Pace University - Room E316
551 5th Ave, New York, N.Y. 10176
Mar 05, 2012
5:00 PM - 6:40 PM (GMT-5)
Host:
Left Forum conference
Even before the 2010 earthquake that killed an estimated 200,000 Haitians, the Haitian people and their economy had been devastated by foreign intervention and neoliberal economic policies imposed by the United States and other powers.
Today, half a million internally displaced persons (IDPs) still live in camps, and at least half of the rubble from destroyed buildings and infrastructure remains to be cleared. Much of the money pledged by the international community to help with reconstruction has yet to be spent, and the exclusion of Haitians from decision-making means there is little transparency and accountability around existing relief and reconstruction programs.
In March 2011 the United States undermined Haitian democracy by supporting flawed elections in Haiti, and used threats to overturn the results. Meanwhile, the United Nations has refused to admit that it is responsible for a cholera outbreak that has killed over 7,000 Haitians.
This panel, part of the larger Left Forum conference, discussed ongoing efforts to ensure the accountability of international actors and support the rights of Haitians to determine the future of their country.
Participants included:
- Melinda Miles—Let Haiti LIve/ TransAfrica
- Mark Schuller—York College (CUNY)
- Pablo Morales—Co-Editor of Tectonic Shifts, Haiti Since the Earthquake.
- Manolia Charlotin—The Boston Haitian Reporter
- Mark Weisbrot—Center for Economic and Policy Research
More information can be found on the conference website.
