By David Auguste

The month long conflict in Haiti has hit home with many Northeastern students; many of whom still have family members on the civil war-torn island.

Even after Jean-Bertrand Aristide went into exhile, the country is still unstable and leaves students with relatives back home fearing the worst.

“I knew there was drama,” said Idailine Delva, a middler physical therapy major and member of the Haitian Students Unity (HSU). “I was there from Christmas until January 9. I did not want to go because I knew there was bad stuff going on and I feared for my safety.”

The Haitian rebels, lead by former army officer Guy Philippe, who served under Aristide before the dismemberment of the army, have killed over 70 Haitians in their march to the capital, which they entered March 2.

“When it first started, I already knew they had issues but didn’t know it was that serious,” said Marishi Charles, a senior journalism major who was born in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. “The people shed their blood, sweat and tears to get Aristide in office. Now they want him out of power. No one wants to be president anymore because they are scared.”

The rebels allege that Aristide was a crooked leader who allowed constant drug trafficking through the country and did nothing to aid the poor as he promised when he became Haiti’s first democratically elected president.

“I think they did what they had to do to get the president out and were successful,” Delva said. “I don’t think all the killings were necessary. Hopefully, now things can go back to normal, and the country could prosper.”

The United States, along with France and other countries, has sent military assistance to Haiti to keep the peace and prevent looters from taking to the streets and further harming the country’s economy. But it was too little, too late for Aristide to retain control of his country and for the many people who were killed and burned in the streets.

“They should stay until everything is in order,” Delva said. “They should have been down there. I think the U.S. should be involved in everything since we have the power to help and make decisions.”

According to the World Bank Group, “Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemis-phere and one of the poorest countries in the developing world. Its per capita income is considerably less than one-tenth the Latin American average.”

The country does not provide many communication options for families living in the United States, as many cities find themselves with no electricity for days and sometimes weeks. Primary education and healthcare are also areas of concern for the island, which many believe has been shunned after becoming the first black republic to gain its independence in 1804.

“No one wants to get involved in Haiti as it is seen as a hopeless country,” Charles said. “The people act like they don’t want to see any good for the country. It is sad because they expect dramatic changes immediately and when they don’t get it, they are angry. Haiti has so many resources as a way for them to rise up as a country and the people are not willing to do it.”

The overthrowing of the government was the 30th armed attempt since 1904. Haitians are in fear of leaving their homes with the rebels outside, uncertain of what their true objectives are for the country.

Although Philippe has been quoted as saying he will lay down his arms when Aristide is out of power, the rebels still occupy the capitol and their power was left on the bloody streets of Cap-Haitian, Gonaives and Port-au-Prince.

“I have grandparents and cousins still there and they are hiding all the way in the back of their house,” said David E. Cadet, the vice president of HSU. “I think their lives are in jeopardy. All they can do for themselves is to stay tight and not say anything about the government. It’s a dangerous way to live. At anytime, someone will set your house on fire or kill you. We have to pray nothing happens to family and it will be over soon, but it feels like its been going on forever.”

HSU will be providing a guest speaker to aid students in coping with the crisis and to provide a better understanding as to what they are up against.