting the elections. Murders and kidnappings for ransom are becoming quite common, and the victims seem to be randomly chosen from all walks of life. People stay in at night, and they go out during the day not knowing if they'll come home. My Haitian friends here avoid business trips to PaP if they can, or they keep them as short as possible.

No one really agrees about who is committing the violence. The general consensus is that the violence probably started with Aristide's supporters who don't want a legitimate election to reduce his influence. Some still hold that this is the group responsible for everything. Others thinks that there is also a group being paid for the sake of keeping the current government in power. They are not likely to be able to hold their positions in the election, so there is a good deal of money and power at stake. A third theory blames either or both groups but also suggests that other random individuals are participating in the kidnappings, just for personal income. I don't think anyone really knows. In any case, it's hard to crack down on the perpetrators because many of them are police, so they are often tipped off before they can be captured.

So what does it look like here in Jeremie? Quiet and fairly somber. The only differences are the recent election banners and a growing number of cars as wealthier families move here to escape the violence, which is primarily in Port au Prince but also in a few other major cities. I like to ask "Do you think it'll come here?". The answer is always a resounding "no." When I ask why, I always get the same two answers. First, Jeremie is small, and peace-loving. Everyone knows everyone, so it's impossible to have the random violence that occurs in PaP, where you can remain anonymous and never really know your victim. Second, Jeremie is isolated. There are two (horrible) roads going in and out of the town, so one phone call to or from any of the towns on the way would alert everyone of any problems with hours lead time. The other options are a twelve-passenger plane, or a weekly barge. Basically, Jeremie just isn't worth the effort.

And will elections actually happen? It's hard to say. Haitians are registering to vote, though not in huge numbers. Some people are confident that international support and their own personal resolve are enough to see at least some form of an elections. Others think the violence will accomplish its purpose. I guess we'll find out in November.