Human Rights Violations In Haiti

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Haiti is plagued by crime and chaos within its streets, homes, and even its government. There is widespread slavery, kidnapping, lack of security, lack of access to education, and police brutality.

Children are taken into slavery at extremely young ages. As early as three years old children are beaten, forced to do anything asked, request nothing, speak only when spoken to, and display no emotion. They are forced to act like mindless robots and it becomes all they know since they are taken at such a young age. Slavery is not only limited to children, however, (www.mathaba.net/news/?x=622759). Any and everybody of all ages can be a victim of slavery. In Haiti, there is something called “Restavek system,” a century-old system under which impoverished families, mostly rural and unable to adequately provide for their children, send their children to live with wealthier or less poor families in return for food, shelter, education, and a better life in return for tasks performed as servants, (www.mathaba.net/news/?x=622759). Haiti’s primary religion is Catholicism and so the church is really strongly against slavery, naturally, but since there is no definite way to keep order, it continues and all they can do is pray for a miracle to occur.

Even after the earthquake in 2010, an uproar of crime hit the streets of Port-Au-Prince when it was at its most vulnerable state. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security rates Port-au-Prince as ‘critical’ for crime. There are an estimated 35,000 American citizens in Haiti, mostly of Haitian descent. The most frequently reported crimes against Americans in Port-au-Prince are carjacking, kidnappings, and robberies. Home invasions also remain a problem. This all mostly occurred in Cite Soleil, the lawless...

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...The religious influence in Haiti does not and cannot play a big factor in Haiti the way things are because there is not enough order as yet. But the church does not just stand idly by and watch. They still have some influence in the entire country and church goes on regularly every Sunday morning. Safe to say, it is at least the most respected event as there are few if any reports of crimes occurring in regards to corruption in the church and priests and ministers do what they can to instill hope into the minds and hearts of the people. There are constant strikes in the streets for reform and the begging for attention and help. With the earthquake, although it was a horrendous experience and occurrence due to the loss of many lives etc., in a way, the call of many was answered as there are some noticeable good changes in the country in the aftermath of destruction.

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