London: photo exhibition offers glimpse of life in Haiti

Londoners will have the chance to catch a glimpse of what life is like for many Haitians at a photography exhibition organised by CIIR from next Monday. Hidden behind the sensational stories of war and politics is the continuing struggle of the people of Haiti. While an unholy alliance of politicians, entrepreneurs, death squads and drug-traffickers scrambles for power, most of the population endures the consequences of environmental degradation, economic stagnation and neo-liberalism. This exhibition,which is being held during the 200th anniversary of the independence of Haiti, portrays the lives of underpaid Haitian workers in the Dominican Republic: exploited orange plantation workers producing citrus oil for luxury liqueurs; charcoal burners who are forced to destroy the last of Haiti's tree cover to alleviate their poverty and desperation; fishermen hunting a diminishing stock and the peasants' struggle to produce on a tired and depleted soil. The exhibition offers a rare window into the lives of a forgotten people, while promoting calls for greater justice for Haitians. The show is at The Spitz Gallery, 109 Commercial St, Old Spitalfields Market, London E1, from 19 - 26 April. Source: CIIR