This week the World Bank Inspection Panel announced that it would not hear a complaint filed by six Haitian civil society organizations who are concerned about plans for mining in at least five of Haiti's central and northern departments.

The World Bank, since 2013, has been involved in helping the Haitian Government rewrite a 1976 mining law that would, in effect, make mining a more attractive investment for the American and Canadian companies that have been exploring Haiti's soil for the past several years.

View of landscape in Haiti's northeastern department. (Photo credit: Ted Oswald)

The Haitian Government has been divided over plans for mining activity. In early 2013, after hearing that 15% of Haitian land was already under contract with foreign mining companies without their proper approval, the Haitian parliament placed a moratorium on all mining.

[Read: Haitian Groups Wary of “Attractive” Mining Law]

It was at this time the executive recommended revamping the old law with the help of the World Bank, in order to help prospects for mining to move forward. Indeed, the current administration is looking to mining as one of the essential industries in helping Haiti "build back better."

Sampling over the past five years have revealed that Haiti has gold worth up to $20 billion, which doesn't include other valuable minerals such as copper and silver.

Yet local communities and the six civil society groups that make up the Justice in Mining Collective (Koleftif Jistis Min) are concerned about the new law and the way they see things proceeding.

Thus far, the new law has been drafted in consultation with mining experts, World Bank staff, and the Haitian government. Civil society has been notably absent, or rather, uninvited to the decision-making table. On one occasion, a few members of civil society were invited to a mining forum at one of Port-au-Prince’s fanciest hotels, but were not afforded an opportunity to speak.

It is feared that, in Haiti’s current political crisis where President Martelly is ruling “by decree,” the draft mining law could be passed by executive order, without even parliamentary approval.

 Patrico in Haiti's northern department. Many communities have reported mining companies coming
uninvited onto their land to dig for soil samples over the past several years. In most cases the communities
don't clearly understand what it is the companies are doing there. (Photo credit: Ted Oswald)

[Read: As Haiti's Parliament Dissolves, Oversight in Billions in Gold Mining Could Be Axed]

In January, the Justice in Mining Collective, with the help of the Accountability Counsel and NYU Global Justice Clinic filed a complaint to the Inspections Panel of the World Bank, over the high risk of environmental and social impacts of mining as well as the lack of information and participation available to communities over mining plans.

One particularly troubling clause in the new draft law allows for a ten-year confidentiality period for all documents pertaining to ongoing mining in Haiti.

Despite these concerns, which could affect tens of thousands of individuals in Haiti’s northern departments, the World Bank denied hearing the complaint filed by the Justice in Mining Collective on technical grounds.

[Read Press Release: World Bank Refuses to Consider Haitian Communities' Complaint about New Mining Law]

The Pueblo Viejo gold mine in neighboring Dominican Republic is one of the ten largest in the world
and is an example of open pit mining. It is part of the same Massif du Nord Metallogenic Belt as Haiti.
(Photo credit: Pulitzer Center)

According to the Panel, the transparency and public involvement typically required of World Bank-sponsored projects does not apply to projects funded by the “Bank-Executed Trust Fund,” such as the rewriting of Haiti's mining law, though the Panel admits that it ought to and recommends that reform take place in the World Bank system.

The Panel also conceded that there are significant risks associated with mining, and acknowledged the legitimacy of the Collective’s concerns.

Though the Bank is a key actor in the rewriting of the law and regularly touts the importance of public involvement and local participation, it is acting in this case as yet another exclusionary force that bars Haitian voices in matters that concern their own livelihoods. The Bank must realize that in Haiti's current context, where the government is generally closed off to local opinion, local populations have no audience with decision-makers.

As international backers of the new mining law and investors in the industry, the World Bank must heed Haitians' concerns over mining.

Devotionals

"An important discipline in the life of the Spirit is spiritual reading. Through spiritual reading we have some say over what enters into our minds. Each day our society bombards us with a myriad of images and sounds... do we really want our mind to become the garbage can of the world?" (Nouwen, Here and Now, p. 80)

Now that sentiment gets one's attention, doesn't it?! In recent weeks and months, I've found myself enjoying some profound new devotional materials. They aren't necessarily defined as such (i.e. for daily or weekly reading with reflection questions, etc), but they are complimenting each other and my journey so well this season that I wanted to share and recommend!

Henri Nouwen, "Here and Now"

I picked this one up from our office library, which is furnished with hundreds of books either donated or carried down by volunteers over the past few decades. Categorized by chapter, Nouwen's book explores a wide variety of topics. As in many of his works, Nouwen’s central concern is in bringing readers to the present moment –the here and now – trusting God more fully, and delighting in who He is.

The chapters in Nouwen’s book have seemed to come at just the right moments. I first picked this up while home over Christmas, the night before our family celebration of Ted’s 30th birthday (done one month early, so that we could all be together.) A few pages in, Nouwen talks about the special meaning of birthdays, because in them we are given a chance to celebrate a person for who they are- not because of graduation, job promotion or some fine achievement. (I read this aloud before we dug into his chocolate cake the next evening; though I think everyone was just eager to dig into the cake. ;) And then, in early January, I read his exhortation to fight fatalism and lean towards faith. This was on the eve of the 5-year earthquake anniversary in Haiti and a fresh onslaught of negative journalism coverage. His reflection was timely and helpful for the discouragement we can face in our work.

David Winter, "Closer than a Brother"

Closer than a Brother is a re-interpretation of the famous meditation of Brother Lawrence, Practicing the Presence of God. Given to us a few years ago by my mother-in-law, I've read it once and Ted and I are now re-reading it together, "book-on-spouse" style as my dad would say :)

Each chapter is a conversation between the author and Laurie, the kitchen cook at the hospital where they both work. It's full of reminders of the overwhelming presence of God in the day-to-day, and some of the "simple truths" about our faith that are profound and yet still so hard to grasp. A common theme in a few books that I am reading right now is summed up in the most recent chapter we read in Winter's book: "All He really wants is me." A helpful, sort of mind-bending truth, isn't it?

"Living the Christian Year, Time to Inhabit the Story of God"

This was given to me by a friend about a year ago, and it has enriched some of the past ''holy seasons'' immeasurably! The starting premise of the Christian Calendar is that each season is holy. I had never heard of Ordinary Time or quite understood the season of Epiphany or even the Twelve Days of Christmas before reading this book. The book begins with a great explanation of the history and meaning behind the Christian calendar, which is typically followed in the more orthodox Christian traditions and not American Protestantism. It then has guided Scripture reading, prayer and mediation points for each week of the year.

Ted and I especially appreciated the readings on Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas. Every night we had a common Scripture to read. It helped ground us in the season, in the midst of the strong pull towards frenzy and increased busyness. (I must say, being in Haiti helped with that in its own way.) The explanations on Christmas traditions were also very enlightening. I loved discovering that the Twelve Days begin on Christmas. So really, the party is just getting started! After 40 days of anticipation, the celebration is not over in one day. It's meant to last over twelve days of intentional celebration and joy.

We aren't picking this up every single night, but what's wonderful is that it's always there and makes it easy to delve into the current season. Now with Lent beginning, I am looking forward to using this more intentionally once again.

We welcome your feedback and other suggestions!

"Haitians Love Life"

A friend asked me to share on things we are learning and perceiving about Haitian culture. It’s taken me a little while to contemplate this. Culture is funny. It’s ever-present but elusive. When you try to put your finger on one aspect to define or explain it, it slips away. It can be hard to speak generally, when the variance of specifics greets you day by day.

Yet I've decided that one observation of mine can be expressed well in this statement made by a friend, Milo. It’s very simple but profound. “Haitians love life.”

The people of Haiti are generally very open. When walking down the street, you may see many grim or concentrated faces, but once you say “Bonjou” or “Bonswa” you are often gifted with the brightest smile and an equally bright “Bonjou!” in response.

Me, MCC country rep Wilda, and friend/co-worker Estere

Visitors often love and comment on this openness and the hospitality they receive at the hands of mere acquaintances in Haiti. The food portions are grand; the inquiries after your family and your well-being are persistent. People love to connect with others.

Haitians love to laugh, to joke, or “bay blag.” After a full day of staff meetings during November’s konbit, our co-worker who was coordinating the day’s events announced that the evening activity was to simply sit around and “bay blag” with each other. Who would say something like this in the U.S.? We don’t usually plan to sit down and joke with each other; it’s a gift when it happens, but it’s a big part of life here and something people love.

MCC staff Christmas party - lots of announcements and speeches and of course, laughter

Another detail that I love and speaks to me about the openness of the culture, is in the way people talk to each other. There is a French term of endearment that many people know, “ma cherie” in the feminine or “mon cher” in the masculine. In Kreyòl the spelling is different but the pronunciation is the same, and the term is well-used. Men say to other men ‘’mon cher” all the time. While passing by the street market a seller may call me “cherie,” asking what it is I want to buy. Something I associate as such an intimate phrase is freely used in kind greetings and good-humored banter here. I love it!

The presentation of 'secret Santa' gifts - MCC staff Christmas party

And finally, a closing observation.

I have two teenage boys in our backyard right now, emptying out our cistern by bucketing out the last 6 inches of water and then eventually scrubbing it clean. (It's not like they are getting paid the big bucks for this, by the way.) In the midst of their work, they are listening to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on their radio and softly singing along. In the U.S., we make fun of music like Celine Dion’s –we say it’s cheesy. And why is that? Because we are cynical! Perhaps cynicism is not so pervasive here. I think that many Haitians are realists, but enjoy life all the same.

Try your hand at some advocacy!

Wonder what our work is about? What can ''advocacy'' look like? Well often times it looks like contributing to an ongoing campaign that others have already started. Ted and I are involved in our own efforts with MCC, ones that are growing from the ground up such as our work with housing. However, it is a crucial part of our work to share about specific, tangible advocacy opportunities as they arise, with those near and far.

We know that many care deeply for Haiti and so would jump at a small opportunity to make a change, yes?

One such issue and opportunity is presented here, and it regards illegal deportations of Dominicans of Haitian descent, one further page in the disastrous story of recent prejudicial rulings by Dominican courts. We hope you will take 5 minutes to take part in advocacy to ameliorate the suffering caused by recent illegal activity.

Background

In September 2013, the Dominican Constitutional Court ruled that all children born of parents with illegal status between 1929 - 2010 can no longer claim Dominican nationality. This decision stripped at least 200,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent of any right to citizenship (Washington Post).

As stated in the Post, "The court’s decision enshrines the deep-seated racism and discrimination suffered by Haitian migrants and their children, who have worked back-breaking jobs in Dominican sugar-cane fields and construction sites for many years. It leaves the migrants stateless, lacking even the certainty that their children can receive an education."

Due to significant international pressure, including that from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Dominican government created a pathway for those affected to register to obtain a residence permit, but as a recent report from Amnesty International points out, "Just a tiny percentage of those eligible to register under the law have been able to start the process before time ran out." The deadline for this application period ended on February 1st, and has not been extended.

"The faces of statelessness in the DR. " For more follow @RobinGuittard of Amnesty Caribbean

Even before this deadline, the Dominican Republic has started deporting people without due process. One such illegal mass deportation of 51 people took place on January 27th.

According to Amnesty, 30 in this group were Dominican-born children, others included some of their mothers and 14 other adults. They say "more mass deportations of Dominicans of Haitian descent and Haitian migrants are feared."

Read Amnesty's full report here: http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/uaa02015.pdf 

Take Action

So what to do in light of this grave issue? In response to Amnesty's call, you can e-mail Dominican officials urging them to protect these recent deportees and to stop all illegal deportations. 

Address letters to: José Ramón Fadul, Minister of Interior and Police (info@mip.gob.do); Lic. Jose Ricardo Taveras, Director of Migration (info@migracion.gov.do); Andrés Navarro García, Minister of Foreign Affairs (relexteriores@mirex.gob.do) and let Amnesty know what you've done by e-mailing uan@aiusa.org afterwards with "UA 20/15" in the subject line.

Your letter can include a version of the following message drafted by Ted, but please feel free to personalize it according to your own reactions to this news.

Dear Ministers and Director,

I write today in response to the 27 January 2015 expulsion of 51 people, including 30 Dominican-born individuals, from the Dominican Republic without due process.

I write, urging you to:

-allow these children and their families to enroll in the appropriate naturalization and regularization schemes;
-not to use naturalization and regularization procedures to detect alleged undocumented migrants and to stop all deportations of similar measures against applicants in the naturalization and regularization schemes;
-fulfill the Dominican Republic’s obligations under international law, which prohibit arbitrary and collective expulsions, and to ensure that all those facing removal from the Dominican Republic have their cases individually examined in a fair and transparent procedure, where they can challenge the authorities’ decisions and have their case reviewed.

Please consider these requests and redress this situation and the circumstances that precipitated it as soon as possible.

In sincere hope of policies that affirm the dignity of every human being,

(Your name and country)

Learn more

Part of being an advocate is to learn more and to stay engaged. 

If you would like more background on this issue read the reports linked to above as well as No more hope for tens of thousands stateless and at risk of expulsion if residence deadline expires. For interesting history on the intensity of DR/Haiti relations we recommend this short film on the subject.

Jacmel

January 2-4, we made our first visit to Jacmel, one of Haiti's most famous cities - known for its culture & art, history, and its annual Carnaval celebration.

We stayed at the picturesque Cyvadier Hotel, with a dining and pool area that overlooks a cove. The soundtrack of crashing waves keeps you company all day and night. It's beautiful!

While I am tempted to overwhelm you with pictures of this gorgeous town, full of street art and galleries, I will control myself, and just share a few gems that will hopefully have you thinking about the next American and Delta flights to Haiti!

Old buildings still showing their color in downtown Jacmel. Screaming for new paint but still speaking loudly of their history.

Jacmel was a major coffee export starting in the 1770s, until Port-au-Prince became the preferred port under the U.S. occupation in the early 20th century.

Street and boardwalk art... love it!

The ooolld market. Filled with thousands of sellers and buyers on market days.

A view of Jacmel from the mountainside on our way to the famous Basin Bleu for a hike and swim.

To see my many Instagrams from Jacmel, go here.

And finally, the view from our dining area, each morning and evening. Not bad, right?!

The beach, delicious food, and the many artistic treasures of downtown Jacmel made us excited for a return trip. It's just two and a half hours from Port-au-Prince. While the windy and mountainous drive may have you reaching for your Dramamine, the destination is clearly every bit worth the journey. :)

Along for the ride

Last week, Ted and I had a “first.” The University of Maryland made its third annual Learning Tour to Haiti, with MCC as their host, accompanying agency and logistical guide. And we were along for the ride!

After their Week One in the Dezam countryside, the group of 8 students plus their fearless UMD staff leader, made it to Port-au-Prince for a week that was largely guided by Ted and yours truly.

From Day One, meeting them at the Ouanga Bay beach on National Route 1 for their “take a breather” day, to the final night of free-styling songs and sharing their personal reflections on the trip, Ted and I came away with many good memories of meaningful conversations, sight-seeing “firsts” around Port-au-Prince, and opportunities to see our Haitian partners and their work with fresh eyes.

On Day Two of the group’s stay in Port-au-Prince, Ted and I had the opportunity to roll out our first Advocacy 101 Workshop, something we had given thought to periodically over the past months. Starting with a “definition of Advocacy” and moving into the “how to,” we enjoyed the rich dialogue that developed from the students’ very thoughtful reflections and contributions.  UMD is definitely a group that prepares well and comes ready to learn.

The UMD group before arriving, photo cred: Kristina Mondesir

A couple memories we will not soon forget:

Rocking to RAM

We enjoyed our first ever RAM concert with the Maryland group. RAM is a racine band led by the owner of Haiti’s famous Hotel Olaffson. Every Thursday evening, starting at 11pm, RAM plays a two-hour show. All we knew of RAM beforehand was … not much. The awesome horns and jumpy beat surprised us and kept us awake enough to drive the group home at 1am!

History changes

A 3-hour lecture from friend and former MCC Advocacy employee on Haitian history kept the group engaged and reminded me why I love history so much. The gentleman who provided English interpretation for our group even said that this session “changed” him. He hadn't heard the history of Haiti from colonial times to present conveyed through such a stirring narrative.

Three days later, the group traveled to visit Na Sonje, a private foundation couched in the hills beyond Port-au-Prince. This foundation is dedicated to the retelling of Haitian history with an emphasis on raising global consciousness on the horrors of colonial oppression. The Na Sonje theatrical production takes you swiftly through seven centuries of Haitian, African, and European interaction. It is a moving experience that is hard to forget. One goal of the Learning Tour is to expose groups to a variety of perspectives so they can better understand the rich and varied landscape of Haiti today and in its past. The visit to Na Sonje definitely serves to meet this goal.

Musical goodbyes

On our final night the team remixed the final rendition of their "farewell song"for Ted and me. Starting with their traditional "So long, farewell, to you my friends," they then broke into a rap that explored their highs and lows, and key learnings from their two weeks in Haiti. How often do you get serenaded at the end of a "work" day?? This group was a real pleasure for us to visit with. We wish them well, and hope several will make their way back to Haiti in the near and long-term.

All in all; an unforgettable "first"for Ted and me!

A little taste of Ouanga Bay for us; first day

Awesome horns! At RAM

Mural above the stage, at RAM

January 12th: five years after Haiti's earthquake

Tomorrow, January 12th, marks the five-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti, killing over 200,000 people and leveling much of the capital. So many people lost loved ones, neighbors, homes. A co-worker pointed out to me last Friday that some entire families were lost. There is also a mounting political crisis in Haiti that comes to a head tomorrow. Please be in prayer for this country this week.

In honor of this difficult anniversary, we'd like to offer a couple brief reflections and specific suggestions for ways you can pray for Haiti.

First, a short meditation. I think this is a very important way to frame our approach to the many challenges in Haiti. It also serves as a prayer request for us, specifically in our day-to-day policy and advocacy work, which is often focused on crises and injustices in Haiti.

"Surprised by Joy"
by Henri Nouwen

Are we surprised by joy or by sorrow? The world in which we live wants to surprise us by sorrow. Newspapers keep telling us about traffic accidents, murders, conflicts between individuals, groups, and nations, and the television fills our minds with images of hatred, violence and destruction. And we say to one another: "Did you hear that, did you see that... isn't it terrible...who can believe it?" Indeed it seems that the powers of darkness wants to continue to surprise us with human sorrow. But these surprises paralyze us and seduce us to an existence in which our main concern becomes survival in the midst of a sea of sorrows. By making us think about ourselves as survivors of a shipwreck, anxiously clinging to a piece of driftwood, we gradually accept the role of victims doomed by the cruel circumstances of our lives.

The great challenge of faith is to be surprised by joy. I remember sitting at a dinner table with friends discussing the economic depression of the country. We kept throwing out statistics that made us increasingly convinced that things could only get worse. Then, suddenly, the four-year-old son of one of my friends opened the door, ran to his father, and said, "Look, Daddy! Look! I found a little kitten in the yard...Look! ... Isn't it cute?" While showing the kitten to his father, the little boy stroked the kitten with his hands and held it against his face. All at once everything changed. The little boy and his kitten became the center of attention. These were smiles, strokes, and many tender words. We were surprised by joy!

God became a little child in the midst of a violent world. Are we surprised by joy or do we keep saying: "How nice and sweet, but the reality is different." What if the child reveals to us what is really real?

(Here and Now, Henri Nouwen, pgs 33-34, 1994)

Haiti Post-Earthquake

The statistics are out there, and they are startling. High percentages of extreme poverty and income disparity in Haiti. But here we would like to share a couple of stories with you.

Our boss and the MCC Haiti country representative wrote a beautiful reflection, posted by mcc.org this week, in the form of a letter to his baby daughter. He shares about Haiti right after and 5-years after the earthquake, as well as his love for the country. 

Haiti: Beauty in the Unfinished

Ted and I wrote a blog post that was posted to MCC Ottawa Office site this week. It's a reflection on what we see as the direction of our work dealing with advocacy in Haiti, as being "bridge builders" across some of Haiti's social divides.

Bridge-Building in Haiti: Creating Spaces for Dialogue

Politics

This January 12th also marks a crucial political juncture for the country. Much of the political stalemate from the past several months comes to a head, as we see whether U.S. influence, and negotiations among opposing parties in Haiti will have led to a solution to Haiti's pre-electoral crisis. Tomorrow, without a resolution, Haiti's legislative branch will become defunct as all remaining senators' terms expire. NPR offered brief coverage of the crisis just a couple of days ago: Haiti's political crisis expected to come to head next week.

For months, demonstrators have been crowding the streets of downtown in frustration over the president's administration. This week, more demonstrations are expected.

Prayers

 Here are specific ways you can pray for Haiti:

• Sincere commitment on behalf of Haiti's leaders to reach a peaceful consensus to this electoral crisis.
• Healing across social lines. Most Haitians feel very alienated by their government and the business-owning "elite." Fairly rigid social divides have been in place for centuries in Haiti. Pray for peace and reconciliation in this area.
• There are still 85,000 people lives in camps since the 2010 earthquake. They are vulnerable to poor sanitation, lack of drinking water, inclement weather, and even forced evictions by landowners and police. Pray the Haitian government will ensure their safety and come up with durable housing solutions for the very poor.
• Education is highly valued in Haiti, yet access to quality education is a challenge for most children. The adult literacy rate is 49%. Pray for greater, more widespread, educational opportunities for Haiti's poor.
• For the great work being done across the country to improve Haitian's access to preventative and curative medical services. Pray for greater access to these services in each part of Haiti.
• Food security. Environmental, economic, and climatic factors have made Haiti's agricultural sector unproductive. Pray for healing of the land and new abundance. 

God bless.