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major diff minor diff author diff hide diff>>**Voting in Zetwa**<<
I spent a long day on Tuesday accompanying a group of voters from Matenwa
Matènwa as they went to cast their ballots at the voting place they had
been assigned to in Zetwa, a two-hour walk away.
We gathered across from the Matenwa Matènwa school at 4:00AM. Everyone
was anxious to get in line in time for the scheduled opening of the voting at
6:00 AM. On the right in this first photo is Benaja, the fourth-grade teacher at
the Matenwa Matènwa Community Learning Center. On the left is Beguens, a
candidate for depite, the Haitan equivalent of a congressperson.
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/1.jpg
We sent off on the long walk down the mountain well before dawn.
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/2.jpg
As we reached the outskirts of Zetwa, we were overtaken by a larger group of men
and women from Nankafe, which is nearly as far up the hill as Matenwa. Forsome
Matènwa. For some reason, they were running.
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/3.jpg
When we arrived at 6:15, 6:15 lines were already long.
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/4.jpg
UN troups made an early appearence. This heavily armed group of Argentineans
stopped by, left dropped off one of their number, and left. The man they left in
Zetwa just stood around. I suppose that that's roughly what you'd want someone
heavily armed to do. It wasn't until mid-day that the UN seemed briefly useful.
(For details, click AnElectionAfterall.)
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/5.jpg
By mid-mprning, mid-morning, the lines had only grown.
http://apprenticeshipineducation.com/images/votingweb/6.jpg
But they were patient, peaceful, and determined. A couple of times the croed
crowd started chanting "//vle pa vle, n ap vote//." This means,
"like it or not, we're gonna vote", and it expressed a lot about the
day. As many have already noted, the Haitian masses -- urban and rural -- seemed
to decide that they would show their leaders -- mostly self-proclaimed -- and
the world that they will not be denied their right to determine who will govern
them.