Cholera in Haiti: Taking Responsibility

In January of 2010 there was nation-wide coverage of the devastating earthquake that shocked the people of Haiti. As time passed, the coverage waned and the people of Haiti were left to deal with the aftermath along with a cholera epidemic. Rumors started to circulate and the common consensus was that the outbreak was traced back to UN officers.

As an individual with Haitian roots, the issue hit very close to home. My mother would receive phone calls from family in Haiti talking about how the epidemic was only getting worse. We could only speculate about how the outbreak began, but we were never for sure. Here and there, you could find articles about how the UN was responsible but there was no definite evidence solidifying these assumptions.

Recently, Muneer Ahmad, a Clinical Professor of Law at Yale Law School, published a study entitled "Peacekeeping Without Accountability: The United Nations' Responsibility for the Haitian Cholera Epidemic." This study outlined exactly how the UN was responsible for the epidemic in Haiti. Professor Ahmad along with Jonathon Katz, a journalist with first hand experience of the UN’s attempt to cover up their part in the outbreak, and Dr. Jean Ford Figaro, the Director of Outreach and Advocacy for the “Kolera Jistis Project,” explained how the UN was singlehandedly responsibly for the cholera outbreak in Haiti at an event entitled “Cholera in Haiti: Taking Responsibility.”

First, John Katz explained what he observed while on assignment in Haiti. On October 27, 2010 he visited one of the bases. He observed cracked pipes over a canal leading directly to one of the main rivers used by the people on a daily basis. The pipes were located directly near the septic tanks and leaked foul smelling black liquid into the river. The next day when they returned, the pipes had been covered up. The UN was determined to keep their fault under wraps. Katz stated that during his investigation many of the UN affiliated people he questioned were very reluctant to answer questions that may incriminate the UN and demand that they take accountability. Katz concluded by saying that the UN simply wanted to delay taking responsibility in an attempt to prevent unrest among the people.

Following Katz, Professor Muneer Ahmad spoke on the study he conducted. He explained how he traced the origin of the outbreak back to two Nepalese UN peacekeepers. He focused more on the parallels that are developing in the Philippines between the aftermath and humanitarian aid after their recent typhoon and Haiti’s earthquake. Focusing on infrastructure, he pointed out how the UN was once again rushing into a new environment, without knowing the climate and how to prevent a reoccurrence of the Haiti cholera epidemic.

Just as Dr. Figaro was going to speak, I had to leave for class. Overall the event was very informal and focused around raising awareness that the UN is at fault for the outbreak and demanding that they take responsibility. On the alt break, I think it’ll be interesting to see how the outbreak has influenced public infrastructure and also how it has affected the already rocky relationship between the UN, the Haitian government, and the people.

For more on the cholera outbreak, see: Activists Sue UN Over Cholera That Killed Thousands in Haiti (NPR)

- Jen

Perspective

Going into the Alt Break Community Lunch, I wasn't really sure what to expect. One of the things I've liked since joining the program has been the effort to build solidarity between the trips instead of allowing each of us to stay isolated in our own small groups (not that I don't like my group!). So I was definitely looking forward to meet people from different trips and to hear about where they were going and what they would be doing there. I anticipated good food (which I got) and small talk, but not much else. What I got instead was a compelling insight into the driving purpose of Alternative Breaks and a new appreciation for what I have become a part of.

Traveling to an underprivileged region poses some definite challenges, made difficult by the fact that they are often unaddressed. Generally speaking, we don't like to talk about power and privilege in this country, which can make entering a place that has less of both a slightly uncomfortable experience. There seems to be a real disconnect between acknowledging one's fortune and accepting guilt for the lack of someone else's, which attributes to this discomfort. But in order to make substantive connections with other people--regardless of whether they're less fortunate than you or not--this disconnect needs to be reconciled and these topics need to be talked about openly.

So I was very gratified when one of the activities we participated in at the community lunch aimed to do just that. We moved around the room to indicate how much we agreed with various statements, many of which addressed those prickly, uncomfortable topics we're so fond of not talking about. They challenged us to think deeply about why we had chosen to go abroad and what we thought we could actually accomplish in doing so. They pointed out the fact that, whether or not we wished to be, we are all in positions of great privilege, something that could be seen from the simple fact that most of us would be traveling on airplanes to destinations where most people cannot afford a plane ticket. Most importantly, the questions made us engage in discussion with each other and start to see many different ways by which to understand the trips that lay before us.

Hearing everyone's thoughts and opinions gave me a new perspective of what awaited me in Haiti. The more people spoke, the more I could see my future trip take form--I imagined the people I would encounter, the things I would see--and I felt my excitement growing. I came away from the community lunch with renewed enthusiasm for what we were setting out to accomplish in Haiti and a new idea of how the trip could potentially shape my life.

Now I just have to wait for March to get here!

- Molly