Photo by @maggiesteber. When Hunger Overcomes Fear. Haitian soldier goes after boy trying to steal food aid from beneath shuttered door in Cap-Haitien in January 1986. It was 29 years ago today, February 7, 1986, that the 30-year Duvalier dictatorship fell after nationwide food riots isolated the government and caused John Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier to flee into the night with his dragon lady wife and the national treasury. Haiti began a new period of recovery that has stalled and started many times thanks to continued government corruption, insecurity, unemployment, 4 hurricanes in a row, and a massive earthquake in 2010. Aspects of Haitian life and culture have been impacted but not as much as it was under the rule of François "Papa Doc" Duvalier's regime of terror and fear of the dreaded Tontons Macoute, the secret police. Before Duvalier, Haiti was a beautiful and nearly blissful place to live where people dressed well and walked proudly on clean streets lined with beautiful buildings. That changed under the darkness of Papa Doc. Adter Baby Doc fled, Haitians could demonstrate, speak out, print newspapers, air radio shows, and vote in elections that promised democracy. The breath of fresh air was short-lived and today Haiti has changed and not always for the better. But it can be said about Haitians that they are a grand people who never say die. #haiti #worldpresswinner #beautifulhaiti #longlivehaiti #womenofvision #wov @maggiesteber @fotokonbit.org @reduxphotos @leicaakademie
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