: Lecture Overheads (A precis of some of the text material)

Despite the media depictions and outcry over the horrific natural disaster of a Haitian earthquake in recent weeks, little has been said or written about Haitian history. Where brief mention is made, as in the Windsor Star column by Anne Jarvis (Can Haiti be fixed? January 20, 2010) the actions of the U.S. and Canada and others are omitted, while the “solution” identified is that of a “Benevolent Dictator.”

Two weeks from now, when the Olympics are on, Haiti will be forgotten by the very same mainstream media which have been filling their pages with stories of misery.

This is not to say that nothing good is being done, but there are serious problems with what we know about Haiti and what is really going on there. We should donate money, for example, but we should be careful that money doesn’t wind up in the very hands which have wrought disasters in the past.

A Brief History

BY THE 1697 TREATY OF RYSWICK, THE FRENCH FORMALLY OCCUPIED THE PORTION OF () KNOWN AS SAINT DOMINIGUE (HAITI).

BY THE 1780s IT WAS THE BREAD BASKET OF FRANCE, PROVIDING 2/3 OF THE COUNTRY’S FRUIT AND VEGETABLES.

THE HAITIAN SLAVES ROSE IN REVOLT IN 1791. ULTIMATELY, THEY DEFEATED THE COMBINED ARMIES OF NAPOLEON’S FRANCE, BRITAIN AND SPAIN, IN A WAR LASTING 13 YEARS.

THE U.S., WHICH WAS A SLAVE STATE AT THE TIME, LIVED IN FEAR OF A SIMILAR UPRISING, AND SENT $400,000 TO SUPPORT THE WAR AGAINST HAITI.

IN 1804, HAITI CELEBRATED ITS INDEPENDENCE.

FRANCE ONLY RE-ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC AND TRADE RELATIONS WHEN HAITI AGREED, IN 1825, TO PAY ITS FORMER COLONIAL MASTER A ‘COMPENSATION’ OF 150 MILLION FRANCS FOR THE LOSS OF ITS SLAVES. THIS WAS EVENTUALLY REDUCED TO 90 MILLION FRANCS, BUT PAYMENTS CONSUMED 80 PERCENT OF THE HAITIAN 1 NATIONAL BUDGET, UNTIL IT WAS PAID OFF IN 1947.

HAITIANS HAVE THUS PAID THEIR ORIGINAL OPPRESSORS THREE TIMES OVER, ONCE THRU THE , SECONDLY THRU COMPENSATION, OR REPARATIONS, AND THIRDLY THRU INTEREST PAYMENTS.

IN 1915 THE U.S. UNDER WOODROW WILSON INVADED AND OCCUPIED HAITI, AND THEN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

THEY ABOLISHED THE CLAUSE IN THE CONSTITUTION PREVENTING FOREIGNERS FROM OWNING PROPERTY, TOOK OVER THE NATIONAL BANK, ENSURED MORE ‘RELIABLE’ PAYMENTS OF FOREIGN DEBT, EXPROPRIATED LAND TO CREATE THEIR OWN PLANTATIONS, AND CREATED A BRUTAL MILITARY TO REPRESS THE POPULATION. – (HALLWARD, 27.)

WHEN THE MARINES LEFT IN 1934, SUCCESSIVE MILITARY REGIMES RULED, INCLUDING THE MURDEROUS REGIMES OF “PAPA DOC” FRANCOIS DUVALIER (1957-71) AND HIS SON BABY DOC JEAN- FRANCOIS, DECLARED PRESIDENT FOR LIFE IN 1971.

JEAN BERTRAND ARISTIDE WAS A CATHOLIC PRIEST, AND FOLLOWER OF LIBERATION THEOLOGY, WHO WAS BORN IN 1953 AND BEGAN RADIO BROADCASTS IN THE LATE 1970s. THE CLERGY SENT HIM ABROAD FOR RELIGIOUS RE-PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL IN QUEBEC. BY 1985 HE WAS BACK PREACHING IN HAITI, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR A MASS MOVEMENT CHASED BABY DOC DUVALIER OFF THE ISLAND.

IN OPEN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN 1990, ARISTIDE WON 67 PERCENT OF THE VOTE, TO 14% FOR MARC BAZIN, A WORLD BANK ECONOMIST AND FORMER DUVALIER MINISTER, WHO WAS THE U.S. FAVORITE.

ARISTIDE INSTITUTED ONLY MILD EDUCATION AND AGRARIAN REFORMS, BUT HE WAS CLEARLY ON THE SIDE OF THE POOR PEOPLE INSTEAD OF THE RICH. SO, IN JUST SEVEN MONTHS, A NEW MILITARY JUNTA OVERTHREW HIM, AND THE BRUTAL GENERAL CEDRAS TOOK CONTROL.

A REIGN OF TERROR SAW 5,000 ARISTIDE (LAVALAS) SUPPORTERS KILLED IN THE ENSUING REIGN OF TERROR, OVER 3 YEARS. 2 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS LED TO WIDESPREAD MALNUTRITION.

WAVES OF DESPERATE EMIGRANTS TRIED TO FLEE TO THE U.S., WHICH WAS INUNDATED WITH BOAT PEOPLE.

GEORGE BUSH HAD TURNED A BLIND EYE, BUT IN 1994, BILL CLINTON WAS UNDER PRESSURE TO ACT, AND SO ARRANGED, WITH A SHOW OF TROOPS, TO RESTORE ARISTIDE TO POWER.

BUT, HE HAD TO AGREE TO A DRASTIC IMF RESTRUCTURING PROGRAM.

HE HAD TO ACCEPT AMNESTY FOR THE COUPSTERS, PARDONING THOSE WHO MURDERED THOUSANDS OF HIS SUPPORTERS.

HE HAD TO AGREE TO HOLD NEW ELECTIONS IN 1995, AFTER JUST A YEAR.

THE TARIFF ON RICE WAS CUT FROM 50% TO 3%, AND HAITI WAS FLOODED WITH CHEAP U.S. RICE. IT WAS SELF-SUFFICIENT IN RICE, BUT IMPORTS ROSE FROM 7000 TONS IN 1985 TO 225,000 TONS IN 2002.

THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN THE POULTRY SECTOR, COSTING 10,000 JOBS.

IN 1997, THE STATE-OWNED FLOUR MILL WAS SOLD FOR $9 MILLION, ALTHOUGH ITS YEARLY PROFITS WERE ESTIMATED AT $25 MILLION.

ARISTIDE WORKED TO CREATE SCHOOLS AND IMPROVE LITERACY. FROM 1990 TO 2002, ILLITERACY FELL FROM 61% TO 48%. HELPED TO BUILD A NEW MEDICAL SCHOOL, AND THE HIV INFECTION RATE WAS FROZEN.

TAXES ON THE RICH WERE INCREASED, AND IN 2003 THE MINIMUM WAGE WAS DOUBLED. (HALLWARD, 33).

IN THE 2000 ELECTIONS, ARISTIDE’S PARTY FANMI LAVALAS WON MAJORITIES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT: 89 OF 115 MAYORAL POSITIONS 72 OF 83 SEATS IN THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES 18 OF 19 SENATE SEATS CONTESTED 3

ARISTIDE WON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WITH 92% OF THE VOTE.

THE OAS INITIALLY DESCRIBED THE ELECTIONS AS “A GREAT SUCCESS FOR THE HAITIAN POPULATION…”

SUBSEQUENTLY, THE OAS SAID THE ELECTIONS WERE FLAWED BECAUSE THE HAITIAN ELECTORAL COUNCIL USED ONLY THE VOTES CAST FOR THE TOP FOUR CANDIDATES IN COMPUTING THE VOTING PERCENTAGES, RATHER THAN INCLUDING ALL THE LESS POPULAR CANDIDATES. THIS WAS DONE IN 8 SENATE ELECTIONS. IT DID NOT CHANGE THE RESULT.

THE CLINTON ADMIN SEIZED ON THE OAS OBJECTION TO JUSTIFY A CRIPPLING EMBARGO ON FOREIGN AID. . . HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM THE INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK, AND OTHERS.

THIS, IN AN ECONOMY WHERE THE TOTAL GOV’T BUDGET HAD FALLEN TO $300 MILLION ANUALLY: UNDER $40 A HEAD FOR ITS 8 MILLION CITIZENS, MINUS THE ANNUAL $60 MILLION PAYMENT ON THE NATIONAL DEBT (45 % OF WHICH WAS INCURRED BY THE DUVALIER DICTATORSHIPS) – (HALLWARD, P. 39).

INSTEAD, GOVERNMENTS FUNDED THE OPPOSITION, AND NGOs WHICH REFUSED TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE SETTING UP PRIVATE SCHOOLS WITH THE MONEY. (ENGLER & FENTON)

UNEMPLOYMENT REACHED 70 PERCENT, IN 2001.

LEADING FIGURES IN THE OPPOSITION, THE CONVERGENCE DEMOCRATIQUE, TOLD THE WASHINGTON POST AT THE TIME OF ARISTIDE’S INAUGURATION IN 2001,

THAT EITHER THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER U.S. INVASION, OR:

“THE CIA SHOULD TRAIN AND EQUIP HAITIAN OFFICERS EXILED IN THE NEIGHBORING DOMINICAN REPUBLIC SO THEY COULD STAGE A COMEBACK THEMSELVES.” (W. POST, FEBRUARY 2, 2001).

WHAT WAS PORTRAYED IN THE MAINSTREAM PRESS AS A HUMAN 4 RIGHTS CRISIS IN HAITI, WAS IN FACT “A LOW-LEVEL WAR BETWEEN ELEMENTS OF THE FORMER ARMED FORCES AND THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT THAT HAD DISBANDED THEM.” (HALLWARD, P42).

IN APRIL 2003, THE DESPERATE ARISTIDE CALLED FOR FRANCE TO REIMBURSE THE 90 MILLION FRANCS PAID AS COMPENSATION FOR THE LOSS OF COLONIAL PROPERTY IN THE FORM OF SLAVES. WITH INTEREST, HE SAID THIS NOW CAME TO $21 BILLION US.

BY LATE 2003, ARMED ‘INSURGENTS’ OR ‘REBELS’ WERE CROSSING INTO HAITI AND RAIDING. THEY BEGAN SHOOTING LOCAL POLICE, WHO FLED, AND TAKING OVER TOWNS.

BY FEBRUARY 2004 THEY WERE THREATENING THE CAPITAL OF PORT AU PRINCE.

ARISTIDE APPEALED TO THE UN AND OTHERS FOR A COUPLE OF DOZEN MILITARY PEOPLE FOR SUPPORT, WHICH WOULD HAVE SUFFICED.

ON FEBRUARY 29, 2004, ARISTIDE WAS CONFRONTED IN THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE BY U.S. MARINES. AT GUNPOINT, HE MAY HAVE SIGNED A LETTER OF RESIGNATION: THIS IS DISPUTED. HE HAS SAID HE WAS KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT AND THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE.

THE CANADIAN GOV’T SENT TROOPS WHO CONTROLLED THE AIRPORT WHERE ARISTIDE WAS FLOW OUT.

HE WAS FLOWN TO THE , WHICH IS DOMINATED BY FRANCE, ECONOMICALLY. THE U.S. ADMIN SAID IT WAS HIS CHOICE. YEAH, HE’S GOING TO MAKE THAT CHOICE.

THE U.S. CHOSE A ‘COUNSEL OF SAGES’ WHO IN TURN SELECTED GERARD LATORTUE, AN EXPATRIOT HAITIAN LIVING IN MIAMI FOR 15 YEARS, WHO WAS A TELEVISION TALK SHOW HOST, AS THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER.

THE U.S. CANADA AND OTHERS ARE NOW SO JOYOUS THAT DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN RESTORED THAT THEY HAVE REINSTITUTED FUNDING IN THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IN NOV. 2005, THEN- PM PAUL MARTIN MADE THE FIRST VISIT BY A 5 CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER TO HAITI, TO BESTOW HIS BEST WISHES ON THE GOV’T.

THE PEOPLE OF HAITI HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS TO PROTEST THE COUP D’ETAT, AND THE KIDNAPPING OF ARISTIDE. THEY HAVE BEEN BRUTALLY MURDERED BY HAITIAN POLICE AND THE UNITED NATIONS FORCES, AS DOCUMENTED IN HAITI THE UNTOLD STORY, AND CANADA OUT OF HAITI.

ELECTIONS WERE SCHEDULED FOR FALL, 2005, BUT WERE POST- PONED UNTIL FEBRUARY 2006. THE MOST POPULAR PARTY, FANMI LAVALAS, WAS PREVENTED FROM RUNNING. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTION HAS BEEN FURTHER RIGGED.

FOR MORE ON THE EVENTS OF THE ELECTION, SEE YOUR COURSE TEXT, LIES THE MEDIA TELL US, CHAPTER FIVE.

SOUCES: PETER HALLWARD, DAMNING THE FLOOD, PAUL FARMER, THE USES OF HAITI, RANDALL ROBINSON, AN UNBROKEN AGONY, YVES ENGLER AND ANTHONY FENTON, CANADA OUT OF HAITI. PETER HALLWARD, OPTION ZERO IN HAITI, NEW LEFT REVIEW, MAY/JUNE 2004.

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