This blog, Haitian Peasants: Victims of Centuries of Oppression, is based on my summary and interpretation of the book Haiti: State Against Nation by the Haitian anthropologist, Trouillot.
External Oppressors
1. Spain
1492-1697: 200 years of Spanish genocide and slavery.
2. France
1697-1804: 100 years of French slavery.
1825-1945: 100 plus years of French debt slavery, extortion.
1825-1900: French neocolonialism.
3. United States
1804-1862: diplomatic and political blockade/ isolation of Haiti, but not trade isolation.
1821: U.S.merchants supplied 45 percent of Haitian imports.
1862: U.S. diplomatic recognition of Haiti.
1890: U.S. supplied two thirds of Haitian imports.
1915-1934: U.S. military. political and economic occupation of Haiti.
1957-1986: U.S. support of the ruthless dictators, Papa Doc and Baby Doc.
1986-2017: Continued U.S. neocolonialism of Haiti, direct economic exploitation.
Internal Oppressors
1804-1986: long string of dictators, from Dessalines to the Duvaliers.
1804-1986: overly militarized nation, no democracy.
1804-1986: widespread violence.
1825-2017: rich, urban elite.
1825-2017: discriminatory customs taxes on imports and exports targeting peasants.
Internal Oppressed
1697-1804: Haitian slaves.
1804-2017: Haitian peasants, economic semi-slaves.
Oppression Conclusions
1. Often external and internal oppressors cooperated, colluded against slaves and peasants.
2. To my knowledge, no other country in the history of the world has experienced 500 years of unrelenting, traumatizing oppression, both external and internal oppression.
3. Even worse, during these 500 years of oppression, the church has ignored the 555 references to oppression in the OT and the 100 references to justice in the NT. The church has done little to end Haitian oppression, nor has the church done Jubilee justice in Haiti.
Anthropologist Timothy Schwartz:
"I've spent the past twenty years living and working as a part of the aid industry. Like so many people who've worked here, a sense of frustration and failure haunts me. I've watched the country sink deeper into a quagmire of misery and despair while I've accomplished nothing tangible to stop the process."
Fruits of Oppression
1. Poverty
2. Illiteracy
3. Corruption
4. Illness: According to Paul Farmer, 75 percent of Haitian voodoo is an ill-informed, desperate attempt to be healed. When there is access to modern medicine, Haitians will wait in line hours to see a doctor.
Three Requirements for Success in Haiti on Rebuilding Oppressed Communities
1. Biblically informed indigenous leaders; Isaiah 58:6ff and Luke 4:18-30.
2. Biblically informed community development; release the oppressed by doing justice.
OT Sabbatical/Jubilee laws that freed slaves. and canceled debts every seven years, restored land
every 50 years. NT kingdom justice: Mt. 6:33 "Set your mind on God's kingdom and his justice" NEB. Also Messianic passages in Isaiah: 9:7; 11:1-4; 16:5; 28:16-17; 42:1-4; 61:1-4. Also James, chapter two.
3. Minister in an oppressed community long term---at least a generation. There are no effective short term solutions to long term individual, family and community trauma.
No comments:
Post a Comment