Robert and His Future in Haiti--June 7, 2021

Port au Prince--Internet photo.  

Last night I talked to a young Haitian heart patient of mine on the phone. I have been following his congenital heart condition for approximately 20 years. He lives in one of Haiti’s numerous slums.

I will call him Robert to protect his privacy during these chaotic times in Haiti. 

His English vocabulary is very good even though his pronunciation is sometimes unclear. 

I will put Robert’s lightly edited statements in order of subject matter discussed by us on the phone. 

——

Robert—

I have been in my house for five days now. I cannot go outside even into my neighborhood due to gang members with guns who come into the neighborhood. They have no respect for anyone.  

Several days ago they shot and killed an 11-year-old neighbor girl by mistake. 

Haitian kids cannot learn during a war. They are afraid of the bullets. Plus, kids have been out of school for five months now. And they have nowhere to go for medical care, either. 

In some parts of Port au Prince, kids are living homeless on the streets after their parents have been killed and their bodies are still in their houses. 

Jovenel is supporting the gangs in the city. And the gangs are used to manipulate the population. 

Yesterday four police stations were raided by the bandits. Police were killed, their bodies burned, and their guns were stolen. We have absolutely no security where I live. We have no one to call in an emergency. 

The Haitian people do not want a referendum regarding the Constitution on June 27. The government wants to change the Constitution to protect itself. They want to change the Constitution so Jovenel can remain in power for another five years. 

We are not afraid of Covid--we will beat Covid. We need security. Security is what we really need. We need basics like food, too. 

The US Embassy does not talk of the zones of Martissant and Cite Soleil. They speak of Phantom 509. Why? 

Why is the US not doing anything? Why won’t the US deploy US troops to punish our government?

Young people like me cannot travel. We cannot go to the US or to the DR. We are trapped in hell. 

I can die in bed when a bullet comes through the wall. 

I am young but very afraid for my future. 

John A. Carroll, MD

www.haitianhearts.org