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Haitians held a commemoration in memory of the victims of the January 12, 2010 earthquake that killed more than 300,000 people and displaced 1.5 million inhabitants. The anniversary comes in the midst of a serious socio-political situation on the island, aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Every January 12, for twelve years, a day of reflection has been held in Haiti to remember the victims of the earthquake that shook the Caribbean island and left it in a crisis that seems to have no end.
During the tribute this Wednesday, January 12, Prime Minister Ariel Henry held an act at the monument erected in Saint-Christophe, north of Port-au-Prince, the capital, with a wreath in memory of all those who are no longer there.
Following this, Henry participated in a celebration in the gardens of the National Palace, a building that remains in ruins after the passage of the natural phenomenon.
“Twelve years later, the country continues to mourn its dead and the wounds remain open. May God continue to watch over Haiti ”, said the head of government.
During the day of reflection and at the request of the Government, the Haitian flags flew at half-staff, the discos and other establishments were closed and the radio and television stations adapted their programming.
On January 12, 2010, the earthquake of magnitude 7 on the Richter scale caused the death of more than 300,000 people, mostly in the capital, caused the displacement of 1.5 million Haitians and left economic losses that in At that time, they reached $ 4.4 billion.
A crisis that sparked a wave of disproportionate violence
The commemorations of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti come at a time of serious political, economic and social crisis, following the tragic events of 2021.
One of the greatest exponents of instability and insecurity in the country was the murder of Jovenel Moïse at his residence on July 7 of that year. So far, the assassination has not been resolved and there are several hypotheses that are considered about those responsible for his death.
“Six months after the tragic murder of Jovenel Moïse there is no further investigation. No judicial investigation, “denounced the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDH) in a report published on January 6.
Haiti was supposed to hold presidential elections in 2020 to form a new legislature, however the vote was suspended due to disputes over the legitimacy of the Electoral Council and then when Ariel Henry took the reins of the country as prime minister they were postponed for a strong earthquake on August 14 that killed more than 2,200 people, left about 12,000 injured and more than 690,000 affected.
Nous nous sommes aujourd’hui rassemblés in memoire des victimes du seísme de janvier 2010. Douze ans later, we blessures internes and sont pas encore healed.#Haiti pic.twitter.com/zq0A5iXxtV
– Dr Ariel Henry (@DrArielHenry) January 12, 2022
For now, thousands of victims are still waiting for help from the Government and live in tents in the open.
In addition to this, gangs have taken control in many parts of the island and the kidnappings and murder of foreigners have increased, including the death of two Canadian journalists last week.
According to the Center for Analysis and Research on Human Rights in Haiti, illegal armed groups control almost 60% of the national territory.
On several occasions, many inhabitants of Port-au-Prince and other cities have taken to the streets to protest against the indiscriminate violence, looting and the lack of food and fuel that threatens transport and especially essential services, such as hospitals and health centers. .
With EFE, AP and Reuters
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