#25 - Women's fight for survival
Haitian news of the week: mobilization for abortion rights, plus news from Ouanaminthe, Bois-de-Chêne, Massimadi, Carrefour-Feuilles, La Saline and Mirebalais
Hundreds of Haitian women (and men) took to the streets of Port-au-Prince last week to demand an end to what they see as an avoidable tragedy. Their mobilization took place as part of International Safe Abortion Day, as a reminder that in Haiti, abortion is still a crime.
This and more in HAITI WEEKLY #25 by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO, a collective of journalists and media professionals based in Haiti. This is a weekly publication including a press review for 60 $CAD a year, but offered free of charge for a limited time.
Editor's note: We are proud to launch HAITI WEEKLY by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO (www.haitiweekly.com). Thank you for following Haiti Weekly!.
Every week, we will adapt our content to our new English-speaking audience, with a special effort to linguistic revision. If you have any advice or would like to offer your expertise in this new adventure, don't hesitate to reply to this e-mail.
Etienne Cote-Paluck
Summary #25
Our bodies ourselves in Haiti
The Ouanaminthe Canal : reorganizing the workforce because of its popularity
Plastic theater in and around Bois-de-Chene
Queer photography at the Massimadi festival
Carrefour-Feuilles market partially open
Shooting and dissent in downtown Port-au-Prince
Bwa Kale in Mirebalais
The week’s press reviews
Our bodies ourselves in Haiti
With new pills now available, abortion has become relatively simple, but it remains the third leading cause of maternal mortality in Haiti. Considered a crime, it is mostly carried out in secret, in precarious sanitary conditions.
Feminists initiated two weeks of activities in Port-au-Prince around this issue, including exhibitions, film screenings and a large protest march Thursday ending at the Champs-de-Mars.
These weeks were coordinated by several organizations, including Marijàn, Nègès Mawon, and Dantò, as well as Profamil, that organized a consciousness-raising day on its premises.
"When I saw the dozen or so organizations that decided to take part in this fortnight on abortion rights, I got really excited," explains Thara Lajoie, editor-in-chief of the feminist magazine Gran Jipon and co-organizer of the march. Gran Jipon has organized an entire month of abortion rights awareness. "We want to draw the public's attention to the fact that abortion is killing women of all ages in our society."
« After a month of consciousness-raising, it felt really good to share the street with this many women, to hold up our signs and to say that we want women to make all decisions about their bodies and that we want women to stop dying because of charlatans, hangers-on or fake drugs that make us sick. »
— Thara Lajoie, editor-in-chief of the Gran Jipon magazine
Yon Gwoup Fanm Ayisyen Pran Lari pou Komemore Jounen Entènasyonal Avotman - VOA
A screening of Annie Colère (France, 2022) was also held last Tuesday at the Institut français d'Haïti, in the presence of nurse Priska Claude Cadet and Nègès Mawon’s Andris Naima. Despite some technical issues, the audience exchanged experiences on horrors induced by the criminalization of abortion.
AlterPresse | Genre : La SOFA continue de plaider pour la dépénalisation de l’avortement en Haïti
Annie Colère is the story of a woman whose neighbor and friend dies following an illegal abortion, sparking her desire to campaign for safe abortions.
The Ouanaminthe Canal : reorganizing the workforce because of its popularity
Canal construction in Ouanaminthe has unleashed passions across the country for the last four weeks. Faced with an important increase of workers, the site workforce was reorganized. Our local correspondent Jéthro-Claudel Pierre Jeanty reports that there are currently around 200 qualified workers on site.
Workers without specific qualifications were let go, and others were regrouped by profession : carpenters, masons, ironworkers and so on.
Online contributions from private donors were received, as was heavy equipment, including a backhoe loader, donated by an educational instituion. The North-East Department Mayors Association also visited the site and donated building materials including iron, concrete blocks, and cement.
Fèmti Fwontye ak Repiblik Dominikèn Lakoz Pri Kèk Pwodui Ogmante Anpil nan Mache Okap - VOA
In the meantime the economic impact of the unilateral closure of the Haitian-Dominican border on September 14 is felt on both sides of the border.
The Dominican government's decision to close its border because of the construction of this canal has been interpreted by many as a sign of hostility towards Haiti.
« The unilateral closure of all borders between Haiti and the D.R. decreed by President Luis Abinader [...] may be a good opportunity to review the unequal trade relationship between the two countries."
Excerpt from Customs: trade at the Haitian-Dominican border is pointless
Editorial from Le Nouvelliste by Frantz Duval (September 26, 2023)
Moreover, the arrest of an immigration officer at a Dominican airport last week for sexually assaulting a Haitian detainee, in the presence of her child, has been cited by many observers as yet another illustration of the prevalent racism in the Domincan Republic.
"I'm very afraid", the Haitian woman's last message to her brother before being raped by a Dominican immigration officer . Le Nouvelliste
"The spotlights are on our neighboring Republic, while the enemy from within is devouring us. This enemy from within is turning us into ghosts. [...] Worse, we seem to be happy to be ghosts."
Excerpt from The bottom of the abyss
The National editorial by Gary Victor (September 30, 2023)
Press review - Ouanaminthe’s Canal
Rivière Massacre : la population cotise pour construire le canal . Le Nouvelliste
Canal sur la rivière Massacre : beaucoup plus qu'un canal . Le Nouvelliste
Des artistes supportent le canal sur la rivière Massacre . Le Nouvelliste
Haïti - Exode : Plus de 61,000 haïtiens de retour en Haïti, depuis la fermeture de la frontière - HaitiLibre.com
A la rencontre de paysans du bas Maribaroux . Le Nouvelliste
Ady Jean Gardy révèle les dessous du conflit frontalier - METROPOLE
Canal sur la rivière Massacre: des agents de la BSAP et des membres de la population en protecteurs des travaux . Le Nouvelliste
Fermeture de la frontière nord haïtiano-dominicaine : Les commerçants favorables à la construction du canal . Le Nouvelliste
Rivière Massacre: les Jésuites «frontaliers» appellent les autorités des deux pays au dialogue - Le National
Rivière Massacre : l'OEA propose ses bons offices pour résoudre le différend - Le National
Le Président dominicain veut assécher la rivière côté haïtien - METROPOLE
Haïti - RD : «La frontière dominicaine ne sera plus jamais la même» dixit Abinader - HaitiLibre.com
AlterPresse | Haïti-Rivière Massacre : La République Dominicaine conditionne la poursuite du dialogue à l’arrêt de la construction du canal
Medam yo Pran Plas yo nan Konstriksyon Kanal Wanament la - VOA
AlterPresse | Haïti-R.D./Rivière Massacre : La Fundación Zile et des confédérations syndicales préconisent la reprise urgente du dialogue
Plastic theater in and around Bois-de-Chene
An installation-performance, Bwat chèn [Bois-de-Chêne], exploring waste management in Port-au-Prince, was presented in the Haitian capital on Friday. Combining theater and installation, Samuel Suffren, artistic director, took over the courtyard of the Institut français on Bois-Verna Street to question our relationship with plastic and waste in general.
"Bwat chèn", an artistic performance on the representation of waste in the Haitian capital - Le National
In the performance, Edmon Erthon, Serge André Tropfort and Schneiderson René occupied all four corners of this space, with plastic bags and a long trail of empty cans, while bassist Clyde Duverné punctuated their movements with his music.
The Bois-de-Chêne ravine plays an essential role, draining rainwater from various mountain neighborhoods, including Carrefour-Feuilles. It runs alongside the Grand Cimetière and the Portail Léogane bus station before emptying into the sea at Village-de-Dieu.
Due to a lack of annual maintenance by the authorities, the Bois-de-Chêne ravine is on the verge of overflowing with each heavy rainfall. Workers at Portail Léogane are increasingly concerned about this situation.
A partial cleaning was carried out a few weeks ago, but the entire upstream gully network is usually also cleaned. This is to prevent the accumulation of debris and waste in the canal downtown, which sometimes causes flooding. Unfortunately, this problem has recurred regularly this year, sometimes bringing traffic to a standstill National #2 road.
Portail Léogâne residents groom the area - Le National
Music video of the week
Ekounya nou vlem fou - Abdulah Tet Bobis ft Bleu Marin
"Now you want to drive me crazy?" asks Abdulah Tet Bobis in a song in response (and on the same beat) to Kingstreet's summer hit E kounyea.
Queer photography at the Massimadi festival
Two professional Montreal photographers, Schaël Marcéus and Noire Mouliom, were featured guests at a conversation on queer photography held at the Massimadi festival in Montreal. For the past 15 years, this event has been highlighting the art and cinema scene of Afrodescendant LGBTQ communities. This year, a traveling exhibition was organized featuring photos by these two artists.
According to fashion and portrait photographer Schaël Marcéus, who works in Montreal and Toronto, Afro-Queer representation is lacking in Quebec (and Canadian) society. Filling this void has always been one of his main preoccupations. "My queer and black identities evolved separately for a long time"; their fusion remains one of his favorite themes.
Noire Mouliom's grandmother was long known on the streets of Petionville as a protector of queer people, much to her husband's dismay. Noire sees a filiation with her work today. "I like to put the spotlight on marginalized people," she explains, "hoping to help broaden certain perspectives."
DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO : "It's excellent, off the beaten track".
Columnist Chantal Guy, a great lover of Haitian culture, wrote in her column in La Presse de Montréal last week that she learns about the country by reading HAITI WEEKLY, the newsletter produced by DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO.
Carrefour-Feuilles market partially open
A certain calm has returned to most of the twenty or so neighborhoods of Carrefour-Feuilles, although they also remain somewhat tense. Police forces continue to dislodge the armed resistance, particularly in the western Douyon, Caridad and Savane-Pistache neighborhoods, bordering Martissant, from where the assailants originate.
"The city has become a mad child playing with matches. [...] While we wait for Port-au-Prince to come back to us, alive and reborn from its ashes, a small walk in the streets has truly disappeared, and now it's Port-au-Prince that's walking in us with its books, its artists and its festivals."
Excerpt from Edito: Port-au-Prince, a burning capital
Eliézer Guérismé, director and artistic director of the En Lisant theater festival
We have received reports that some activities have resumed at the Tunnel Market at Carrefour-Feuilles, which had been deserted by merchants following numerous shootings last month.
Carrefour-Feuilles: residents seek safety and a return to normal - Le National
Shooting and dissent in downtown Port-au-Prince
Last Tuesday evening, the leader of the criminal group that controls the Drouillard projects district, at the southern entrance to Cite-Soleil, was assassinated. Rumour has it that the murder was committed by one of his allies in the G9 collective (of armed groups). This coalition is deeply shaken, and shootings broke out again Wednesday morning in La Saline and, later. in Cité-Soleil, as well as in lower Delmas.
Bloody clashes between armed gangs in Port-au-Prince . Le Nouvelliste
Two weeks ago, G9 gang members had already taken possession of the Tokyo district in downtown Port-au-Prince, opposite Carrefour Aviation, repelling their old ally who had previously controlled it. A few hours after the murder of Tyson last Wednesday, the group controlling La Saline took over control of Tokyo by force.
Haiti - Conflict : Chief "Tyson"' victim of a disciplinary execution within the "G9" group - HaitiLibre.com
"While the government tries to sell hope to the population, gangs continue to reign terror. [...] We must try to understand how people - visible and invisible - have chosen to attack and destroy everything, and cause so much suffering in society."
Excerpt from Turbulence intensifies, but to what end?
Editorial in Le Nouvelliste by Jean Pharès Jérôme (September 27, 2023)
Since Thursday, the situation has remained tense, particularly in the vicinity of La Saline and Tokyo. Meanwhile, peace seems to have returned to Cité-Soleil.
Bwa Kale in Mirebalais
Following Port-au-Prince, many Mirebalais residents were mobilized these last days following an attack by an armed group. Acts of violence occured in Saut-d'Eau, after individuals armed with automatic weapons arrived on Sunday night. Even the hospital came under fire, and some of the assailants entered briefly and intimidated its occupants.
Barricades were erected by residents in most neighborhoods, as reported by our local contributor Sadrax Ulysse of Centre à la Une, a partner of DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO. The attack was particularly important in the Chatulee district, which resisted, because of its residents’ support.
"Sustainably tackling food insecurity requires more than one-off actions [...] No amount of food aid can compensate the losses caused in the agricultural sector by gang violence. [...] "
Excerpt from Budget 2022-2023: holding the government to account
Editorial in Le Nouvelliste by Frantz Duval
The Mirebalais hospital practically ceased its operations all week, as did the schools, while the town came to a standstill every day at nightfall. Many elderly people and young children left to join relatives out of the area.
Mirebalais: Zanmi Lasante and HUM condemn bandit attack | Loop Haiti
The week ended with almost twenty lynchings of armed assailants by the popular self-defense militias.
More than 20 bandits lynched - METROPOLE
Press review - Mirebalais/Saut-d’Eau
Les bandits mis en déroute à Mirebalais - METROPOLE
AlterPresse | Haïti-Criminalité : Paralysie globale des activités à Mirebalais, après une attaque de gangs armés
Saut-d’Eau victime de deux attaques armées en moins de 5 jours . Le Nouvelliste
Après l’attaque armée, l’Hôpital universitaire de Mirebalais est à l’arrêt . Le Nouvelliste
PNH: Des bandits tués, des armes saisies à Saut-d’Eau et à Mirebalais | Loop Haiti
The week's press reviews
Press review - Culture and heritage
iciHaïti - Culture : La «Chiktay» inscrite au Registre National du Patrimoine Culturel immatériel
AyiboLab | Leta ayisyen vire do bay patrimwàn peyi a. Men konsekans yo
Gaëlle Bien-Aimé, invitée d'honneur de la 8e édition du festival de théâtre En lisant - Dofen News
AlterPresse | Rapèl istorik : Anivèsè koudeta militè beny san 29/30 septanm 1991 an Ayiti
TOU9 : Un second album pour Roody Roodboy . Le Nouvelliste
À 20 ans, Festival Quatre Chemins dévoile sa «formule magique» de longévité - Ayibopost
« Ti Toya » fait du cinéma . Le Nouvelliste
«Mambo ou La Revanche des Collines» de Maurice Casséus, une parabole politique . Le Nouvelliste
Quinzaine Handicap et Culture officiellement lancée . Le Nouvelliste
Quand Patrick Noze dialogue avec Haïti . Le Nouvelliste
Mambo de Maurice Casséus, les pages retrouvées de Michel Soukar . Le Nouvelliste
Haïti et la République dominicaine dans le regard de nos auteurs . Le Nouvelliste
Évelyne Trouillot dans la première sélection du Grand Prix Métis 2023 . Le Nouvelliste
Les photographies de Corentin Fohlen ou la passion de saisir le réel haïtien autrement - Le National
Press review - Insecurity
Haïti-insécurité : le substitut du commissaire du gouvernement Québex Jean assassiné par des bandits - L'exclusivité
Croix-des-Bouquets : Une personne a été tuée et trois autres blessées lors d’une attaque de bandits armés à Meyer - L'exclusivité
Violences, impunité, corruption: la crise "s'est encore aggravée" en Haïti, selon l'ONU . Le Nouvelliste
Haïti - insécurité : Le sous-commissariat d’Onaville incendié par les bandits de Canaan - L'exclusivité
"What is striking and worrying is that great ideological themes are completely absent from this crisis."
Excerpt from Structural instability!
Editorial in Le National, unsigned (September 29, 2023)
Press review - Public safety
ONU : Près de 2 500 morts et 1 000 enlèvements de janvier à mi-août | Loop Haiti
Une centaine de morts et 250 000 déplacés suite à une série de massacres en Haïti de mai à août 2023, selon la POHDH - Le National
"L'armée sera sur le terrain dans très peu de temps", assure le ministre de la Défense . Le Nouvelliste
iciHaïti - Mexique : 12 policiers formés en maîtrise de drones
Frantz Elbé fait le point sur des théâtres d'opération de la PNH . Le Nouvelliste
iciHaïti - France : Don d’équipements pour les unités spéciale de la PNH
Press review - Kidnapping
Toujours pas de nouvelles du Dr Samson Marseille . Le Nouvelliste
"It was rumored that the political class was working towards a Haitian solution to the crisis. Except that belief is wishful thinking!"
Excerpt from Cultivating decency
Editorial from Le National, unsigned (September 28, 2023)
Press review - Justice
Asasina Moïse: Jij Walter Wesser Voltaire odisyone 17 kolombyen - VOA
Usine asphalte de la Grand’Anse, déjà une personne appréhendée - JCOM Haiti
Sud'Est/Conflit terrien: Un mort et des blessés, le Bâtonnier arrêté! - Métronome FM
Corruption: un ministre, l'ex-directrice de la CAS et quatre autres personnes mis en cause par le juge Morin . Le Nouvelliste
Press review - Gender et women’s rights
presented by KAY FANM
Béatrice Dalencour Turnier, une psy passionnée . Le Nouvelliste
Nègès Mawon réclame justice et réparation pour Stephy Graph - Dofen News
«Lib e libè, Tous en Libres » un receuil de poèmes signé Jeanne-Elsa Chéry - Mus'Elles
AlterPresse | Haïti-Décès : Le Refraka rend hommage à sa défunte directrice et membre fondatrice Marie Guyrleine Justin
Retour sur la Ligue féminine d’Action Sociale et son héritage - Mus'Elles
Press review - Governance
Ariel Henry justifie la demande d'assistance externe pour aider la PNH qui n'est ni armée ni préparée . Le Nouvelliste
Haïti : Le Conseil des Ministres approuve le budget 2023-2024 - L'exclusivité
Gouvènman Ayisyen an Ap Menen Demach Pou Sibvansyone Antrepriz Pwodiksyon yo - VOA
Ariel Henry visite les locaux du CEP à Pétion-Ville . Le Nouvelliste
Press review - Economy
Petit polaroid du secteur réel de l’économie . Le Nouvelliste
Insécurité : Au bas de l’Artibonite, les petites entreprises ferment leurs portes - Ayibopost
Cinquième année consécutive de croissance économique négative, l'analyse de Thomas Lalime . Le Nouvelliste
Plus de 300 milliards de gourdes pour le budget 2023-2024 - Le National
La Fondation Barbancourt et la Fédération haïtienne de basket-ball renouvellent leur partenariat . Le Nouvelliste
Press review - Strikes/Demonstrations
Press review - Society
iciHaïti - Cap-Haïtien : Projet d’adressage des rues et habitations de la commune - iciHaiti.com
Haïti: 45% de la population en situation d'urgence alimentaire, selon l'Ocha - Le National
Football : Haïti ne reçoit plus ses matchs en République dominicaine . Le Nouvelliste
Photos | Les combats de taureaux, une tradition populaire et lucrative à Léogane - Ayibopost
Press review - Education
Rentrée des classes : plus de 24 écoles tranformées en abris provisoirs à P-au-P - Ayibopost
Ayiti Edikasyon : Yon lòt imilyasyon pou Pwofesè ak Siveyan egzamen 9e ane yo – Centre à la UNE
Limonade : L'Université d'État d'Haïti lance l'Institut de développement durable des régions . Le Nouvelliste
Des enseignants réclament la réouverture de l'Ecole nationale Caroline Chauveau - Le National
Grâce à la Fondation Princesse Charlène de Monaco, la FHSaA apprend à 150 jeunes à nager pour éviter la noyade- Le National
Press review - Health
Haïti - Santé : «Lèt Agogo» de retour dans des écoles - HaitiLibre.com
Prise en charge des malades tuberculeux : Grâce Children appelle au soutien du MSPP - Le National
Press review - International
Entèvyou Esklizif: Sou Sekretè Deta Barbara Feinstein Sou Demand Fòs Miltinasyonal Ayiti Mande a - VOA
Une liste d'Haïtiens sanctionnés par l'ONU sortira en novembre | Loop Haiti
Haïti - FLASH : Sanctionné par le Canada le Président de la UNIBANK réagit - HaitiLibre.com
Une cinquantaine d’Haïtiens sanctionnés par les États Unis . Le Nouvelliste
Cinq nouveaux coupables dans le dossier "faux diplômes d'infirmières" aux États-Unis . Le Nouvelliste
"No statistics will tell us how many victims there are, and no amount of aid will be enough. The situation in Haiti is terrible, beyond words and figures."
Excerpt from The UN is far, far removed from Haitian reality
Editorial in Le Nouvelliste by Frantz Duval (September 28, 2023)
Press review - Intervention in Haiti
Lundi, le sort de la Mission d’appui à la sécurité en Haïti à l'agenda du Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU . Le Nouvelliste
La crise haïtienne au centre d'un sommet Canada-Caricom, mi-octobre | Loop Haiti
Haïti - Crise : L’Espagne réitère sa participation à une mission d'intervention multinationale en Haïti - HaitiLibre.com
AlterPresse | Crise : Des élus américains d’origine haïtienne s’opposent à une éventuelle intervention militaire en Haïti
Haïti - Sécurité : La police kenyane prend des cours de français - HaitiLibre.com
AlterPresse | Crise : Éventuel déploiement, d’ici début janvier 2024, en Haïti, d’une force internationale, annonce le gouvernement du Kenya
Avant de venir en aide à Haïti, les États-Unis et le Kenya signent un accord de défense . Le Nouvelliste
Haïti - FLASH : 12 pays ont confirmé leur participation à une mission d'intervention en Haïtiss - HaitiLibre.com
Press review - Dominican Republic
Détention illégale des mineures /mineurs en République Dominicaine : la Fondation Zanmi Timoun lance une alerte aux institutions défendant les droits de l’Enfant | Fondation Zanmi Timoun
Press review - Migration/Travel
Plus de 32 000 déplacés, 45 sites, les besoins prioritaires augmentent, selon la Protection civile . Le Nouvelliste
Les déplacés internes tendent vers l’oubli, dénonce le CARDH - Le National
Une vague sans précédent de migrants en Amérique centrale et au Mexique - Le National
Haïti - Éducation : 11,085 élèves déplacés par les violences urbaines - HaitiLibre.com
DÈYÈ MÒN ENFO’s team
Photojournalists: Francillon Laguerre, Sonson Thelusma, Andoo Lafond, Milot Andris, Patrick Payin
Editorial board: Etienne Côté-Paluck, Jean Elie Fortiné, Jean-Paul Saint-Fleur
Interns: Wilky Andris, Donley Jean Simon
Spécial collaboration: Mateo Fortin Lubin, Jéthro-Claudel Pierre Jeanty, Sadrax Ulysse, Watson Louissaint, Pascale Solage, Siffroy Clarens, Kettly Mars
Media partners: Centre à la Une, Nord-Est Info
Institutional partners: Kay Fanm, Mouka.ht
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