A Call for Justice and Education: Reflections on the Assassination of Jovenel Moise and the Path to a Free Haiti.

A Call for Justice and Education: Reflections on the Assassination of Jovenel Moise and the Path to a Free Haiti.

As a jurist and the president of the Haitian political party ITIYAyiti, I feel it is my responsibility to share my thoughts on the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise, especially concerning the ongoing trial in the Miami federal court. It is evident to everyone who the killers of Haiti’s president are. What troubles me most about this assassination isn’t just the demand for justice following President Moise’s murder, but the lingering deception that has persisted since October 17, 1806. There remains a belief that one class of people is oppressing another group of Black individuals simply because of the color of their skin.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that all individuals are equal before the law. Similarly, international law asserts that all states are equal. Furthermore, Article 44 of the Haitian penal code dictates that an accomplice to a crime should face the same punishment as the perpetrator. So, I ask: why is there a series of manipulations that allow delays in arresting, judging, and punishing all accomplices and intellectual authors of the crime against President Moise? This injustice may repeat itself unless the Haitian people—the descendants of enslaved people—stand up to put an end to such practices. But how can we stop it?

My reflections don’t end there. As the president of ITIYAyiti, I firmly believe that education is the first weapon we need to combat the oppression in our nation. However, who will wield this weapon on behalf of the disadvantaged masses who are hungry while the corrupt oligarchic class benefits from their ignorance? I find myself questioning whether there is even one Haitian willing to act as a rebel, a double, to expose the colonial system that governs Haiti. I continue to lament and wonder if there is a single slave descendant within the system who could assume the role of Jean Jacques Dessalines or Jovenel Moise, willing to sacrifice their life to prevent Haiti from enduring another 222 years of oppression in this modern era.

These 222 years of independence are sacred, and I believe they can shape history. Haiti cannot endure any more suffering; it must not fade away, and slavery in all its forms must be abolished. Education in our mother tongue is the most powerful tool for liberating Haiti and achieving autonomy. Remember the words of Dr. King: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” What happened to Jovenel Moise could happen to our children if we don’t take action today. Haiti is sovereign, we are independent, we are free, and we are all equal before the law. Let us come together to work towards a truly autonomous Haiti.

Photo of Haiti lawyer misrepresented as an image of the assassinated president

Wilsonn Telimo Lwi,

President of ITIYAyiti.