My Haitian fears confirmed

While many in the crowds greeting the rebels appeared joyous, they were also raucous. Early in the afternoon, Mr. Philippe appeared on the balcony of the former headquarters of the Haitian Army, which sits adjacent to the palace and was renovated into a museum in honor of Haiti’s 2004 bicentennial. He flashed victory signs to the crowd.

A moment after he stepped away, a soldier began tossing art from the museum into the street, beginning with a sculpture of a casket with a figurine inside. It shattered as it hit the ground and the crowd roared. More paintings followed, and someone set the pile of art aflame.

Inorel Delbrun, an art collector who had come hoping to catch a glimpse of the rebel leader, was horrified.

“This is Haitian art,” Mr. Delbrun said. “It hurts to see it destroyed. This is our culture.”

Here is the New York Times story, with a few photos. Here is my previous worry.

Now here’s rational gloom.

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