As sugarcane profits began to decline, more and more Haitians began to migrate to urban areas of the Dominican Republic; The government has repeatedly passed new immigration laws to regulate immigration and carried out mass deportations of Haitian immigrants, fueling an endless conflict between Haitians and Dominicans who share the same island. Erkert, Alexis. 19 January 2012. “Two years after the earthquake in Haiti, `housing is our fight.`” Other worlds. Retrieved April 2012. www.otherworldsarepossible.org/another-haiti-possible/two-years-after-earthquake-haiti-housing-our-battle The Rural Code of 1826 was abolished in 1843 and replaced by a new version in 1864, but is rarely used. This rarity is strange given that in the mid-1900s, 85% of the Haitian population lived in rural areas and today the majority of citizens continue to live in rural areas; However, the extra-legal lakou system could explain this discrepancy. Americans have had a fascination with Haiti and “voodoo” since the U.S. invasion and occupation of Haiti in 1915-1934, but how was Article 246 viewed in the popular media as evidence of a law that “prohibits the manufacture of zombies”? This perception seems to date back to the late 1920s, when American author William Buehler Seabrook published a popular (and rather sensationalist) “travelogue account” about Haiti entitled The Magic Island (1929). This book was apparently one of the first sources to introduce the concept of “zombies” to America.

Gary D. Rhodes writes: As I absorbed all this information about the background to Section 246 and the history of its use in American books and movies, I wondered if “Doc of the Dead” could ultimately have relied on Seabrook and the movie White Zombie to assert that the Haitian Penal Code “prohibits making zombies.” It is difficult to say whether this is the case. What seems clear, however, is that Seabrook`s characterization of a “zombie” – as “a soulless human corpse, still dead but out of the grave and magically endowed with some semblance of a mechanism of life” – is not in keeping with the Haitian concepts from which he allegedly draws. [8] In the opening pages of The Serpent and the Rainbow (1985), Wade Davis points out that “as a result of sensational and inaccurate interpretations in the media, particularly in Hollywood, the word voodoo has become a fantasy of black magic and witchcraft.” [9] He continues: “What we know as `voodoo` bears little resemblance” to “the rich religion of traditional Haitian society.” [10] Haitians are warm, kind and generous. Their tradition of hospitality is clearly evident in the way they treat guests or make an effort to help strangers find an address or whatever they need. Haitians are very proud of their culture and history. The stories of past Haitian heroes are not forgotten by today`s youth. Some claim it`s because the present offers no heroes, but others believe the past gives hope for the future. Daily life is difficult for most people, so parents make an effort to send their children to school, even if it is very expensive, confident that an education will give the next generation a better life. Regardless of social conditions, Haitians celebrate life with joy, laughter and dance. Even after the terrible earthquake that killed 100 people, they found the courage to celebrate life. At this time of year (well, honestly, at any time of the year), I really like to look for funny, interesting, and most importantly, scary movies.

While doing so, I came across a number of documentaries on various scary or Halloween themes and chose “Doc of the Dead” (2014), a film about modern zombie culture and the zombie genre. The film references Haiti`s 1883 Penal Code and claims that people turned into zombies were a real problem in Haiti, as evidenced by a law banning the manufacture of zombies. Given that the documentary focused primarily on modern American “zombie” movies and culture, rather than the law, I wondered if this interpretation was entirely correct. I decided to investigate this provision and consulted Nicolas Boring, the foreign law specialist at the Law Library covering France and other French-speaking countries. He was kind enough to bring some of his expertise to my research. These demands, which reflect the desire for housing rights that Haitians technically already have, show that despite the fact that the Haitian constitution guarantees these rights, they are not recognized locally. The Haitian legislature must adopt concrete laws that seek to make this right a reality, particularly with regard to the situation in refugee camps, in order to ensure that article 22 becomes a reality. The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of Haiti recognizes “the right of all citizens to adequate housing.” It also states that “property entails obligations. The use of property cannot be contrary to the general interest”, a clause that could be used against the current practice of forced evictions in refugee camps (Article 36-3). Unfortunately, these laws are not enforced by the Haitian government. In wealthy families, parents set goals for their children to become doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs who will grow the family business. After retirement, parents often move in with one of their married children.

Domestic violence against women is quite common, and some Haitian laws tend to discriminate against women. For example, wives who murder their unfaithful husbands are punished more severely than husbands who murder their unfaithful wives. An increasing number of women from all walks of life were employed, owned their own businesses and participated in government, although less than 5 per cent of national parliamentary seats were held by women. Republic of Haiti. 1987 Constitution of the Republic of Haiti. America`s Political Database. Last updated July 9, 2011.