Diana Revolus, Norwalk’s first Haitian American council member, said Haiti has a lot going for it.
It has natural resources, it has landmarks and its people are the first modern nation state in the world to be founded as a result of a slave revolt.
But it also faces numerous challenges, including an ongoing political and security crisis. The United States, which has intervened in the past, can help, by controlling the flow of guns into the Caribbean nation.
“The very first step would be a strong ask on the gun control,” Revolus said.
Revolus, and other Haitian Americans in Connecticut met with Sen. Chris Murphy in Stamford Thursday where they called on aid for the country and for Haitians currently fleeing to the southern border.
But while advocates want help, many are ambivalent about the United States’ role in helping the country due to a controversial past of American involvement and outright occupation.
Murphy left the meeting without offering any concrete plans, but said American unilateral military action is not the way to go.
“It's much better to have a multinational force. And we're going to continue to try to find ways to get that done.”
But while the nature of American help is still up in the air, one thing is clear according to Revolus.
“There's no manufacturing of guns in Haiti, it's coming from somewhere,” Revolus said.
Murphy said during the meeting up to 90 percent of guns in Haiti originate in the United States. Other nations in Latin America and the Caribbean including Mexico, have also complained of the flow of American weapons into their countries, helping fuel civil unrest and organized crime.
Haitian Americans are also calling on fairer treatment for Haitian nationals seeking asylum or to emigrate to the United States.
Rachel Kornfeld, the CEO for Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, which helps immigrants with legal aid, said they do not get federal or state aid for their services, so they have to rely on private aid.
“That is an issue because every single Haitian who comes into our program needs some sort of legal support.”
Yet one thing Haitians are not fully in agreement is, if the United States should enter the country in a military fashion. The United States previously occupied the country in the 1920s, and many Haitians rebelled, fearing a repeat of French domination. Thousands were killed, the United States oftentimes, brutally ruling over the land and people.
The United States ended its occupation in the 1930s but it continued to meddle in its affairs, propping up a series of corrupt despots. The country is the poorest in the Americas and its life expectancy is 64 years, below the world’s average.
John Durisme, a Stamford Police Sergeant and a Haitian American, said any political process that can lead to a lasting peace needs to treat Haitians as equals - and that includes the armed gangs.
“We owe it to the Haitian people, to listen to everyone. And that includes those who feel the need to take up arms to fight what they feel like is justice,” Durisme said.
