Chess World: Please Help Haiti!
Fellow Chess Enthusiasts:
You are most certainly aware of the tragedy that has beset the nation of Haiti. A nation of a proud history and a nation sharing the love of our royal game of chess. Less than a week ago, a massive earthquake leveled the capitol city of Port au Prince, devastating the population of nearly 10 million. Some project that 100,000-200,000 will have perished from the disaster.
The initial rescue efforts have been difficult as teams are hampered by lack of supplies and a broken infrastructure. Bodies litter the streets and are being bulldozed into mass graves before being identified. Hospitals are understaffed, tension is rising and the nation could explode into chaos before long.
In 2006, I met the Haitian team at the Olympiad in their first trip to the bienniel chess festival since 1996. They were friendly, in high spirits and were actually part of the photo-op with the host Italian team in round #1. Since that time, disaster has struck the island not once, not twice, but several times. A series of hurricanes prevented the Haitian team from traveling to Dresden for the 2008 Olympiad. Now before the 2010 Olympiad, the nation is hit with another crushing blow.

As contributions are flowing in, there are thousands of groups lending their time and money to help the beleagured nation. There has not been a great deal of attention of this crisis on chess sites and thus far, no official statement or show of moral support has been posted on FIDE’s website. This is unacceptable.
Haiti is like many small federations… a handful of dedicated individuals with the bulk of the players being very young. Since 2006, Haiti has found a degree of success with the founding of the Academie d’Echecs under the leadership of Sabine Bonnet.

Haitians preparing to pawn off in round #1 of 2006 Olympiad in Turin, Italy.
Photo by Daaim Shabazz.
L’Académie d’Echecs HAICA is an organization founded on 14 January 2008 to promote chess in Haiti. It is connected with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Haitian Chess Federation. Sabine Bonnet, President, is on the far left.
It is my hope that organizers, players and officials from around the world will show some solidarity in supporting relief efforts of a devastated nation. The amount of damage done to Haiti will take generations to repair. This is not a political conflict, religious, ethnic or class war. This was a situation brought on by a natural disaster… and it can happen anywhere.
Please find it within your heart to help a nation in need… a nation with a chess community. Haiti needs your help. TIME IS SHORT!
Please click on the icon below or use any of the charities in your home country. Thanks in advance to those who have given and to others who had it in their hearts.
Yours in Chess,
Dr. Daaim Shabazz
https://www.thechessdrum.net
webmaster@thechessdrum.net
16 January 2010
Wyclef Jean’s YELE HAITI EARTHQUAKE FUND
Daaim, we love you brother! keep doing good. This is just the beginning of what we will have to endure for years to come. Why is this happenning? take a few minute to read over Matthew 24!
Thank you for writing this Daaim. My prayers continue to go out to Sabine (I hope to hear a positive word from you soon) and all in Haiti.
I don’t know if this is true but rumours suggest that GM Anish Giri is donating 50$ for every game he wins in Wijk?
Daim, the chess world is finally hearing you.
Great story Daaim – your efforts are getting the word out to the international chess community. I just saw this story posted on the Chessbase site. Having firsthand experience with the devastation of Katrina, I realize that the situation in Haiti is much worse: earthquakes provide no warning, so no one could flee to safety before it struck; and even though we recall those terrible scenes of US citizens seemingly left to fend on their own in the immediate aftermath Katrina , they weren’t on an island, and once help did arrive, their circumstances improved rapidly. Our Haitian brethren will need substantial and continuing help just to survive — I implore everyone in the chess community to give assistance to whatever degree you can.
I am not happy with any of the major chess sites. Polgar is the exception, because she was the first major chess site to post a story about Haiti. Chess Base took to long, although your article (Daaim) is very informative. Chess Vibes took to long also. When it comes to purchasing chess related material, I’ll remember.
I began a thread calling for support for the relief efforts on USCF’s site on Sunday, here:
https://main.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=12433
It includes links to some blogs from people working there, and all kinds of discussion, as chess players like to discuss things no matter what the subject.
Few of us here in the US may have ever been caught up in a widespread catastrophe, and may not have thought about how much help is needed when it happens. A lot of help is needed. Those who have been on the receiving end will know this – hopefully, the many who have never needed such help (yet?!) will also respond. Please choose any reputable recipient organization, and give at least a little something!
Why is Obama not acting with a sterner hand in the face of this mis-management?
Very good report for Chessbase Daim. That’s the way!
Thanks Daaim for keeping us posted on the Haiti destruction. Your efforts are to be noted.
Daaim,
Money is Power, and I am sure there are organizations that don’t want a Haitian to control such large sums of money, constructive things might began to get done in a timely manner. I received a card in the mail, a band (Boots & Bonnets) will play in Chester Township Pa, concerning a fund raising for Haiti and the proceeds will go to Wyclef foundation for Haiti. Tom Joiner, national radio program, is speaking up for Wyclef and there are other visual organizations who understand that the allegations against Wyclef Foundation for Haiti is unfounded. I’ll keep helping Haiti, its going to be a long difficult road just to bring Haiti to per earthquake status.
SPEECHLESS!!!!
Daaim,
Wyclef Jean, “If you have ears listen, if you have mouth talk, if not our island is sinking” This is what is saying.
Yes, very true Daaim. Have any one seen a movie called Uncle Tom Cabin? Its on You Tube.
Daaim,
Do you, or anyone, remember David Paulina an expert from the Washington D.C. area? I think he is Haitian. IM Adu might be in touch with him. David write in so the Drum can help and gather information you might have on the situation in Haitian.
Yes, I called David Paulina and left a message during the week after
the earthquake. I haven’t had time to follow-up but I will try again
soon.
Kimani A. Stancil
Daaim,
I commend you for such a great job alerting the world of chess of the current circumstances in Haiti. I think your article has sparked many in the chess world into action. Keep on doing what you do.
In case you don’t remember, my cousin Guy Colas introduced us at the world open, and I’ve following your site for a couple of years. Again, keep up the good work.
Hello Daaim,
Here in Mauritius the Government and poulation have raised nearly USD 1 million through public donation as we feel concerned about the haitian plight ,despite being several thousand miles away.Amazingly Haiti and Mauritius share almost the same creole dialect despite the geographical position of the 2 islands, i have witnessed it first hand during the Novi Sad Olympiad when we did converse perfectly in creole with one of the haitian players.
Patrick Li Ying,
Very good example of a nation coming together to help another nation. Haiti needs your help and your country gave a large donation – you should be proud. Haitians and a large percentage of the Mauritius people came from Africa. ” Brought in as slaves to work the plantations of Mauritius (as well as Réunion and Seychelles), the slaves were Malagasy or East-African and were brought mostly from Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.” So I can see why Patrick and a Haitian player could speak in the same Creole.
Hello Daaim and Glen,
Thanks for your interesting comments, indeed we are proud of the large sum collected to help Haiti as our Prime Minister said Mauritius is a small country with a big heart.Concerning the similarity of the creole dialect in the two countries what is amazing is that haiti creole is closer to ours than that from Seychelles or Reunion 2 sister islands nearby in the indian ocean.I think that has to do with the long colonisation of Haiti and Mauritius by french settlers.One of the first time that mauritians realised that both our creole dialects were close was in the James Bond film “Live and Let Die” where there was a scene featuring a conversation between 2 haitians ,moviegoers here went delirious when they realised that they were speaking our native creole dialect.
Daaim you are welcome anytime in Mauritius and it is unlikely that we will meet at this year’s olympiad as i will most probably skip this siberian trip.Yes the olympiad is a great place to discover the similarities with people around the world and i wish any budding chess player the opportunity to play in this great chess event.