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Ten Americans are under arrest in Haiti for kidnapping. Their crime? Attempting to transport children–apparently orphans–across the border in the Dominican Republic. We don’t have all the facts about their specific case, and chances are we’ll never get the real facts, because the Haitian Government will be the entity providing the information.
The Haitian Government has halted all adoptions, and children in the country need the Prime Minister’s personal approval in order to leave. The effect of this law is pretty obvious: children are trapped in a demolished country lacking in food, water, shelter…really everything…except Malaria and Dengue Fever. Oh, the compassion!
Haiti’s government is close to non-existent. They need to find a way to show the world–and their people– that they’re in control of their country. What better way than to arrest a few American missionaries? It sends a splendid message: we’re big boys, and we’re in control!
I saw this mentality in Antigua, where I lived for two and a half years. I was threatened and extorted by customs officers when I had medications sent to me from the US. I had to pay a police officer not to arrest a friend of mine for asking to see his police badge. And friend of mine was arrested and held without charges in inhumane conditions for three days for….get this…trying to prevent a police officer from committing RAPE! I could go on and on with the horror stories, but they all have a common element: the offending government official says they have to keep law and order, and that “just because we’re Americans we can’t disregard the laws of their country.”
Fine. I agree with them on both points. Their version of law and order, and keeping Americans in line involves neither law nor order–only scams, extortion and Napoleon-complex driven egos.
Let’s cut to the chase; here is what most likely happened in the Haiti missionary case: they refused to pay a bribe to a guard at the border. Then, they refused to pay a bribe to the police captain. Now, it has become a symbol for law and order in a place where none has existed for hundreds of year.
My advice to those missionaries: Pay the bribe. Yeah, you’re going to have to pay more than pocket change now, because it is in the papers. You may have to transfer several hundred thousand dollars to Preval’s Swiss Bank account. Do it, because otherwise you’ll be murdered in a makeshift Haitian prison (probably by a Haitian police officer).
My advice to all others going to Haiti to help: pay them their bribes, call the police officers sir, do as much good as you can, and get home in one piece.
If you’re donating money to help Haiti, make sure none of the money goes to the Haitian government. If it does, it will never see the light of day.
The Caribbean is a nasty place, full of lots of really nasty people–but it has really nice beaches!
My power went out sometime last night, and I called APUA this morning at 7AM.
Me: I’m calling because my electricity is out….
APUA Operator: Wer u liv?
Me: Cedar Valley.
APUA Operator: yah, das rite, powur out der.
Me: Why?
APUA Operator: Gonna b noder hour.
Me: Why?
APUA Operator: (sucks teeth) Jus wait noder hour.
Me: Why is the power out?
APUA Operator: We power sheddin’ (hangs up).
Antigua is such a PARADISE!
This is a video that I made for the site 535voices.org. The site aims to compile 535 videos of individuals explaining why they want the government to get/keep its filthy hands off of their health care!
Worked out pretty well for this guy, right?
