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Fundamental rights, the cornerstone of human dignity, are inalienable prerogatives inherent to every individual. These rights are not mere aspirations, but binding legal obligations guaranteed by the 1987 Haitian Constitution, as well as by international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
Under the principle of the effectiveness of treaties, the Haitian State has an obligation to take concrete measures to make these rights effective. However, the cross-cutting nature of petroleum products means that any price fluctuation directly impacts the cost of living. In the current context, the Fils-Aimé government's decision to raise fuel prices without accompanying measures amounts to an attack on the population's survival.
The interdependence of rights: a devastating domino effect:
International law enshrines the indivisibility and interdependence of rights. When a political decision undermines access to energy, the entire edifice of human rights collapses:
1. Right to food (Article 11 of the ICESCR): Rising transportation costs lead to an unsustainable increase in the price of basic necessities, plunging the masses into severe food insecurity.
2. Right to Health (Article 19 of the Constitution; Article 12 of the ICESCR): The cost of healthcare and patient transport is becoming prohibitive, depriving the most vulnerable of access to hospitals.
3. Right to Work and a Living Wage (Article 35 of the Constitution): While the cost of living skyrockets, the wage freeze reduces purchasing power to nothing, turning workers into "wage-poor paupers."
4. Right to an Adequate Standard of Living (Article 25 of the UDHR): The State is failing in its duty to guarantee housing and decent living conditions by fostering a precarious economy.
Poor Governance and Corruption: Obstacles to the Right to Development
It is alarming to note that, while the population is subjected to this suffocating pressure, practices of corruption and poor governance persist. The use of economic levers for the illicit enrichment of political elites constitutes a flagrant violation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. By exploiting the vulnerability of the masses to consolidate private interests, current leaders are abdicating their role as protectors of the common good.
In fact, the Human Rights Organization believes that the increase in fuel prices is not simply a budgetary measure; it is a decision that undermines the very substance of the rights guaranteed by Articles 19, 22, 35, and 52-1 of our Constitution. Faced with this disastrous situation, it is imperative to reiterate that respect for legal requirements is not optional. The State must be held accountable for its management, which, far from promoting social well-being, exacerbates the extreme vulnerability of its citizens.
By: Louimann MACÉUS,
President of ECCREDHH, member of Amnesty International.
Specialized Training in Human Rights & International Humanitarian Law (CUHD/Geneva).
Specialized Training in Public Human Rights Policy (IPPDH/OAS/MERCSUR/IACHR).
Former Focal Point for OSI-HAITI (Objectifs Sciences internationales).
