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CANADIAN FORCES COLLEGE / COLLÈGE DES FORCES CANADIENNES JCSP 35 / PCEMI N 35 MDS RESEARCH PROJECT / PROJET DE RECHERCHE MED When will the Dust Settle? Haiti, Canada and the Legacy of Jean-Bertrand Aristide By / par Major Eric Vandenberg This paper was written by a student La présente étude a été rédigée par un attending the Canadian Forces College in stagiaire du Collège des Forces canadiennes fulfilment of one of the requirements of the pour satisfaire à l'une des exigences du cours. Course of Studies. The paper is a L'étude est un document qui se rapporte au scholastic document, and thus contains cours et contient donc des faits et des opinions facts and opinions which the author alone que seul l'auteur considère appropriés et considered appropriate and correct for convenables au sujet. Elle ne reflète pas the subject. It does not necessarily reflect nécessairement la politique ou l'opinion d'un the policy or the opinion of any agency, organisme quelconque, y compris le including the Government of Canada and gouvernement du Canada et le ministère de la the Canadian Department of National Défense nationale du Canada. Il est défendu Defence. This paper may not be released, de diffuser, de citer ou de reproduire cette quoted or copied except with the express étude sans la permission expresse du ministère permission of the Canadian Department of de la Défense nationale. National Defence. This page left intentionally blank. i ABSTRACT Canada has assisted the country of Haiti with its transition to democracy that began with the election of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 1990. Like the former president who has ardent supporters and passionate critics, Canada’s role in Haiti has its proponents and opponents as well. These critics claim that Canada has been unduly biased against Aristide and his supporters throughout the past two decades and believe that Canada played a lead role in the planning and execution of the 2004 coup that sent Aristide into exile for a second time. Even though these criticisms of Canada’s role in Haiti exist, the reality is that Canada has had a positive impact on Haiti’s transition to democracy in the past twenty years. Canada’s involvement in Haiti during these turbulent times included development aid and military and police support. While the majority of the allegations against Canada are unsupported, Canada’s critics have made a reasonable argument regarding the issue of human rights abuses that occurred during the transitional government from 2004 to 2006. Documented evidence seems to support the claim that the Haitian National Police and UN forces violated human rights, either directly or through inaction. This criticism, by extension, can be levelled against Canada who contributed both military forces and police officers to the UN mission during that time and filled the position of Police Commissioner twice. Consequently, while Canada has definitely played a meaningful role in Haiti’s transition to democracy, Canada must acknowledge that some justified criticism of its past actions does exist. In order to deter any future criticism, Canada should attempt to be as transparent as possible about its intentions and actions with respect to Haiti. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER ONE – THE HISTORY OF HAITI ............................................................ 4 Introduction................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Hispaniola ................................................................................................................... 4 The Colony of Saint-Domingue.................................................................................. 5 The Republic of Haiti.................................................................................................. 8 The U.S. Occupation of Haiti ................................................................................... 10 The Duvalier Era....................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER TWO – ARISTIDE AND HAITI TODAY............................................... 14 Introduction................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined. Jean-Bertrand Aristide .............................................................................................. 14 The First Coup .......................................................................................................... 18 The Return of Aristide .............................................................................................. 21 A Democratic Transition of Power........................................................................... 22 Aristide Re-elected to Power .................................................................................... 23 The Second Coup...................................................................................................... 26 The Transitional Government................................................................................... 29 The Government of René Préval............................................................................... 31 The Cycle Continues................................................................................................. 34 CHAPTER THREE - CONFLICTS AND BIAS ......................................................... 36 Introduction............................................................................................................... 36 A Theory of Intrastate Conflicts related to Haiti ...................................................... 37 Why Bias Exists in Asymmetric Conflicts?.............................................................. 39 Asymmetric Conflicts – Haiti ................................................................................... 40 Forms of Bias............................................................................................................ 42 CHAPTER FOUR – CANADA AND HAITI............................................................... 44 Introduction............................................................................................................... 44 The Montréal Diaspora ............................................................................................. 44 A Personal Connection – Canada’s Governor General............................................. 45 Development Aid and Military Costs ....................................................................... 46 Canada’s Participation in Haiti after the First Aristide Coup................................... 48 Canada’s Participation in Haiti after the Second Aristide Coup............................... 52 Canada’s Current Commitment to Haiti ................................................................... 56 Summary of Canada’s Commitment to Haiti............................................................ 58 iii CHAPTER FIVE – THE OPPOSING VIEW.............................................................. 59 Introduction............................................................................................................... 59 The Opposing View expressed through the Internet................................................. 60 Critiques and Counter-Critiques ............................................................................... 62 Opposing views or incorrect assumptions?............................................................... 66 The Pro-Aristide Opinion ......................................................................................... 68 CHAPTER SIX – HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS................................................. 73 Introduction............................................................................................................... 73 After the 2004 Coup: An assessment of Human Rights Abuses .............................. 73 2004 – 2006: An assessment of Human Rights Abuses ........................................... 76 2006 – 2007: Changes under Préval ........................................................................ 77 2008: The Current Situation...................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER SEVEN – DISCUSSION ............................................................................ 80 Introduction............................................................................................................... 80 The Relationship between Canada and Haiti...........................................................