An interview about the latest events in Cite Soleil, Haiti with photojournalist Darren Ell
Produced by Stuart Neatby, Hillary Lindsay and Pierre Loiselle
On December 22nd, 2006, UN forces entered the sea-side Haitian neighbourhood of Cite Soleil in an early morning raid against what they called 'bandits.'Â The raid left at least 23 civilians dead, according to human rights organizations and residents; UN forces even refused to even allow Red Cross workers access to the dead and wounded.
The UN Mission, known as MINUSTAH, has since been staging ongoing aggressive and punishing raids in Cite Soleil, ostensibly targeted against gang members. The community, in turn, has been one of the strongest bases of support for the Lavalas party of exiled Haitian President Jean Bertrand-Aristide, who was overthrown in February of 2004 following a coup supported by the US, Canada, and France. Recent demonstrations of thousands of poor Haitians in Cite Soleil and throughout Haiti have been calling for Aristide'â¢s return, as well as an outright removal of UN forces from the country and from Cite Soleil.
Darren Ell is a photojournalist who has been travelling, photographing, and reporting from Haiti since mid-February, and has been focusing particular attention upon documenting the conditions of life in Cite Soleil. The Dominion spoke with Darren from Delmas, in Haiti'â¢s capital of Port-au-Prince.
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