Gangs, NGOs and Social Movements in Haiti
Nov 10, 2023 — 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Centre de recherche interdisciplinaire et de valorisation des savoirs sur Haïti (CRIVASH) invites you to its conference on Gangs, NGOs and social movements in Haiti. The conference will take place on Friday, November 10, 2023 at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Social Sciences, room FSS 4004, starting at 2:30 pm. We will be pleased to welcome two professors from the Université d'État d'Haïti (UEH), historian-geographer Dr. Georges Eddy Lucien and sociologist-geographer Dr. Djems Olivier.
Abstract
The post-earthquake context in Haiti in 2010 is marked, among other things, by the invasion of NGOs into the country. The latter still play a crucial role in Haiti today, particularly in "working-class neighborhoods" and rural areas. Some have even described the country as an NGO republic, given not only the sheer number of NGOs, but also the fact that almost every aspect of life (social, cultural, economic, political, religious, etc.) is covered by them. At the same time, in recent years the gang phenomenon has been developing at a pace unprecedented in Haiti's history. So much so that there is talk of the capital Port-au-Prince being besieged by gangs. These gangs are operating and spreading terror among the population with total impunity and without fear. The gangs' modus operandi takes various forms: kidnapping, rape, robbery, murder, arson, blocking and controlling road axes, holding transport drivers to ransom, etc.
- This phenomenon of gansterization of the country is particularly concentrated in the working-class neighborhoods where NGOs operate. As a result, some NGOs sometimes collaborate with gangs. Moreover, if we look at the working-class districts of Port-au-Prince taken hostage by gangs, we can see that they represent not only territories for struggle, but also important electoral territories. Indeed, gangsterization represents an important issue for popular movements and the struggle for power. Indeed, the success of the major popular mobilizations that have been calling for radical change since 2018, holding the authorities to account for the petrocaribe funds in particular, has largely depended on the participation of citizens living in working-class neighborhoods. In this sense, some believe that one of the functions of gangs has been to dismantle social movements in Haiti. So, there's a lot of thinking to be done about these three phenomena, which are not isolated.
Zoom Meeting: https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/j/94755889067?pwd=ckNkeUM2Q0I5Z0VwSUNieG13eS90UT09
Meeting ID : 947 5588 9067 Secret Code : a1BiP2
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Meeting ID: 947 5588 9067 / Secret Code : 028051