Konbit Pou Ayiti

It has been a year since my friend and colleague, Dr. Lovinsky Pierre-Antoine, disappeared in Port-au-Prince. While working on a delegation, Lovinsky left his car and never returned to it. There has been virtually no investigation and a campaign on his behalf continues. Lovinsky was a teacher to me over the last ten years, helping me to understand the situation and history of Haiti, and partnering with me on many campaigns for justice and peace in Haiti. I feel his disappearance on a very personal level and wanted to share some of my thoughts about him today, on the anniversary of his disappearance.

A few times a year I fall behind on Haiti Reports and the website. It usually coincides with major meetings and travel, and this year is no different. During May, June and July, everyone at KONPAY was busy with the four regional strategic planning meetings we participated in for the Haitian National Coalition for the Environment, or KNAA. We were at a meeting of the South Department at the DCCH/Caritas Center in Laborde outside Les Cayes, followed by a trip to the northern part of the Artibonite department where groups met at the Jean Marie Vincent Center for Reforestation in Gros Morne. After that we hosted a meeting for the Southeast Department in Cyvadier, and participated in the meeting of the North Department at the Baptist Seminary in Limbe. I also traveled to the U.S.

What can I do in the face of food riots in Haiti? Our most recent appeal for funding focuses on the issue of hunger and sustainable solutions.

Dear friends,

I am working with a group of Haitians who hail from the mountains between Leogane and Jacmel. We are hoping to develop a fair trade coffee program, similar to the one developed in the north of Haiti, which operates out of Cap-Haitien, called RECOCARNO.

I want to contact KONPAY to see about establishing a relationship to our mutual benefit.

Linda Thisted

Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, Episcopal

Chicago

April 9, 2008, 11:23 am
The whole country is waiting for President Preval to speak. We are in the fourth day of food riots and he has not said anything yet. We have seats on a chartered flight to Port-au-Prince, but so far the pilot hasn’t been able to get to the airport there. In the airport here they are saying “peyi a firme”, the country is closed. When we tried to go to the airport in Jacmel we were frankly shocked to see a barricade just below the Jaclef Hotel on the road to town. Joe went back on his bike later and there were five barricades between here and Morne Nicholas.

When we got back, Joe started the generator so I could go online to see what is happening. I quickly learned several disturbing things: