“PEACE & COLLABORATION CALL IN CITE SOLEIL”
Thursday March, 22 was Portable Water Day. UN Civilian Chief Edmond Miler and Sophie B. de Lacombe, the Brazilian troop Commander Fernando Barosso, Captain Schmitz, Captain Lucena, and Major Heron, as well as the Cite Soleil City Hall third representative, the press and others were present for a community gathering for peace.
Edmond Miler, the city hall representative, and UN soldiers made a symbolic act of peace in the idea to erase the weapon image among the population and reincarnate peace as the weapon of changes and social development. The ambiance took place in “Baz Jamaik”, meaning Jamaica Base as called by the Brazilian troop due to the various Jamaican color combinations therein. That used to be Evens Geune’s home and base. There was a machine gun painted on a wall which represented the sign of violence said Edmond Miler. The drawing was painted in white by the hand of Edmond and the city hall representative to symbolize peace in the community.
The civilian chief considered the UN operations across Haiti in helping to restore peace to be a success. He proposed to see a new Cite Soleil in the coming future beginning very soon as social work takes place in this community with full collaboration of the community in peace.
Engineer Frantz Mettelus exposed the cause of the water problem in Cite Soleil during this conference, the danger existing in non-purified, the solution proposed by his non-governmental organization, and water treatment demonstration at the end. Actually the population of that zone is receiving more than 40% less water than they used to due to non function sewer and machine from the district water central.
UN distributed purified water, medical assistance, food, animation and uses the time to come close to the community and be as friendly as possible to the little kids during the community gathering. It was he first time many people in Boston join a UN and national authority activity. The community was somewhat comfortable during that time and people could question the soldiers and at least expose their fear to Captain Schmitz at time and explain why people refuse to collaborate and afraid of the UN. I witness even wanted had questions and suggestion to the UN in seeking a long time peace in Cite Soleil. Both sides of the story, the citizens and the UN were soliciting peace and social developments for the community.
The Collaboration Meeting Call was scheduled that day morning for Friday March, 23 in Boston Community School for all school directors and leaders.
As motivated by the meeting was able to take place with about 70 school representatives and other leaders of community organization including the UN. The message sent by the UN for the collaboration call before motivating the meeting was for the people to tell them how to best help and move towards social development in the community according to their needs.
A table for fourteen people was dressed for leaders among the participants who is involving or leading an organization despite education. A selection was made quickly before commander Fernando Barosso came in. Shortly after the introduction, the UN made a proposal. They want to use “Base Jamaica” as a Community Centre were people in Cite Soleil can come in and place their grievances to the UN, and collaboration, and social opinion. The also intend to run educational program for youth in areas like typing, computer, art and culture, and first aid medical care.
Most People think it’s a good idea but not the most important right now. The proposal was rejected at 70%. And if in any case the UN really wants to have such office in the community they need to do that on a social profile said Joseph Romain Eugene a school director. The location chose for that Community Centre is not adequate enough and most people won’t feel comfortable to cope with the collaboration in that area. Most people rather begin repairing schools first and the damages suffered this community in this decade. Individual complaints were elevating as well round about the subject. Pictures of totally damaged schools call “Christophe Colomb” were shown to the commander. Repair was the most important point mentioned by all leaders and school directors.
Theodore Morelus suggested that the UN use the assistance proposed to instances which already exist in Cite Soleil and being at the population service in a long time. Medical assistance can be giving to CHAPI, or ST. Catherine Labouree Hospital, Hands Together, or other entities deal with medical care in the population. As for culture and art, computer and typing the community can use its own schools to do this kind of educational activity for the youth and older. The Community Centre should be established in a different place rather than Evens’ “Base Jamaica”. He thinks there are more important issues and needs in favor of the community to look into talking socialization in the mean time rather than just the first proposition.
Commander Fernando Barosso made it clear that the Brazilian troop is empty handed to help repairing the community. It is much easier to collaborate and ask for help from the international and other sectors repair all. It will be easier for MINUSTAH to find money to repair all community facilities instead of private ones. At that moment the meeting was not the same. There become a lot of mixed up, disagreement, and confusion. The commander left shortly because the meeting time was extended. Major Heron and Captain Lucena continued to lead the meeting base on the same proposition.
Many including the commander proposed to have several other meeting based on this collaboration. Theodore made the remark that the meeting isn’t well organized enough for the discussion being. He thinks it is best for the leaders to meet together before the next meeting scheduled for this coming Friday. There will be better motivation and common agreement among the leaders based on the population needs. It is even better for this group to have meeting with the community after the next meeting the engage the population into what’s going on. In addition, we need to be sure that the population agreed with his representative in this collaboration call. I don’t think it is all the leaders and directors are aware what this collaboration for and what does peace mean in a crisis like the on in Cite Soleil.
The leaders will meet on Wednesday at St. Thomas School before the collaboration meeting on Friday.
Until next post, Peace.
Guy, Theodore Morelus
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