HOW TRUTH ABOUT HAITI IS SUPPRESSED

During the 79th session of the UN General Assembly (New York, 24-30 September 2024), the president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), Edgar Leblanc Fils, delivered a poignant speech. However, it was overshadowed when a clip showing him taking a swig of water from a large pitcher surfaced and went viral. That was rather convenient for some - for, in his speech, he highlighted how the West was largely to blame for the challenges faced today by Haiti, which was once a prosperous nation but suffered profoundly under oppression and colonisation.

The island gained independence after the Haitian revolution in 1804 - the world's only successful slave revolt. This played a role in ending slavery in all French colonies and inspired neighbouring countries to seek independence. France only recognised Haiti's independence in 1825, but it also demanded an indemnity that drained the island nation's resources, pushing it into a cycle of impoverishment. Leblanc referred to this as "a form of punishment for our audacity in breaking free from slavery." Haiti continues to struggle under the influence of foreign interventions.

In this clip, online social commentator @humannoresource guides us through his speech and its suppression by the media. Please share.

Video credit: @humannoresource