Romel Jean Pierre, 17 years old and a member of Ti Moun Rezistans, a collective in Port-au-Prince
‘When the earthquake happened I thought my life was over—but afterwards I began to dream. I would dream that all the big countries like the US, England, France, Canada would take all the Haitians into their homes and then they would make Haiti a beautiful place like Paris, London, Quebec.
This is the first anniversary of the earthquake—and sadly I can see no changes. We still have so many people living in tents. We have more rape and violation than we had last February.
We have an epidemic of cholera. The UN soldiers brought it to this country.
After the earthquake, the international community helped but it was too busy bringing in soldiers to control the country to give out food. You had a country not at war and they sent a group of soldiers to block the airport!
The sacks of rice and oil that the international community gave to us was very good but it wasn’t well done.
I think the international community is responsible for the people still living in tents. If I must give a name to the first anniversary I would call it “One Year Is Marking the Same Place” because I don’t see any evolution or change.
I don’t think that the elections can change anything as all the candidates are people that were in politics before the earthquake and they have never done anything for the country.’
For more go to www.atis-rezistans.com
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