Voodoo Land Killings

The current failed state of Haiti was originally part of the Spanish Empire until 1697, when the western portion that is modern Haiti was ceded to France and became Saint-Domingue.

Haiti Map

It was the home of sugarcane plantations worked by enslaved Africans with the French settlers being outnumbered by slaves by almost 10 to 1. A large number of the slaves were able to retain many of their ties to African cultures, religion, and language with these ties continually being renewed by newly imported Africans. 

In The Heart Of Darkness

Talking of failed democratic states and elections, the ironically named 'Democratic Republic of Congo' prepares for just its second general elections in four decades - when the citizens of this ever failing state come out with statements such as "the state is dying but not yet dead" or "the state is ever present but completely useless", or "when you are rock bottom, you can still dig deeper", you realise that not much is expected in this exercise of 'democracy'.

DR Congo - Compared with Europe.

 

This country is two thirds the size of Western Europe, with all the resources in land, mineral wealth and natural resources than you can point a pointy stick at, yet the Failed States Index lists it as fourth in the list of the critically failed category of states. 

 

When you read that Zoe Kabila, the current President's brother, ordered his Republican Guard escort to beat up two police traffic officers because they did not give his 4x4 priority, you can see that the words "free and fair" are not going to apply here ..... to elections or anything else.Given its size and resources the DR Congo should be a very prosperous country, but decades of war, military incompetence and brutality, corruption and absolute economic mismanagement have left it desperately poor.

This state truly is "The Heart Of Darkness"