UN vehicle involved in an accident

Yesterday, while on patrol, we received a call regarding a UN vehicle involved in a collision.
We dropped everything that was on the go and we made it to the location as fast as possible. We were told during training that in Haiti when UN personal get involved in an accident that the population may become hostile and therefore help is required to secure the scene, fast.
We arrived on the scene few minutes after the call was received but a large group of people had already gathered around. We observed that a UN truck was involved in a collision with a motorbike. Only the female passenger of the motorbike sustained minor injuries. Our first duty was to try to secure the scene as well as we could but with all these people watching and talking loudly explaining to the late comers what had happened that was not an easy task. The local police was obviously overwhelmed by the situation so we conducted the investigation, talking to witnesses, taking pictures and trying to understand how the collision occurred. A judge of the peace was brought on the scene to determine who was at fault. Many people came forward to tell the judge that "MINUSTAH" was at fault and "MINUSTAH" had to pay for the damages and the injuries the female passenger sustained. Some even were explaining to the judge what happened not based of what they've seen (they were not there) but based on what they believed occurred and what they heard. We conducted our investigation in a professional manner and once we had all the details we talked to the judge and explained to him what had probably occurred based on reliable witnesses and evidences found on the scene.
We were shocked to noticed that a part of the motorbike rear fender has been ripped from the bike and placed on the road to try to change the version of what really occurred. Fortunately, the pictures I took upon our arrival show the fender was still intact right after the collision. This important fact was brought to the judge's attention since he was starting to believe a biased version that didn't matched with the evidences and the few reliable witnesses' statement. We could see that the judge had a hard time to come to the conclusion that the motorbike was at the fault, most probably due from the pressure from the crowd. At one point he even told me that the person with the most financial means should pay for the damage???  I replied that we were not here to discuss who was going to pay what but rather to find out who was truly responsible for the collision based on real facts at hands. The monetary side of it would be discussed later by the people in charge of that aspect. The judge said that he would go home and render his decision later on after analyzing all information he had gathered.

This little incident caused very minor property damages and light injury to one person but that showed me our Haitian can be manipulated by only few nice speakers. Most of the people present were accusing the UN vehicle driver to be at fault based on what they were told. They were simply taking this as the simple truth.
Election time is near and it is always a source of confrontation with the authorities. Roads are being blocked, tires are being burned in the middle of the roads...I have now no doubt in my mind that politicians who want to discredit the government in place use the population to their advantage by lying to them blatantly.
I recently learned that some people want to see the MINUSTAH out from the country because they were told by politicians who are against the actual president, that the Haitian government pays us and that's why the government has no money to help them; another blatant lie.
The population here for the majority has no education and is obviously easily fooled. Yesterday, I have to admit, I was angry to see these people so easily manipulated but compassion is the key word to keep a positive attitude in the mission and education is the other key word to hopefully see one day a Haitian nation able to think on its own.

Visit of an orphanage

I just came back with my buddy Edwin from a visit to a local orphanage. There are only 2 sisters there from Columbia to take care of over 70 kids. Most of them are left on their own on the street. We see them on regular basis at the border trying to get something to eat or to drink from the UNPOLs or the soldiers who are stationed there. The sisters try their best to at least provide them with one meal a day. It is not easy since they don't have exposure like those big NGO (Nongovernmental Organizations). They have to talk to the local people to get help. They have an organization which provide them with a bag of rice and a gallon of oil every week. It is good but not sufficient to feed that many kids. UNPOLs like Edwin are involved and try their best to help but once again there is only so much one can do. It takes more than few people to help such cause. With enough funds, the sisters would be able to provide the kids with food, clothes but also education and education is the key to get those kids off the street and maybe to give them a chance to avoid the slippery slope of a criminal path.
When I return to Canada, I'll talk about this project to people interested to get involved into a cause. That would be a fantastic chance for them to help someone in need with the insurance that their donation will be used entirely to that cause and nothing else.

Few pictures below taken by Edwin at his last visit:

Stabbed for just a little more than a dollar

Today, we had to take a young female (14) and her "spouse" (16) to the clinic for multiple superficial wounds. At the same time but in another clinic, an older guy was admitted  for a stabbing wound in the abdomen. After talking to all parties and the people who were coming to the police station to report what they saw, it appears that the female borrowed 50 Gourdes ($1.20 or so) to the older fellow a little while ago. Today, the older guy was asking to get his money back so the female's spouse got involved. A physical confrontation took place between the two males then the young man stabbed the older one in abdomen and ran away. The female then smashed a glass bottle on her own head; then she went to the police station stating that the older male did it and that's why her spouse stabbed him.
The young couple was placed under arrest for assault causing bodily harm. The remaining investigation may bring some more details to that incident but anyway to me, being ready to take someone's life for a  little more than a dollar goes beyond my comprehension.
I understand the that life here is not easy for many people but going to that extent is just too much. Fortunately for the couple, the older male survived his wound otherwise the population could have rendered justice itself. Lynching is still happening and it usually very violent but this is another topic that I will discuss in another post.

A video to show you how busy the border at Ouanaminthe can be on a market day - http://youtu.be/CKE-eUHFqLc

On a previous post I explained by words the situation at the border, the people, the noise, the frenzy during market days. Now with the video I just uploaded on Youtube, you can see and hear what it's like; the only thing missing is the exhaust fumes but if you watch the video in your garage with your car running and the garage door closed you will be with me for the length of the video. (After the video remember to shut off the car's engine)
Fortunately for us the UNPOLs, we don't have to stay there all day long unlike the military or the PNH who are exposed to that madness for their whole 12-hour shift.

Traditional funeral procession with band: http://youtu.be/XRhUHRh1jxM

Residents of the unfinished part of the police station epilogue

We had a little chat with the father before we split. We explained that we were willing to help for his daughters to go to school but on the other hand he had to make an effort to provide them with the minimum necessities of life. It is his responsibility as a father. We also reminded the mother that she was responsible to ensure the girls were going to school but also that they had a decent place to live and enough food. We surely hope that life will give a little break to Laudenstiana and Love-Kalenstia, there is only so much one can do. When we left the market and while walking back to the car, Laudenstiana came just beside me, looked at me with a huge smile and put her little hand in mine; I guess it was her way to say "Thank you". Nobody could have thank me better the way she did. A fraction of time away from this world of misery to cherish for a lifetime.

Residents of the unfinished part of the police station 4 cont'd

Laudenstiana, Love-Kalenstia and their parents

Residents of the unfinished part of the police station part 4

Please, allow me to introduce you to Laudenstiana and her little sister Love-Kalenstia Aren't they just beautiful? Who wouldn't want to help them to go to school? They were so happy when we told them they will be returning there.

Residents of the unfinished part of the police station part 3

Something had to be done. I talked to one of the Colombian UNPOL, my friend Edwin who is also quite involved in other projects on his own, and we decided that I will go to the school and pay whatever had to be paid for the girls to go to school.Then we would submit the total bill to all the Ouanaminthe UNPOLs (8 in total for now) and see if they were willing to participate to the cost if not we would split the bill between the two of us. The next day, I picked up the father and the 2 girls and we went to the schools they have attended before money was too much of an issue to keep sending them. The other Canadian UNPOL was also willing to come with us and be part of this beautiful new adventure. While driving the 2 little girls were so happy to be in a car and on every little bump on the road they were laughing, they were so cute, you don't believe me....just wait to meet them. So, at the school we met their mother and explain to her what we were willing to do but in exchange we wanted her word that she would take the girls to the school every day which she agreed on. We paid then for all fees, school logo for the uniform and the school shirt. Then, we went to the market to buy the 11 books they needed each and finally to the tailor to buy the fabric they needed for their uniform. Once all that was done, it was time to return home. I had an opportunity to present this little project to all my UNPOL friends and explained to them that was totally up to them if they were willing to participate and share the cost between us all. They had no hesitation to split the bills and pay their part. I can see that for most of us we are here with a common goal, help the less fortunate and I'm glad that over time we don't loose focus of that goal. But enough writing, it is now time for you to meet the 2 little girls I've been writing about for so long.

Residents of the unfinished part of the police station part 2 cont'd

But knowing that two little girls were living there and were not going to school was just too much to bear. I talked to their father and asked him why his daughters were staying here all day long and not going to school. As I was expecting, money was again the issue as for most of these families. Unfortunately, the lack of money always has significant impact on the most vulnerable ones and of course I mean the children. The first thing that is usually cut in case of shortage of money is the education and anyone knows that without education one cannot expect to find a decent job in the future let alone rebuilding a country. And on top of that they are girls, which means that they will be even more vulnerable. I deeply believe in education but I also deeply believe and support girls education, because one day they will be able to speak up, fight for their rights and take their place in societies for a better world. ---------------------------------- The following is from The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) “Girls and women are often shackled by gender roles and outdated traditions, with male privilege and entitlement ensuring that when educational opportunities are limited, boys will take available classroom space. Gender roles and traditions that keep girls from school contribute an additional barrier to universal education and illiterate mothers. But an educated mother is more likely to have educated children, both boys and girls, which help ensures that universal education and gender equality will continue on through the generations. When we ensure that children have access to a rights-based, quality education that is rooted in gender equality, we create a ripple effect of opportunity that impacts generations to come.”