Haiti: Three centuries of colonialism

A month on from the Haitian earthquake and the images of mothers and young children trying to rebuild their lives after the devastation is upsetting for all. Although such disasters cannot be prevented, the post earthquake events in the country reveal some startling facts about Haiti. Firstly, the tiny state is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and has development indicators comparable to some of the poorest African states. In terms of illiteracy and mortality, it is on par with countries such as Bangladesh, Chad and Sierra Leone. Such characteristics are quite unsettling, especially as it is only 600 miles from the United States.

The reasons for Haiti's poor development record are still being debated by historians and political scientists but a brief glance into her history offers some insights. When Christopher Columbus arrived in Haiti on 5th December, 1492, he claimed the island for Spain -subsequently, the Spaniards mined the island for gold and exploitation of the land. At a later stage, the French settled on the land which gave rise to hostilities and tension with the Spaniards because both countries wanted to colonize the island.

When Haitians won their independence from France in 1804, they attempted to claim reparations from the powers that had profited from three centuries of colonisation. France, however, was convinced that it was Haitians who had stolen the property of slave owners, by refusing to work for free. So in 1825, French warships threatened to re-enslave the former colony, King Charles X came to collect 90 million gold francs - 10 times Haiti's annual revenue at the time. With no way to refuse, and no way to pay, the young nation was shackled to a debt that would take 122 years to pay off.

The ill-treatment suffered by the host population included malnutrition, forced labour and slavery - such enormous societal disruptions led to a sharp decline in population and this was further exacerbated by infectious diseases bought by the Europeans that were new to the people of the Caribbean, therefore lacked immunity to. The newly formed colonized lands quickly became very profitable, especially for the French as they gained immense profits from sugar and coffee. This was made possible by the thousands of slaves that were shipped from Africa to work on the land - it is said that they were part of the ‘most brutally efficient slave colonies' as one third died within a few years.

It is clear from this brief account that international powers have always vied with each other in competition to secure resources and strategic interests. The only difference now is the style employed to achieve the same objective. Unfortunately, for the people of Haiti, the earthquake was the perfect pretext for the Capitalists to set foot in the impoverished nation once again. Of particular interest is the fact that Haiti has the highest number of NGOs per capita in the world. On the surface, such a realisation may not seem to be vested in exploitation or self-interest and although, it is not necessarily a bad thing that a state has so many NGOs but the ramifications of such a reality can be disconcerting. As a general rule of thumb, the more NGOs there are in a country, the less developed it is. This can suggest one of two factors. A heavy NGO presence in a country may indicate that the state has abdicated its responsibility to its citizens or that it doesn't have the infrastructure to adequately respond to the people's needs.

One would then beg the question: if there are so many NGOs in Haiti than anywhere else, why has the country not been able to pull itself out of the quagmire of underdevelopment and poverty? Could it be related to the fact that such a large presence of NGOs has the effect of downplaying the duties of government by not advocating the need for development? Essentially, such a situation means that the country will always rely on foreign hand-outs and will never be self-sufficient.

It is a historical fact that any country that opens its doors to foreign donors and humanitarian agencies eventually loses sovereignty over its own people. Similar scenarios can be seen in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Unfortunately, much of the money raised will end up in the pockets of highly-paid consultants, corrupt government officials and UN bureaucrats; very little of it will go to the people who need it most.

It may appear that the premise of this discussion is questioning the morality of NGOs and it may seem cruel to suggest that donors and NGOs should not help countries like Haiti at the time of need but the history of humanitarian aid and assistance to poor countries has shown that a crisis is used as a convenient entry point by foreign players to impose a particular system or vision for the people. On the other hand, it is true to state that a blanket rejection of NGOs is rather unfair but a healthy critique of such practices would warrant suspicion, especially as their operations are conducted within the framework of capitalist thought, an ideology that is marching forth towards global domination. As for the Haitian government, they will be pushed further to the periphery and most decisions about the state will be made in Washington, Paris or London - a type of proxy colonialism as it were.

Ultimately, giving charity and assistance to the poor and grief stricken is a commendable act and should be encouraged, however, they should be viewed as pseudo-solutions. More often than not, the underlying fundamental problem is overlooked and with the case of Haiti, it is an example of centuries of subjugation and interference by outside powerful forces. Very little attention is given to how Haiti can develop its infrastructure and mode of government or how IMF loans are becoming increasingly oppressive.

Although, we do not see the barbaric slavery of the French anymore, the essence of Colonialist politics has not shifted. It is no longer a case of brute force neo-colonialism but we now live in the times of subtle NGO colonialism - an idea that hinders self development and increases reliance on others.

At the London Conference Britain and America fight each other to gain a stronghold in Yemen!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

At the London Conference Britain and America fight each other to secure their own interests to gain a stronghold in Yemen!

On the pretext of studying the situation in Yemen and to assist it in emerging out from its crisis, the British Prime Minister called on 1st January, 2010 for a conference in London which was held on 27th January 2010 attended by 21 countries and lasting two hours! Resolutions and communiqués were issued with regard to supporting Yemen in its war against al-Qaeda, including developmental assistance and the implementation of economic and political reform programmes as well as talks with the International Monetary Fund and progress on the comprehensive interests.

An observer to the recent events and the current situation in Yemen fully appreciates that these resolutions are merely a superficial shine that camouflages the real resolutions and the actual effective resolutions, and he is aware that these countries exercise a wide ranging and far reaching hegemony over Yemen and they have their interests and agenda for organizing the conference and expecting certain results from it.

Ever since Britain consolidated its influence in Yemen until today especially under the present regime, the United States has been making attempts to de-stabilise the situation and impose its old views in a new form since the US regards itself to be the natural successor to the age-old ancient British Empire and considers itself to have the right to exercise influence over the former colonies of the old and infirm British Empire. Thus it sees itself as the rightful master of Yemen instead of Britain. It is another matter that the present Yemeni regime is, or almost is a political protégé and loyal to America: it kills whom America wants to be killed, detains whomever America wants arrested, exiles whomever the US wants it to exile and even makes them disappear if the US so wishes. The United States has no such powerful politicians in Yemen whom it can support as its top leadership to hold the grip of power in Yemen and clip the wings of British influence and consolidates its own stronghold over it. Due to this, the United States has focused on two tracts:
Threat-battalions meant to warn the Yemeni regime and secondly training the middle level political leadership or the "Minors" who are pro-US.

As far as the ‘Threat-battalions' are concerned, Iran is assigned the task of supporting the Houthis. This has become like a time bomb that can be exploded whenever required in the Northern Yemen in close proximity to Saudi Arabia. We have referred to the Houthis as the ‘Threat-battalion' because they are not mobilising to acquire power over Yemen, rather, the Houthis are working to secure a powerful position for themselves in their region.

As far as the ‘Training battalions', or the middle level pro-US politicians are concerned, it is a continuous movement in the South of Yemen in order to separate it from the North as a first step of the US agenda and then spread its stronghold over the entire Yemen subsequently. We have referred to them as the ‘Training battalions' because the middle level politicians who are agitating in the South are being developed and groomed for agitations after their top level effective leadership was eliminated.

The United States succeeded on both of its tracts because it exploited the regime's oppression in the South and marginalised the regime politically. Then the Houthis were prevented from performing the Shara'i commands in accordance with their understanding and adoption of the Islamic thoughts. It is for this reason that the ruling regime agreed and cooperated in not implementing the Shara'i commands in a proper manner in Yemen. The Yemeni regime co-acted to create a soft and acceptable atmosphere that enabled the US to spread its ‘threat battalions' to northern Yemen and the ‘Training-battalions' to the southern part and this so overwhelmed the regime that it was forced by Britain to take ‘emergency' action on two fronts:

Firstly: Instigating the United States through a security agreement with it in order to please them and earn their silent acceptance of the regime. Yemen reached a security and military agreement with the US after talks between their military and security leaderships, which were held in Sana'a on 10th and 11th of November 2009 C.E. This agreement calls for military and security cooperation and exchange of information and expertise in both the sectors. The announcement of this agreement was made after the discussions were held between the Chief of Staff of the Yemeni forces Brigadier General Ahmed Ali al-Ashowl and the Director, Planning in the US Joint Command Geoffrey Smith.

Secondly: Taking on al-Qaeda and fighting it! The al-Qaeda men were known to the regime for quite sometime, but it remained silent over their presence because it did not want to open another front to fight with and adding to its woes of fighting the Houthis and the Southerners. That was until Britain saw it otherwise, since it is aware that the US is sensitive with respect to al-Qaeda and if Yemen is seen to be fighting it, the US will be forced to support and assist Yemen and loosen the pressure in the North and the South. Thus the Yemeni regime started to attack al Qaeda bases that it had known well. It was known that this attack on al-Qaeda was not by chance, but it was rather extraordinary. The Yemeni state was engaged on two fronts: the North (Houthis) and the South, hence it was extraordinary that it opened a third front, which was a political move with military overtones and it was solely due to the British influence and agenda!

It was at this specific crucial point, the British Prime Minister called the London Conference in order to mobilise and provide global support to Yemen to attack and fight al-Qaeda and stand by it, and also force the US to support the Yemen regime and reduce pressure on it in the North and the South. America had no option but to support this conference. But at the same time, the US is looking to establish its own consolidation and strengthen its political allies especially in the South, and also achieve such a solution for the Houthi movement that allows them to move away from the Houthis without renouncing them so that it remains alive to be exploited and sparked when the need so demands.

Happenings at the Conference

The United States focused on military and logistical support in order to fight al-Qaeda and pressurise the Yemeni regime to negotiate with the movements in the North and the South. While Britain was focused on the economic assistance and enlisting international support for Yemen in its struggle against the movements in the North and the South as well as monitoring the al-Qaeda issue in supporting Yemen against the Houthis and the Southerners! Therefore the conference was nothing more than two hours of the representatives of various countries smiling broadly in front of the cameras and then both Britain and the US assembling with their own set of allies from among the participating countries in order to achieve their own agendas at the cost of the Yemeni people's blood.

Oh Muslims!

Until when will the Muslim lands remain the fighting ground for the big warring nations and exploit and embroil the local sons of the soil in their own fight?

Until when will the Muslim lands remain the playground for the West while they rob and pilfer their wealth and spill Muslim blood?

Until when will the fires of the West burn in the Muslim lands at their will and whim?

Until when the rulers of Yemen and other Muslim lands be used as pawns in the chessboard and stooges of the colonialist West without remorse, recourse and retaliation?

Has the time not come for the people of Yemen to understand and realise that their regime and its oppressions enable the warring nations of the West to play their agenda in the Yemeni lands and kill its people and devastate its property and yet the rulers are not concerned with anything other than saving their own power and position even if such positions are highly compromised and weakened to such an extent that they have become vulnerable and fit to fall at any time?

Tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands have been killed or maimed during the wars in Yemen over the last decades, and the victims of all this devastation have been Muslims on both sides who testified to the two oaths.

Do you not realise that fighting Muslims is a very grave and major sin and the unjust killing of a Muslim is a very serious matter in the eyes of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, it is even bigger than demolishing the Ka'bah?!

Ibn Majah narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Omar (r.a):

«مَا أَطْيَبَكِ وَأَطْيَبَ رِيحَكِ مَا أَعْظَمَكِ وَأَعْظَمَ حُرْمَتَكِ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَحُرْمَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَعْظَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةً مِنْكِ مَالِهِ وَدَمِهِ وَأَنْ نَظُنَّ بِهِ إِلَّا خَيْرًا»

"‘Abdullah ibn Omar (r.a) said: I saw the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم doing the Tawaf of the Ka'bah while saying:"How sweet/good you are, and how sweet is your scent (smell). How great you are and how great is your sanctity. By the One who has the soul of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم in His hands, the sanctity of a believer is greater than your sanctity and his blood (life) and his wealth is greater than yours. And I perceive him not except good about him."

Indeed, Britain and the US are fighting each other and exploiting the local elements with full cooperation and logistical support of the Yemeni regime itself, while the separatists of the South and the Houthis are blindly towing the enemy line in the South and the North. Yet the perpetrators of such crimes think well of their actions!

O Muslims!

Our problems are two-fold:

Firstly: The rulers in the Muslim lands do not care for their people. They have no fear of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, neither for their acts of oppression against their people nor against their lands! If they were thinking, they would understand that a ruler who cheats on his people and does not look after them, will neither enter Jannah nor even smell it, Bukhari narrates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«مَا مِنْ وَالٍ يَلِي رَعِيَّةً مِنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَيَمُوتُ وَهُوَ غَاشٌّ لَهُمْ إِلَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْجَنَّةَ»

"There is no governor/wali who takes charge of Muslims and dies cheating them, except that Allah prohibits him paradise."

And when such rulers happen to cheat and betray their own people, turn truth into falsehood and portray falsehood as the truth and betray the trust of the people?! He is like a shepherd who drives his own herd to the brink of death and destruction, Imam Ahmad narrates that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«إِنَّهَا سَتَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ سِنُونَ خَدَّاعَةٌ يُصَدَّقُ فِيهَا الْكَاذِبُ وَيُكَذَّبُ فِيهَا الصَّادِقُ وَيُؤْتَمَنُ فِيهَا الْخَائِنُ وَيُخَوَّنُ فِيهَا الْأَمِينُ وَيَنْطِقُ فِيهَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قِيلَ وَمَا الرُّوَيْبِضَةُ قَالَ السَّفِيهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ فِي أَمْرِ الْعَامَّةِ»

‘There will come upon people years of deceit in which the liar will be believed, the truthful disbelieved, the treacherous will be trusted and the trustworthy held to be treacherous, and the despicable (Ruwaibidah) will speak out. It was said: Who are the despicable ones? He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "The lowly, ignoble man."'

Secondly: Our second problem is the silence of the Ummah over the oppressive rulers and who do not stand up to confront them or stop them. This is despite the humiliation that the rulers have brought to bear upon the Ummah. We have lost Palestine, Kashmir, Cyprus, East Timor and so on. Now Sudan is on the brink of separation, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and now Yemen have been turned into an arena of conflict for the West where the rulers are the tools and allies of the warring West. It is no surprise that punishment may follow and bring with it hardships, not merely for the rulers, but the people who have accepted the oppression with their silence, Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

وَاتَّقُواْ فِتْنَةً لاَّ تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

"And fear the Fitnah (affliction and trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know that Allâh is Severe in punishment." [Al-Anfaal, 8:25]

Imam Ahmad and Abu Dawood have narrated that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

«إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوْا الْمُنْكَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ فَلَمْ يُنْكِرُوهُ يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمْ اللَّهُ بِعِقَابِهِ»

"Indeed when people see evil taking place among them and yet do not confront it, then is the time Allah is most likely to send His punishment over all of them."

O Muslims!

The dawn is nearing and can be seen by anyone with a good sight. The situation will only be rectified exactly on the same lines, as was the case with the first generation of Islam: The Khilafah on the model of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم that would rule by what Allah سبحانه وتعالى has revealed, and would fight in His path, where the ruler is the Khaleefah behind whom the Muslims fight and protect themselves. It is the shield that protects its people and advises it soundly. Then America and Britain and others like them from among the kafir colonialists will not have the time and opportunity to fight us and our lands and establish their influence over them since they will be preoccupied with withdrawing and rushing back to their lands. But they will not be able to ‘escape' from the light of Islam because Islam would spread and reach close to their lands!

وَاللّهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ

"And Allâh has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not." [Yusuf, 12:21]