Haitian artists lead festival to support Oanaminthe farmers

OUANAMINTHE—The first anniversary of the construction of the River Massacre Canal was marked by a jubilant celebration in Ouanaminthe. Residents came together for a music festival and culinary fair, highlighting a project that has significantly increased food production in the Maribaroux Plain. The event, headlined “Festi-Kanal,” was more than just a festival; it symbolized unity, resistance, and hope in a region long burdened by water shortages and agricultural challenges, organizers said.

The celebration, organized by singer Anie Alerte, a key promoter of the canal project, aimed to support the ongoing modernization of agriculture in the region.

“We must celebrate this date so that many generations can understand how much peasants and farmers were about to sacrifice themselves under Dominican pressure to obtain water for agriculture,” Alerte said during a press conference to launch the festivities.

“It’s like I just woke up from my sleep when I saw a woman start a social movement to help farmers. Artists have only one heart; it means that even if we don’t see all the other artists, they are with us in this activity.”

Jacques Sauveur Jean, artist, farmer, and former senator of the Northeast Department.

The festival was glorious, drawing people from across the country and the diaspora. Attendees were eager to meet the many personalities and artists they had previously only seen on television or social media. The excitement was palpable, with festival-goers expressing their happiness at being part of such a significant event that galvanized Haïtans’s support from all over the world under the slogan ‘Kanal la Pap Kanpe,’ creole for the canal construction will not stop and the hashtag #KPK. 

“It’s like I just woke up from sleep when I saw a woman start a social movement in this society to help farmers. Artists have only one heart; it means that even if we don’t see all the other artists, they are with us in this activity,” said Jacques Sauveur Jean, an artist and now a farmer participating in Festi-Kanal.

“My father is a farmer. I think it’s a great initiative to help farmers improve their production in the northeast,” said festival-goer Henri-Claude Mathieu. 

Other participants, including several young women, echoed this sentiment, praising the event’s organization and its impact on the community.

“We are satisfied with the way the activity is going,” said several young women participating in the festival.

The significance of the canal construction, a day of liberation

For many in the Maribaroux Plain, Aug. 30 is a day of liberation, symbolizing the end of their long struggle for access to water. This date marks a turning point for the farmers who faced immense challenges just a year ago, including threats from the Dominican Republic government and its military force as they began constructing the canal. Armed with nothing but courage, the knowledge of the terrains, their shovels, and a desire for change, these farmers initiated the project on Dec. 30 without the support of the country’s authorities.

The River Massacre Canal is an infrastructure project and a lifeline for the Maribaroux Plain’s farmers. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the plain was irrigated at only 3% of its potential before its construction, leaving vast tracts of land underutilized. The canal has changed that, providing much-needed water to the region and allowing for a significant increase in agricultural production.

In August 2018, under former President Jovenel Moïse’s administration, Haiti initiated the construction of an irrigation system along the Massacre River to control flooding and irrigate over 3,000 hectares (7,440 acres) of the Maribaroux Plain. The Cuban firm DINVAI took charge of the project in June 2019. The plan detailed the creation of a 2.6-kilometer canal, designed to connect with the restored colonial-era Trop Plein canal, with water flowing at a rate of 1.50 cubic meters per second through 1.50-meter-wide valves. Moïse was met with resistance from the Dominican Republic, which claimed it violated the 1929 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two nations. In response, the Dominican government closed its borders with Haiti, a move seen by many as an attack on Haitian sovereignty. Despite these obstacles, the farmers of the Maribarou plain persevered.

“We were ready to die with our pikes, our shovels in our hands to bring water to the Maribarou plain because we have the same right to the river as the Dominicans,” some farmers said. Their determination paid off as the main canal was completed, and more work would continue.

A Festival of Unity and Hope 

“Festi-Kanal” celebrated this hard-won victory. The event united residents from various layers of the community and Haitians from abroad in a lively atmosphere, featuring local products like rum and an array of foods. Performances by popular artists and DJs created a unique experience for attendees, many of whom had traveled from other communities and the Haitian diaspora.

“I have been singing for a long time for my country to change. I always sing for the agricultural sector to change. I do not regret all these years that I have been singing. Things have started to change,” said artist Donald Joseph, also known as Fresh La.

Amidst the revelry, a sense of unity and hope permeated the air as festival goers-many of them admiring followers of Anie Alerte and supporters of the canal project- dressed for the occasion, danced to the compas rhythm and shared bottles of drinks and foods. Some even wept joyfully, while others savored roasted chicken, griyo with bannann peze creole for fried pork with fried plantain, fully immersed in the celebration.

“I feel happy today because I feel at home in Ouanaminthe,” said Smoye Noisy, the Master of Ceremonies.

The festival’s success was evident, with participants expressing their satisfaction with how the event was organized. Many saw it as a testament to the unity and solidarity of the Haitian people, who are determined to overcome their country’s challenges. The event also drew support from various groups, including the Protected Areas Brigade unit stationed at the canal. 

Continuing the work and looking ahead 

While the festival marked the completion of major works on the canal, the job is not yet done. Moise Joseph, the chairman of the canal committee, acknowledged that more work is needed to realize the canal’s potential fully. 

“When the work will be definitively completed is a difficult question I unfortunately cannot answer. Despite constraints, we will continue to work to achieve our objectives,” Joseph said.

Construction and excavation work have been completed from the head of the Massacre River channel to about 3.2 miles. In contrast, excavation work on the Massacre River bed will continue. The canal construction committee told the Haitian Times that high secondary channels are under construction in the Maribarou Plain to facilitate watering.

Plans are already in place to help farmers manage the expected overproduction of rice in the plain. Joseph has initiated the construction of a rice processing plant in the Maribarou plain, which will produce rice under the brand name KPK, a local product of Maribarou.

The canal project has not only transformed the Maribarou plain but also inspired hope for a brighter future.

 “This is the canal of the Haitian people, it is a heritage of the country. Anyone can organize an activity on the canal for what the canal represents for the Haitian people,” said Wideline Pierre, a spokesperson for the canal management committee.

“Since the beginning of the work, we have been there despite all the pressure from the Dominican Guard and the Dominican President, and we are still on the canal to secure it. We are ready to help the committee carry out this activity,” said Cadio Austin, the unit’s spokesman.

As the festival concluded, many participants reflected on its success and the canal’s significance.

 “From the beginning, we have always been there to help the farmers and the committee to complete the work. We are ready to give everything to carry out this beautiful activity,” said a young resident living near the canal.

The “Festi-Kanal” event not only celebrated the canal’s first anniversary but also reaffirmed the community’s commitment to ensuring its long-term success. This celebration of culture, unity, and hope promises to leave a lasting impact on the people of Ouanaminthe and the surrounding region.

“We are organizing this activity to purchase agricultural machinery to make them available to farmers to modernize agriculture,” Alerte said days before.

After the completion of the main canal, dredging of the river, particularly at the head of the canal, additional dredging works, secondary canals, bridges, and agricultural tracks will continue on the banks of the river to further enhance the region’s agricultural output. These efforts will take approximately eight months following water flow from the central canal.

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Haitian artists lead festival to support Oanaminthe farmers was first posted on September 5, 2024 at 1:30 pm.