An inextricable conflict
Everything started in the fall of 2005 when the multinational corporation Digicel arrived in Vallue and bought a plot of land. This plot contained the ruins of an old coffee plant, a relic from the colonial era that had been targeted by the program for tourist development of VFO. Aware of this transaction, VFO tried to contact Digicel to ask them to postpone all projects on the recently acquired land. The organization offered to help them choose another site that would be more suited to the company’s needs.
“Despite the agreement and Digicel’s promises,” explains Yvon Yacinthe Faustin, founding member, former coordinator, and current treasurer of VFO, “the destruction of the ruins is progressing with the endorsement of the Minister of Culture. The company is cutting down the trees on the site, and building some of the largest antennas in the country.” Also, it is constructing two permanent generators, which produce considerable noise pollution. Positioned less than 500 meters from Vallue’s only water source, the antennas also pose a risk of becoming a source of pollution, especially when the generators are emptied. These evacuations are intolerable in a village which has prided itself for 20 years as being a peaceful, authentic, and preserved environment.
The Reaction of the Vallue community
For its part, VFO believes that Digicel is disobeying the policy of local development, as defined by the Vallue community that boasts a rational utilization of natural resources (which is part of the communication channel.) Since December of 2006, access to this channel has been blocked. First, the villagers lay a tree trunk across the road, and then they placed a road sign forbidding vehicles to drive through. The objective of this action was to attract attention and to force a change of behavior. The community of Vallue demands a form of reparation for the pollution created by Digicel. It refuses to let this corporation exploit the infrastructure and environment— which represent years of hard work by the community—without any form of compensation. Thus, a battle has been launched to reopen a type of discussion with Digicel and to reach some form of compromise.
The Digicel employees have not, at present, been able to force through the barricade. At the moment, there seems to be not a single solution apparent in this conflict. However, the VFO doesn’t plan on resorting to the judicial system. Given the damaged state of the Haitian judicial apparatus and rampant corruption, such recourse would have little chance of success. On the other hand, requests have been registered with the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Culture, and other ministers concerned with the issue. Meetings took place to evaluate situation, this in partnership with the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage. The VFO is now attempting to establish a relationship with the Minister of Culture, who should propose some solutions. “Even though today,” concludes Yvon Yacinthe Faustin, “only one proposal has been formulated, it becomes urgent to find a real arrangement.”
Also read: Résonances Latin America N°13 - April 2007
