Haitians: On the Way to Heaven
At the first sight of view one can hardly identify few more similarities of the two countries, Haiti and Sri Lanka, except almost the same height of the highest mountains of both countries. Ayiti (land of high mountains) was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the mountainous western side of the island of Hispaniola. The country's highest point Pic la Selle, at 2,680 metres (8,793 ft), is just over hundred metres higher than Pidurutalagala of Sri Lanka. The Haiti's capital is Port-au-Prince and Haitian Creole as well as French are the official languages. This Caribbean country of the total area of 27,750 square kilometres, in the Atlantic Ocean, occupies the island along with the Dominican Republic. Being situated in the Eastern Hemisphere, Sri Lanka was aware of Haiti as a place of continuous Civil Unrest, where SL troops had been deployed until the tragedy of 2010 earthquake took place killing more than 200,000 people. This unexpected event spurred the minds far away from Haiti to think more closely of Haitians and to analyse the hidden causes of their fate.
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Haiti's regional and historical position is unique for several reasons. It was the first independent nation in Latin America and the first black-led republic in the world when it gained independence as a result of a successful slave rebellion in 1804. Despite of having common cultural links with its Hispano-Caribbean neighbours, Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas. It is one of only two independent nations in the Americas (along with Canada) that designate French as an official language. Though at the first look, Haiti shows predominant influence of France, this island was discovered and claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus on 5 December 1492, just a few years earlier to the arrival of Vasco De Gama in India. The island, of which Haiti occupies the western third, is one of many Caribbean islands inhabited at the time of European arrival by the Taíno Indians. Before the arrival of Europeans, the island of Hispaniola was divided among five or six long-established caciquedoms (Chiefdoms controlled by leaders). One of the earliest leaders to fight off Spanish conquest was Queen Anacaona, a princess of Xaragua, who with her husband resisted Spanish rule in vain; she was captured by the Spanish and executed in front of her people. To this day, Anacaona is revered in Haiti as one of the country's founders. The story of Queen Anacaona reminds us the sequence of legendary battles of King Rajasingha the first in Sri Lanka against Portuguese invasion.
The Spanish settlers in Hispaniola first codified a set of laws (1512-1513) governing particularly the native Indians. They forbade the maltreatment of natives, endorsed their conversion to Catholicism, burned their land, placed them against their will into encomiendas, and forced them to do all the planting of the food. The governors of Spain found it difficult to enforce these laws on native indians and get the hard work done by them. The Spanish governors began importing enslaved Africans for labor. In 1517, Charles V authorized the draft of slaves. The Taínos became virtually, but not completely, extinct on the island of Hispaniola. Some who evaded capture fled to the mountains and established independent settlements. Survivors mixed with escaped African slaves and produced a multiracial generation called zambos. French settlers later called people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry marabou. The mestizo were children born to relationships between native women and European – usually Spanish men. During French rule, children of mixed race, usually born of unions between African women and European men, were called mulâtres. Creoles are a mixture of European, Amerindian, and African ancestry regardless of skin color.
The decade of 1512- 1522 was undoubtedly decisive on the future of the island of Sri Lanka as well as for the future of the island of Hispaniola. This was the period when Portuguese implemented their initial plans in order to intervene into Sri Lankan politics. A number of conspiracies were taken place between Portuguese and local prince Darma Parakramabahu against the sovereign of Kotte Vijayabahu the sixth. In 1517, for the first time, the Europeans succeded in building a fort in Colombo taking the advantage of a solar eclipse while fighting with Sri Lankan forces. After the death of Portuguese king Mannuel the fortunate in 1521, the famous royal riot named later as "Vijayaba Kollaya" took place. Since then the Sri Lankan chronicles were filled with endless battles led by Rajasingha 1 and his father Mayadunne against Portuguese invaders.
The arrival of the Dutch, in the 17 th century, in the Island of Ceylon could be considered as parallel as with the French invasion on Hispaniola. Thanks to the helping hand of the Kandian ruler Rajasingha the second, the Dutch easily became the governor of the lowland coastal belt. This unwise decision of the Kandian ruler is even today memorized by the commonly used phrase "taking chili in order to get rid of ginger". Obviously at the time of Dutch arrival, Portugal as well as Spain had become weak in comparison with the enthusiasm of the new reformist nations of Europe. However, in Caribbean Hispaniola, France and Spain settled hostilities on the island in 1697, which divided the country between them. France received the western third. Many French colonists soon arrived and established plantations due to high profit potential. From 1713 to 1787, approximately 30,000 French colonists emigrated to the western part of the island, while by 1763 the French population of Canada numbered only 65,000.
Even today the descendants of Portuguese and Dutch settlers in Sri Lanka form so called "Lansi" or Burger community which is less than 1% of the total population. The Britsh being mainly planters of large estates and administrators under the British crown had returned home after the second world war. But their influence in Sri Lankan politics is obviously eminent even at present. The thirty year civil war of North was ended up in 2009 in Sri Lanka. However Haitians were forced to take a harder path due to involvement of the foreign powers. The 2000 election had been boycotted by the opposition. In subsequent years, there was widespread violence and human rights abuses. The government supporters attacked the opposition. The nation's radio stations were firebombed (Petrol Bombs) and journalists murdered. In 2004, a revolt began in northern Haiti. The rebellion eventually reached the capital and led president leaving the country, whereupon the United Nations stationed peacekeepers in Haiti. Bonifece Alexandre assumed interim authority, and in February 2006, following elections marked by uncertainties and popular demonstrations, a new president was elected. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (also known as MINUSTAH) has been in the country since the 2004 Haiti Rebellion under which over 900 Sri Lankan soldiers have been deployed.
As soon as the overall picture of the political advancements in Haiti in the first decade of the new Millennium is realised, the utmost question that emerges is; Is it the same picture being currently experienced in Sri Lankan politics?
As a nation of dignity how should Sri Lankans face this challenge? Fortunately non of the three European colonists brought enslaved Africans to Sri Lanka except the south Indian labour community that was settled mainly in the central mountainous regions of island by their British masters. The terrorism led by Prabhakaran for the dream Tamil home land has been eradicated. This opportunity being taken as a spur for a new era of development that has been missed since independence in 1948, the civilians irrespective of race or cast must be well aware of the harmful political trends which purposely superimposed through invisible foreign interventions. Ending up an election prominently marked by uncertainties is a commonly used trap for creating a purposely established civil unrest in a country. This is the challenge that Haitians had been facing in the past and have proved to be failed. Thus many of them had to flee away from Haiti to escape violence, torture and persecution.
The Little Haiti in Miami, USA, is an oasis for many Haitians who managed to pedal in the Atlantic Ocean successfully. Although Little Haiti is a part of America, one third of the population lives in poverty. This is a place where the drug deals go down and gun shots can be heard in the dark.
The bang of guns and voodoo still matter to people who journeyed to USA in boats, praying spirits all the long, uncertain way. They hesitate to be exposed for photographs being suspicious of doing voodoo on them.
For many Haitians, food provides links to lives left behind. Hand-painted menus and Caribbean scenes adorn the walls at a restaurant where Banana and liver served for the breakfast and their traditional dish of fried pork and rice for the lunch.
This Little Haitian man, cruising on his tricked-out byke while his stereo thumping, reflects the mentality of some three-wheeler owners of Sri Lanka. Most of the noisy three-wheeler taxis are equipped with heavy stereo set-ups and have become the main cause of chaos on roads.
The Little Haitian girls on the way to Church carrying baskets of fruits.
Not all girls are alike. Some are very passionate.
Certainly Haiti could be considered as an unique place that is worth observing. But nevertheless sacrifice of over 200,000 lives of Haitians is not worth enough only to open the eyes of world to see the reality in Haiti since it may be simply the reflection of the fate of any country such as Sri Lanka.
.svg.png)
Haiti's regional and historical position is unique for several reasons. It was the first independent nation in Latin America and the first black-led republic in the world when it gained independence as a result of a successful slave rebellion in 1804. Despite of having common cultural links with its Hispano-Caribbean neighbours, Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas. It is one of only two independent nations in the Americas (along with Canada) that designate French as an official language. Though at the first look, Haiti shows predominant influence of France, this island was discovered and claimed for Spain by Christopher Columbus on 5 December 1492, just a few years earlier to the arrival of Vasco De Gama in India. The island, of which Haiti occupies the western third, is one of many Caribbean islands inhabited at the time of European arrival by the Taíno Indians. Before the arrival of Europeans, the island of Hispaniola was divided among five or six long-established caciquedoms (Chiefdoms controlled by leaders). One of the earliest leaders to fight off Spanish conquest was Queen Anacaona, a princess of Xaragua, who with her husband resisted Spanish rule in vain; she was captured by the Spanish and executed in front of her people. To this day, Anacaona is revered in Haiti as one of the country's founders. The story of Queen Anacaona reminds us the sequence of legendary battles of King Rajasingha the first in Sri Lanka against Portuguese invasion.
The Spanish settlers in Hispaniola first codified a set of laws (1512-1513) governing particularly the native Indians. They forbade the maltreatment of natives, endorsed their conversion to Catholicism, burned their land, placed them against their will into encomiendas, and forced them to do all the planting of the food. The governors of Spain found it difficult to enforce these laws on native indians and get the hard work done by them. The Spanish governors began importing enslaved Africans for labor. In 1517, Charles V authorized the draft of slaves. The Taínos became virtually, but not completely, extinct on the island of Hispaniola. Some who evaded capture fled to the mountains and established independent settlements. Survivors mixed with escaped African slaves and produced a multiracial generation called zambos. French settlers later called people of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry marabou. The mestizo were children born to relationships between native women and European – usually Spanish men. During French rule, children of mixed race, usually born of unions between African women and European men, were called mulâtres. Creoles are a mixture of European, Amerindian, and African ancestry regardless of skin color.
The decade of 1512- 1522 was undoubtedly decisive on the future of the island of Sri Lanka as well as for the future of the island of Hispaniola. This was the period when Portuguese implemented their initial plans in order to intervene into Sri Lankan politics. A number of conspiracies were taken place between Portuguese and local prince Darma Parakramabahu against the sovereign of Kotte Vijayabahu the sixth. In 1517, for the first time, the Europeans succeded in building a fort in Colombo taking the advantage of a solar eclipse while fighting with Sri Lankan forces. After the death of Portuguese king Mannuel the fortunate in 1521, the famous royal riot named later as "Vijayaba Kollaya" took place. Since then the Sri Lankan chronicles were filled with endless battles led by Rajasingha 1 and his father Mayadunne against Portuguese invaders.
The arrival of the Dutch, in the 17 th century, in the Island of Ceylon could be considered as parallel as with the French invasion on Hispaniola. Thanks to the helping hand of the Kandian ruler Rajasingha the second, the Dutch easily became the governor of the lowland coastal belt. This unwise decision of the Kandian ruler is even today memorized by the commonly used phrase "taking chili in order to get rid of ginger". Obviously at the time of Dutch arrival, Portugal as well as Spain had become weak in comparison with the enthusiasm of the new reformist nations of Europe. However, in Caribbean Hispaniola, France and Spain settled hostilities on the island in 1697, which divided the country between them. France received the western third. Many French colonists soon arrived and established plantations due to high profit potential. From 1713 to 1787, approximately 30,000 French colonists emigrated to the western part of the island, while by 1763 the French population of Canada numbered only 65,000.
Even today the descendants of Portuguese and Dutch settlers in Sri Lanka form so called "Lansi" or Burger community which is less than 1% of the total population. The Britsh being mainly planters of large estates and administrators under the British crown had returned home after the second world war. But their influence in Sri Lankan politics is obviously eminent even at present. The thirty year civil war of North was ended up in 2009 in Sri Lanka. However Haitians were forced to take a harder path due to involvement of the foreign powers. The 2000 election had been boycotted by the opposition. In subsequent years, there was widespread violence and human rights abuses. The government supporters attacked the opposition. The nation's radio stations were firebombed (Petrol Bombs) and journalists murdered. In 2004, a revolt began in northern Haiti. The rebellion eventually reached the capital and led president leaving the country, whereupon the United Nations stationed peacekeepers in Haiti. Bonifece Alexandre assumed interim authority, and in February 2006, following elections marked by uncertainties and popular demonstrations, a new president was elected. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (also known as MINUSTAH) has been in the country since the 2004 Haiti Rebellion under which over 900 Sri Lankan soldiers have been deployed.
As soon as the overall picture of the political advancements in Haiti in the first decade of the new Millennium is realised, the utmost question that emerges is; Is it the same picture being currently experienced in Sri Lankan politics?
As a nation of dignity how should Sri Lankans face this challenge? Fortunately non of the three European colonists brought enslaved Africans to Sri Lanka except the south Indian labour community that was settled mainly in the central mountainous regions of island by their British masters. The terrorism led by Prabhakaran for the dream Tamil home land has been eradicated. This opportunity being taken as a spur for a new era of development that has been missed since independence in 1948, the civilians irrespective of race or cast must be well aware of the harmful political trends which purposely superimposed through invisible foreign interventions. Ending up an election prominently marked by uncertainties is a commonly used trap for creating a purposely established civil unrest in a country. This is the challenge that Haitians had been facing in the past and have proved to be failed. Thus many of them had to flee away from Haiti to escape violence, torture and persecution.
The Little Haiti in Miami, USA, is an oasis for many Haitians who managed to pedal in the Atlantic Ocean successfully. Although Little Haiti is a part of America, one third of the population lives in poverty. This is a place where the drug deals go down and gun shots can be heard in the dark.
The bang of guns and voodoo still matter to people who journeyed to USA in boats, praying spirits all the long, uncertain way. They hesitate to be exposed for photographs being suspicious of doing voodoo on them.
For many Haitians, food provides links to lives left behind. Hand-painted menus and Caribbean scenes adorn the walls at a restaurant where Banana and liver served for the breakfast and their traditional dish of fried pork and rice for the lunch.
This Little Haitian man, cruising on his tricked-out byke while his stereo thumping, reflects the mentality of some three-wheeler owners of Sri Lanka. Most of the noisy three-wheeler taxis are equipped with heavy stereo set-ups and have become the main cause of chaos on roads.
The Little Haitian girls on the way to Church carrying baskets of fruits.
Not all girls are alike. Some are very passionate.Certainly Haiti could be considered as an unique place that is worth observing. But nevertheless sacrifice of over 200,000 lives of Haitians is not worth enough only to open the eyes of world to see the reality in Haiti since it may be simply the reflection of the fate of any country such as Sri Lanka.
