For my Diary of Systemic Injustice Showcase, I have decided to explore and elaborate on the unrest and protests in Haiti. I have done some research on the topic as it is a great example of systemic injustice. Back in 2018, the people of Haiti began peaceful protests that were for the lowering of gas prices. However, the protests have yet to stop. They have evolved since 2018 and lead to protests surrounding the president and the people’s calls for him to step down from office. The nation is in a state of distress and many people are suffering. The New York Times article called Haiti Braces for Unrest as a Defiant President Refuses to Step Down explains that children have been fundraising money that will be used to pay ransom for fellow classmates and friends who have been kidnapped by gangs. The human rights of Haitians have been stripped from them as many are scared to go to the grocery store and schools have closed because of the violence and protests. The president also has refused to step down and has not helped to create a better situation. Instead, he is planning on changing the constitution of Haiti. Many people are worried that the constitutional change will be approved because the voting will not be fair.
Also, the gang violence has many people believing that the president has been supporting the gangs. The New York Times article says, “Haitians suspect that the proliferation of gangs over the last two years has been supported by Mr. Moise to stifle any dissent.” The gangs targeted neighborhoods that did not hold the same views as the president. They also attacked protestors who were protesting for their own human rights.
This is an example of systemic injustice because the government in power has full control and is not doing anything to help the people. The people have been suffering for 2 years and things have only become worse. The voices of the Haitian people have been suppressed and their own human rights have been taken. This is all because of the governing power. The system in Haiti is unjust and is creating the lifestyle that they have today. This relates back to the course material on Hegel and the Master-Slave Dialectic. Here, we can see that the “master” is the government of Haiti. The slave in this case would be the people of Haiti. In my understanding of Hegel, I interpret the reading to say that the master must make the slave understand that they are the slave. The master is in charge and the slave must follow orders and obey the master. Once the slave realizes this dynamic, the master not longer has control over the slave. Here, we can see that the Haitian people no longer respect or follow orders from the government. They have figured out the master-slave relationship and are now trying to dissolve it in order to take control and change their government.
Media:
The New York Times: Haiti Braces for Unrest as a Defiant President Refuses to Step Down
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/07/world/americas/haiti-protests-President-Jovenel-Mois.html?smid=url-share
Here is a picture from The New York Times showing a protest taking place in Haiti.
Hey! I absolutely loved this post! I spent time in Haiti Two years ago I spent the summer there working with my church in a town called Bercy. Loved being able to see what is going on there because I truly do have a heart for the people there. Its of course hard to read about the violence there but it is nice for such an underprivileged people group getting some attention in the media.
Great showcase post! I appreciate all the context that was present in it and how you really described the current conditions and injustices occurring in Haiti. It’s heartbreaking to hear how their government, a system that is supposed to protect people, is failing to support the people of Haiti. It’s especially interesting to hear how these protests started due to high gas prices and have grown to the level that they are now at. I hope that the people of Haiti will get the support they need to confront the changes happening around them.
Wow, the blog is really striking and I think your ideas and thoughts are also great. I am impressed by what you talked about that “the government is fully control and do nothing to help its people”. It is quite sad that if a government has so strong power that is not monitored, they would just abuse the power instead of using power to help people. If people rebel, they just try to how to preserve their power instead of helping people in need.
Thank you for your post! I had no idea that there was so much political unrest going on in Haiti currently and over the past few years. Being in a situation where the government has complete control and authority over you must be terrifying, so I hope that the Haitian people are able to be successful in their protests.