What Has Happened in Haiti Can Happen In Thailand, Too
Last week’s earthquake in Haiti is devastating. But it might not be as devastating as the long suffering endured by the people of that country, condemned to be the poorest in the Western Hemisphere for decades. Those who have read Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jarred Diamond or An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore might recall a description and an aerial photograph showing a sharp contrast between the two halves of the island of Hispaniola, mostly covered by dense forest when Christopher Columbus discovered it in 1492. The eastern half which is now occupied by the Dominican Republic is generally green as a large part of its forest remains intact while the western half which is Haiti is largely brown as over 97% of its forest has been cleared resulting in the denuded land turning arid.
The cutting down of forest by Haitians reflects the pressure put on natural resources by an ever larger population. Worse than the population pressure, however, is a long history of bad management under a series of corrupt governments that Haitians have had to endure after Haiti attained independence in 1804. Since then, the country has witnessed 32 coups as the national authority is continuously disputed by various factions, notably the army and the elite. The United States occupied it during 1915-1934 and since the 2004 popular uprising the government survives largely through the support of the troops provided by the United Nation Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
The popular uprising of 2004 was the last in a series of major protests especially staged against a particularly brutal brand of dictatorship practiced by the Duvaleir family which ruled Haiti during 1957-1986. The regime was highly corrupt, enabling members of the ruling family to live in luxury impervious of the dire poverty suffered by a large part of the general population. A popular story is often repeated about the dictator’s wife who fancied the life style of some rich Europeans. While traveling abroad, she acquired a large number of expensive fur coats for herself as well as for her friends. As Haiti is situated in the tropics, there is no need for that kind of outerwear. Undeterred, she ordered that the temperature of the ballroom be lowered to an appropriately chilly level so that she and her friends could have a ball prancing around in those coats.
Such banal insensitivity was widely resented by poor Haitians who were kept under tight control by a private army as well as a notorious death squad known as Toton Macoutes. Having to choose between constant hunger and death by bullets, many long suffering Haitians finally felt desperate enough to choose the latter, leading to a major uprising that forced the dictator to flee the country in 1986. But that did not end the fractious social and political situation. As a result, the country has become virtually ungovernable, necessitating the United Nations to station its troops there.
Can what has happened in Haiti happen in Thailand? Thais are likely to dismiss any suggestion that it can. But I say it very likely will. From the natural disaster side, the 2004 tsunami has already proved that it can. With the sea level rising and Bangkok concurrently sinking, a devastating flood of Bangkok could very well happen sooner than later. From the manmade side, the Thai population keeps increasing, with the poor and not-so-poor continuously encroaching on the dwindling forest. Even a privy counselor is allegedly involved. Quite a few coups and brutal suppressions of protestors have taken place since the form of government was changed in 1932 — and another one can never be ruled out as political and social conflicts remain high, fuelled largely by continued insensitivity and rampant corruption of the elite and the ruling class.
The economy has been reasonably strong thanks to a solid natural resources base but it will suffer if the insensitivity, corruption and conflicts remain the way they are. Am I an alarmist? Perhaps, but isn’t it better to see that what has happened in Haiti can happen here – and therefore try to do something to prevent it, than to feel smug now but sorry later?
Sawai Boonma , first published : Bangkok Post , January 20, 2010
No fear for what’s happened in Haiti much because it is caused from human who hurt the earth and She fights back,
Thais should aware with Argentina effect from Thaksin who made from Juan Perón , Evita and Carlos Menem in one Evil plan.