War is one of the most brutal acts undertaken by humans and yet even in wars, there are rules. Similarly, society has laws to protect the rights of all citizens – even those who have committed crimes - even heinous ones.  One of the basic concepts that supports the rule of law is due process. This concept is not simply to protect the rights of one who breaks the law but more importantly protect the rights of the innocent.

This morning, the NY Times published a well-researched piece titled "The Root of Haiti's Misery: Reparations to Enslavers." I have to say right from the start that this piece seems to be well-researched and presents a scathing analysis of the central role the consecutive debts, or more appropriately France's extortion played in making Haiti the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere.

In a recent NY Times article about the end of Angela Merkel’ 16 years as chancellor, three words in her final message stood out: Trust one another.  In her speech, Mrs. Merkel emphasized that “Democracy, depends on solidarity and trust, including the trust in facts.”

As the discussions are evolving on finding a solution to Haiti’s multi-faceted crises, a few voices have risen to question the legitimacy of the process that the “Commission pour la recherche d’une solution haitienne a la crise - CRSC (the Commission to find a Haitian Solution to the Crisis). These voices are also questioning the process that resulted in the diaspora representation in the “Conseil National de Transition – CNT (National Transitional Council).”

As Haiti faces the most challenging time since existence as a nation, this publication is timely as it provides different analytical context to Haiti's current challenges. In our piece, Regine and I looked very specifically at the rule of law.

As a Haitian-American, I condemn President Trump’s reprehensible comments on Fox news, October 7th. Mr. Trump falsely claimed that hundreds of thousands of Haitians immigrants were entering the United States and that many were bringing HIV/AIDS.

The headlines over the past few days have been inundated by Haiti’s public prosecutor (commissaire de gouvernement) requests to interview de facto PM, Ariel Henry.

I was on a call the other day when someone said that Red Cross (RC) raised nearly $500 million after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti and built only five (5) homes. Another participant on the call, a doctor who works in the development sector, added that Senator Grassley's investigation revealed that Red Cross used 80% of the 2010 of the earthquake fund for its own internal management needs.

As I walk around the city and particularly in my Harlem community, I have started to notice small changes that remind me of NYC in the 80's. There are three telltale signs that foretell what is to come: the garbage and littered streets,  the increase number homeless and mentally ill people in the parks and the drug addicts who are shooting up openly on the streets. These telltale signs are the proverbial canary in the coal mine. They are the witch brew that mixing mental health impact of quarantining, the anxiety induced by the sharp economic decline, and the absence of leaders who can help guide us through these challenging times.

Fact: To say that Haiti is not ready for the Covid-19 virus is to state the obvious. To say that this government is unable but worst unwilling to tackle the challenge is also obvious. Indeed, it doesn’t care.

I live in a small bubble in a blue state. And although I travel and meet with people from purple and some red states, my immediate circle is mostly made up of people who identify as progressives or center-left. Virtually all of the people in my blue bubble assert that no matter what happens they are ready to vote for a cardboard if that is the candidate running against President Trump.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a resurgence of insecurity, particularly in the number of kidnappings that have been reported.  Those who have political power in Haiti – I avoid calling them leaders because they are operating outside the laws or any norms – have decided that it was better to respond with a strategy of propaganda rather than develop and implement policies to protect the population. And yet, even with the best propaganda machine, the President, his de-facto government and interim police chief cannot refute what we all know, which is that all of Haiti’s indicators are on red. 

The actions of the government are yet again another topic of division amongst Haitians. As-is often the case in these debates, we have disregarded the impact of these acts on the rule of law and our country's judicial system. Lost in the fog is how this will push Haiti back in the Doing business index.

Many of my middle-class friends in Haiti as well as the states are often surprised when protesters have violent reactions and tend to destroy everything in their path. They genuinely ask: why are Haitians are destroying their own communities? And quite often, they use the harshest and most derogatory adjectives to describe “those people” who are out protesting.

There is a hot debate taking place regarding Bernie Sanders’s suggestion that people in prison should be able to vote. His statement is causing an uproar and I found that even some of my liberal friends whom I respect very much are strongly arguing against such policy.