I wish I could state differently, but again, Sant lan frape nenm two fò. Here we go again with another hashtag (#): post and repost, pretending we genuinely care. Perhaps we do, but this fleeting burst of motivation isn’t new; it’s the same old story, and in an instant, everyone moves on until the next crisis arises.

Enough is enough; nou pap kite farin lan retounen nan menm sak fwa sa a. Violence in Haiti isn’t a revelation; crime has become a disturbing normalcy, but this time it’s worse. The surge in kidnapping, burglary, and homicides, coupled with a deeply divided political landscape, is happening at a moment when we should be united. As a nation, we often fail to recognize that we are on the brink of collapse until it’s too late.

The reality is that many of us lack genuine concern for our country. At our core, we are focused on survival, trying to create a safety net for our children, often at the cost of our neighbors. We remain trapped in this mentality of ki melem, believing that as long as we stay among the elites, we are safe.

We exploit those struggling to get by, building our wealth on their backs, and then use their children to carry out our dirty work, labeling them as bandits who can’t even meet our children’s gaze. What do we expect when all these kids know is how to wield guns? While some may want to attend school, public schools are understaffed, and private education is beyond their families’ means.

We lack a government that truly supports them. Tout koukouj klere pou je yo, zafè kabrit pa zafè mouton, and we stand at a crossroads, rallying under the hashtag #freehaiti. We have numerous dangerous neighborhoods like Cité Soleil, Savien, Village de Dieu, Grand Ravine, and many others where survival hinges on crime, all while being exploited by those entrusted to protect them. In the past, these groups executed their enemies, but when they were no longer helpful, they were discarded and hunted down, with no alternative.

Just as you wouldn’t demand a musician put down their instrument without giving them another path forward, you cannot expect gangs to relinquish their weapons without providing a viable means of survival.

That said, nothing justifies taking another person's life. Yes, avenues may seem closed off, but is this the only means of survival? Kidnapping individuals who struggle to eat two meals and those who “kole pyese, dezabiye ti Pyè pou abiye mèt Jan Jak” are nonsensical. If survival were the goal, this approach is utterly misguided. Just as a bucket cannot be filled from a nearly empty gallon, a peanut seller cannot suddenly have a million-dollar wealth. It’s basic common sense!

This lack of understanding pains me deeply because Haiti is my home. While they say “home sweet home,” mine is filled with fear and uncertainty. The soil is tainted, and it desperately needs purification. We must start by addressing the issues in Village de Dieu.

#freehaiti – but let’s clarify, free it from whom? 

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