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Read the transcript Haiti & Disaster Capitalism with Dr. Dady Chery (PDF)
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“Haiti was not always aided. Between 1963 and 1972, for example, the country enjoyed an economic renaissance as it buzzed with the activities of small entrepreneurs. The Kennedy administration had cut off all aid to Haiti in 1963 so as to bring Francois Duvalier to heel…Haiti thrived with style and panache during this decade that merely continued its isolation as the world’s first black republic. A community that was sustainable, tolerant, and harmonious with its gods had been forged, with none of the starkness associated with sustainability projects. Haiti brimmed with laughter, flavor, music and color. Things dear to the Haitian soul were valued: things that could not be bought. Anacaona‘s descendants lived there, and their life’s purpose was self-realization and the creation of art. That was the Haiti in which I grew up.” ~ Dr. Dady Chery
By Catherine Austin Fitts
In 2010, following a major earthquake, US and UN troops invaded and occupied Haiti. Although the devastation from the earthquake was great, the occupation and asset stripping by corporate and philanthropic interests were far worse. Haiti may be the worst case yet of disaster capitalism. If recent allegations put forth by investigative reporters are true, the Clintons’ efforts to return to the White House are financed by Haitian lives. Based on Dr. Chery’s research, few of the billions raised by the Clintons for Haitian relief have helped the earthquake victims.
Born and raised in Haiti and now living in the United States, Dr. Dady Chery has documented what has happened to Haiti since the 2010 earthquake in her remarkable book We Have Dared to be Free: Haiti’s Struggle Against Occupation. Dr. Chery’s efforts to document events in Haiti are a remarkable contribution to our understanding of the use of disasters to compromise national and individual sovereignty. Haiti is a prime example of organized crime creating social inequality and lowering global productivity.
This week in Let’s Go to the Movies, I recommend the documentary Clinton Cash. It is not yet available for streaming on line, so put it on your list to see when it becomes available.
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