I went to Haiti during spring break to see the country for myself and found it to be incredibly complex, both political and culturally.
In 1804, Haiti became the first black republic in the world, but the country has yet to mature from a mentality of French colonialism. Plagued by years of despotism, the country relies on international aid to function. The hills have been denuded of trees for fuel. Supplies of electricity and clean water reach residents sporadically. Much of the road system has deteriorated beyond repair, and in the past three months, Haitians have suffered through a violent insurgency, making their dire situation nothing less than abysmal. Now that most of fiercest fighting is over, international agencies are preparing more aid packages. With the promise of a new government, maybe Haiti will eventually break its history of instability to stand on its own two feet. --D.E. Lukens.
Click here for a slideshow of photos.
Reach the reporter at david.lukens@asu.edu.
