History of Haiti
This compilation will help highlight the history of a truly resilient people who fought off slavery and survived civil wars, kidnappings, countless massacres and oppressive leadership both in the homefront and abroad. The Haitians proclaimed themselves the first black independent republic in the world in 1804, and have remained so to this day, despite the fact that foreign aggressors are on Haitian soil.
December 5, 1492
Columbus "discovers" Haiti (the island of Hispaniola)
Although the land was visited before by explorers like Marco
Polo and others, the Italian expedition laid claim for the discovery
of the land mass known as Haiti.
1697
The Spaniards cede the western third of Hispaniola to the French
crown at the Treaty of Ryswick. Haiti was called "Saint
Domingue".
1697-1791
Saint Domingue became the richest colony in the world. Its capital,
Cap Français, was known as the Paris of the New World.
It was also a regime of extraordinary cruelty. The 500,000 slaves
taken by the French were starved and buried alive for minor
offenses.
August 1791
The first major black rebellion took place, initiated by Boukman-a
voodoo priest. Other accounts relate that Boukman was Muslim
and believed to be from Jamaica. This begins the markings of
civil war between the black dominated north and the mulatto
dominated south.
1796
Toussaint L'Ouverture, an educated herb doctor and military
man, emerged as the leader of the former slaves in the north.
He restored order, ended the massacres, and restored some of
Saint Domingue's former prosperity. Toussaint, however, believed
in running Haiti for the French. Haiti's first constitution
(The Constitution of 1801) gave Haitians French nationality.
1801
Napoleon Bonaparte dispatched his army to subdue the slave army
and retake the colony for France. Napoleon's mission was unsuccessful.
The leader of the army Leclerc ultimately had Toussaint L'Ouverture
seized and deported to France. He died within a year.
1802
January 29
Napoléon Bonaparte sends an expeditionary fleet to St-Domingue
under the command of his brother-in-law, General Leclerc. The
fleet anchored in Samana Bay with the mission to defeat the
black generals and restored slavery.
February 1
French vessels arrived off the harbor of Cap-Français.
February
4
Henri Christophe sets Cap-Français on fire to resist
the French troops.
February
23
Toussaint L'ouverture is defeated at the Battle of Ravine a
Couleuvres by the army of Napoleon.
March
11
To resist French invasion at the Battle of La Crete-a-Pierrot,
Dessalines gathers his troops. Then by swaying a lighted torch
near the powder magazine, he fiercely declares that he would
blow up the fortress should the French troops invade it.
March
Toussaint L'Ouverture is defeated by the army of Napoleon.
May 1802
Convention in Paris reintroduced slavery, which brings on more
rebellions and massacres.
May 6
Toussaint L'Ouverture arrived in the city of Cap to surrender
to the French army and to negotiate his submission.
June 7
Toussaint L'Ouverture was arrested through treachery by the
French general, Leclerc. He was first embarked on the vessel
La Creole, then sent to France on the vessel Le Heros. He was
incarcerated in the jail of Fort de joux, located in the apex
of the icy jura mountains of France.
October
13
Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Alexandre Petion met in the Haut-du-Cap
to organize the independence war under the command of the appointed
Commander-in-Chief Dessalines.
November
1-2
The French general, Leclerc, brother-in-law of Napoleon, dies
of yellow fever in St-Domingue. His remains are sent back to
France.
1803
April 7
Approaching his 60th birthday, Toussaint L'Ouverture died of
ill treatment in France, in the Fort de Joux prison.
May 18
The Haitian flag was created in Arcahaie during a meeting between
Dessalines and Petion. They tore off the white middle section
of the blue, white and red French flag and joined the blue and
red pieces symbolizing the unity of blacks and mulattoes. The
flag was sewn by Catherine Flon.
November 18
The Battle of Vertières, the final battle for independence.
Blacks and mulattoes led by Dessalines and Petion defeated the
army of Napoléon Bonaparte and won the war for independence.
November 19
Rochambeau, the French general succeeding Leclerc, signed a
convention to surrender his troops and evacuated St-Domingue.
November
29
Dessalines arrived triumphantly in the city of Cap with his
army. Christophe and Clerveaux issued a preliminary proclamation
of independence. Rochambeau was then a British prisoner.
December
4
The French army ceded Mole Saint-Nicolas to the army of Dessalines.
The fight for independence of the colony was officially terminated.
1803
The Haitian blue and red flag was selected in Arcahie, by taking
the French tricolor, turning it on its side and removing the
white band. The Battle of Vertières on November 18, 1803
marked the ultimate victory of the former slaves over the French.
January
1804
Jean Jacques Dessalines proclaimed the first independent black
republic in the world (Haiti). This republic was the second
country in the western hemisphere to be free besides the United
States.
ACT OF INDEPENDENCE
LIBERTY
OR DEATH
Gonaïves, January 1, 1804
Year 1 of Independence
Today, January 1, 1804, the General in Chief of the Indigenous
Army, accompanied by generals and army chiefs convoked in order
to take measures tending to the happiness of the country:
After having made known to the assembled generals his true intention
of forever ensuring to the natives of Haiti a stable government
- the object of his greatest solicitude, which he did in a speech
that made known to foreign powers the resolution to render the
country independent, and to enjoy the liberty consecrated by
the blood of the people of this island; and, after having gathered
their opinions, asked each of the assembled generals to pronounce
a vow to forever renounce France; to die rather than to live
under its domination; and to fight for independence with their
last breath.
The generals, imbued with these sacred principles, after having
with one voice given their adherence to the well manifested
project of independence, have all sworn before eternity and
before the entire universe to forever renounce France and to
die rather than live under its domination.
Signed:
Dessalines
General-in-Chief
Christophe, Pétion, Clerveaux, Vernet, Gabart
Major Generals
P.Romain, G. Gérin, L. Capois, Jean-Louis François,
Férou, Cangé, G. Bazelais
Magloire Ambroise, J.J. Herne, Toussaint Brave, Yayou
Brigadier Generals
Bonet, F. Paplier, Morelly, Chevalier, Marion
Adjutants-General
Magny, Roux
Brigade Chiefs
Chaperon, B. Goret, Macajoux, Dupuy, Carbonne, Diaquoi aîné
Raphaël, Malet, Derenoncourt
Army Officers
Boisrond Tonnerre
Secretary
1807-1820
Civil war racked the country, which was divided into the northern
kingdom of Henri Christophe, and the southern republic governed
by Alexandre Pétion. Faced with a rebellion by his own
army, Christophe committed suicide, paving the way for Jean-Pierre
Boyer to reunify the country and become President of the entire
republic in 1820. After the demise of Henri Christophe, Haiti
was overtaken by General Boyer, and civil war ceased.
1820
Henry Christophe committed suicide by shooting himself with
a silver bullet. Some believed that he was a tyrannical ruler,
reinstituted the Haitian Monarchy, built a lavish palace and
citadel-believed at some point to be one of the wonders of the
world at Cap-Haitian in the northern part of Haiti. Such accomplishments
were at great cost to Haitian lives.
1821
President Boyer invaded Santo Domingo following its declaration
of independence from Spain. The entire island is now controlled
by Haiti until 1844.
1838
Boyer paid the ransom demanded by France at the price of $150
million French francs yearly for over one hundred years. France
recognized Haitian independence in exchange for a financial
indemnity of $150 million francs. Most nations including the
United States shunned Haiti for almost sixty years, fearful
that Haiti's example could stir unrest in the US and in other
slaveholding countries. Haiti was forced to take out loans to
pay indemnity to France and gained international recognition.
As a result of the overburdening debt caused by these enormous
loans, most schools in Haiti were closed for long periods of
time. The government was unable to provide basic services to
its citizens, thus resulting in the economic catastrophe for
the Haitian people. The current misery and poverty can be directly
attributed to the government of France.
1862
The United States finally grants Haiti diplomatic recognition
sending noted abolitionist Frederick Douglass as its Consular
Minister.
1843
to 1915
Haiti sees 22 heads of state, most of whom leave office by violent
means. Rivalry continues among the whites, the mulatto elite,
and the blacks.
1915
President Guillaume Sam was dismembered and the Americans invaded
the Haiti. They remained for 19 years. Despite improvements
made to the infrastructure by the Americans, the Haitians opposed
their presence.
1934
U.S. Marines leave Haiti after 19 years, leaving behind a U.S.
trained army to maintain control.
1953
Haiti is the first Caribbean republic to sign a treaty with
Washington encouraging private U.S. investment on very favorable
terms.
1957
François Duvalier, a doctor and union leader, was elected
president. Duvalier, also known as 'Papa Doc', terrorized the
country, rooting out any and all opponents to his administration.
He was a vodun practitioner, his Loa being Baron Samedi, the
guardian of cemeteries and a harbinger of death. He ensured
his power through his private militia, the Tontons Macoutes
(which means in kreyol, "uncle boogeyman").
1964
Duvalier changes the constitution to ensure that he is president
for life. In 1964, Dr. François Duvalier declares himself
President-for-Life and forms the infamous paramilitary Tontons
Macoutes. The corrupt Duvalier dictatorship marks one of the
saddest chapters in Haitian history with tens of thousands killed
or exiled.
1971
François Duvalier dies and is succeeded by his son Jean
Claude at the age of 19 (also known as 'Baby Doc'). By this
time Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere
(and remains so to this day).
1972
The first Haitian "boat people" fleeing the country
land in Florida.
1976
Widespread protests against repression of the nation's press
take place.
1980
Jean-Claude Duvalier exploited international assistance and
sought to attract investment leading to the establishment of
textile-based assembly industries. Attempts by workers and political
parties to organize are quickly and regularly crushed.
Hundreds of human rights workers, journalists and lawyers are
arrested and exiled from the country.
1981
International aid agencies declare Haitian pigs to be carriers
of African Swine Fever and institute a program for their slaughter.
Attempts to replace indigenous swine with imported breeds largely
fail.
1983
Pope John Paul II visits Haiti and declared publicly that, "Things
must change here."
1984
Over 200 peasants are massacred at Jean-Rabel after demonstrating
for access to land. The Haitian Bishop's Conference launches
a nation-wide (but short-lived) literacy program. Anti-government
riots take place in all major towns.
1985
Massive anti-government demonstrations continue to take place
around the country. Four schoolchildren are shot dead by soldiers-an
event which unifies popular protest against the régime.
February
1986
The Duvalier regime collapsed and Jean-Claude Duvalier and his
acolytes fled to France.
1987
A new Constitution was overwhelmingly approved by the population
in March. General elections in November were aborted hours after
they began with dozens of people shot by soldiers and the Tonton
Macoutes in the capital, and scores more around the country.
1988
Military controlled elections-widely abstained from-result in
the installation of Leslie Manigat as President in January.
Manigat was ousted by General Namphy four months later, and
in November General Prosper Avril unseated Namphy.
1989
President Avril, on a trade mission to Taiwan, returned empty-handed
after grassroots-based democratic sectors informed Taiwanese
authorities that the Haitian nation will not be responsible
for any contracts agreed to by Prosper Avril. Upon his return,
Avril ordered massive repression against political parties,
unions, students and democratic organizations etc.
1990
Avril declared a state of siege in January. Rising protests
and pressures from the American Ambassador convinced Avril to
resign. A State council was formed among democratic sectors,
charged with running a Provisional Government led by Supreme
Court Justice Ertha Pascal-Trouillot.
U.S. Vice-President Dan Quayle visits Haiti and tells Army leaders,
"No more coups." Assistance is sought from the Organization
of American States (OAS) and the United Nations (UN) to help
organize general elections in December.
In a campaign marred by occasional violence and death, democratic
elections finally took place on December 16, 1990. Father Jean-Bertrand
Aristide, a parish priest, well known throughout the country
for his support for the poor, was elected President with more
than 67% of the popular vote. The "U.S. favorite"
Marc Bazin finished a distant second with 14.2%. Jean-Bertrand
Aristide was elected in a landslide victory.
March
5, 1990
Soldiers fire on demonstrators and kill an 11 year-old girl,
Rosaline Vaval, in the southern city of Petit-Goâve. This
death galvanizes the political opposition. Schools and shops
close as demonstrators fill the streets despite the army's violent
attempts to repress them.
March
10, 1990
General Avril resigns after the popular movement takes to the
streets in nation-wide protest. Supreme Court justice Ertha
Pascal-Trouillot is installed as interim President.
October 18, 1990
Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide announces his candidacy for president
under the auspices of the National Front for Change and Democracy
(FNCD).
December 16, 1990
Haiti successfully holds its first democratic election. Father
Jean-Bertrand Aristide wins 67% of the popular vote.
1991
Duvalierist mutiny and former Tonton Macoute Dr. Roger Lafontant
attempts a coup d'état to prevent Father Aristide's ascension
to power. The Armed Forces quickly remove him from the National
Palace following massive popular protest.
President
Aristide was inaugurated on February 7th, five years after Duvalier's
fall from power. A Government was formed by Prime Minister René
Préval promising to uproot the corruption of the past.
Over $500 million was promised in aid by the international community
and never released.
In September, President Aristide addressed the UN General Assembly.
Three days after his return, military personnel with financial
backing from the old regime and their international allies unleashed
a coup d'état, ousting President Aristide. Over 1,000
people were killed in the first days of the coup.
The OAS called for a hemisphere-wide embargo against the coup
régime in support of the deposed constitutional authorities.
A Military coup deposed Aristide's government, and the Organization
of American states imposed an embargo lasting a little more
than three years.
January 6, 1991
Roger Lafontant stages an unsuccessful attempted coup d'etat.
February 7, 1991
Aristide is inaugurated as President of the Republic of Haiti.
September 30, 1991
General Raoul Cédras orchestrates a coup d'état
against President Aristide. Hundreds are killed in the first
week of the coup. Aristide resides in Washington DC during most
of his exile.
October 2, 1991
OAS condemns the coup and calls for a trade embargo. U.S. Sec.
of State James Baker states, "It is imperative that we
agree, for the sake of Haitian democracy and the cause of democracy
throughout the hemisphere, to act collectively to defend the
legitimate government of President Aristide."
October 7, 1991
In a rapid change of course, White House Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater
states, "We don't know [if Aristide will return to power]
in the sense that the government in his country is changing
and considering any number of different possibilities."
1992
Negotiations between the Washington, D.C.-based exiled government,
Haiti's Parliament, and representatives of the coup régime
headed by General Raoul Cédras lead to the Washington
Protocol, which was ultimately scuttled by the coup régime.
U.S. President George Bush exempts U.S. factories from the embargo
and orders U.S. Coast Guard to interdict all Haitians leaving
the island in boats and to return them to Haiti.
The OAS embargo failed as goods continue to be smuggled through
neighboring Dominican Republic. Haiti's legitimate authorities
asked the United Nations to support a larger embargo in order
to press the coup leaders to step down. The UN pledged to support
efforts by the OAS to find a solution to the political crisis.
February 1992
Bush administration unilaterally relaxes embargo to allow U.S.
assembly plants to operate in Haiti.
February 24, 1992
Washington Protocols are signed between President Aristide and
the Haitian Parliament in which Aristide agrees to replace his
Prime Minister with a compromise candidate.
May 24, 1992
President Bush orders the U.S. Coast Guard to intercept all
Haitians leaving the island in boats and return them to Haiti
without hearing their claims for political asylum.
June 10, 1992
Marc Bazin is ratified by coup leaders as the de facto prime
minister. Bazin had been the U.S.-favored presidential candidate
in the 1990 elections.
January
1993
President Clinton imposes a naval blockade to prevent Haitian
refugees from fleeing to the U.S.
January 18, 1993
The Haitian population unanimously boycotts illegal elections.
February 1993
US/OAS mission is deployed throughout Haiti to monitor human
rights violations.
July 3, 1993
The Governors Island Accord is signed by President Aristide
and coup leader Gen. Raoul Cédras. Cédras agrees
to step down by Oct. 15, and President Aristide is scheduled
to return on October 30. The agreement was made under UN/OAS
auspices with intense international pressure on President Aristide.
It provides that the military hold power through a period of
transition.
August 1993
As called for in the Governor's Island Accord, a new "government
of consensus" is installed with business leader Robert
Malval as Prime Minister.
October 11, 1993
U.S. troop carrier, the USS Harlan County, carrying 200 U.S.
and Canadian soldiers, turns back from landing when about 100
attachés demonstrate at the port.
December 15, 1993
Prime Minister Malval resigns. Before his resignation, Malval
proposed expanding the government to include well known Duvalierists
and Tontons Macoutes.
December 26, 1993
Neo-Duvalierist group, FRAPH, sets more than 1,000 homes on
fire in the urban slum Cite Soleil, killing at least 70 people.
April
1994
Aristide supporters are massacred in Raboteau, a shantytown
in Gonaives.
1994
In May, additional sanctions were levied against the régime
through a naval blockade supported by Argentine, Canadian, French,
Dutch and U.S. warships. Tensions increased as human rights
violations continued. The civilian mission was told by the de
facto authorities to leave the country.
The UN Security Council passed Resolution 940 authorizing the
Member States to form a 6,000 multinational force and "to
use all necessary means" to facilitate the departure of
the military régime.
On September 15, U.S. President Clinton declared that all diplomatic
initiatives were exhausted and that the US with 20 other countries
would form a multinational force. On September 19, these troops
landed in Haiti after the coup leaders agreed to step down and
leave the country.
On October 15, President Aristide returned to Haiti to serve
out the rest of his term in office, facilitated by the US military
and UN troops.
April
1995
Constant disruptions of law and order result from Haiti's ineffective
justice system and lack of sufficiently-trained police force.
June & July 1995
Local and legislative elections take place. Lavalas wins a landslide
victory in the Senate and Lower House. Voter turnout is scarce,
however, and election results are contested. Of the 27 participating
parties, 23 refuse to recognize the results.
Haiti hosts the annual OAS General Assembly at Montrouis.
November
1995
In November, Prime Minister Smarck Michel stepped down and Foreign
Minister Claudette Werleigh becomes President Aristide's fourth
Prime Minister.
December
17, 1995
Presidential elections take place, but only 25% of the voters
participate. The race is won by former Prime Minister René
Préval, and for the first time in Haitian history, power
is yielded from one elected leader to another.
February
7, 1996
Préval is inaugurated and Rosny Smarth later becomes
Prime Minister.
October 18, 1996
Structural adjustment plan framework accepted.
December 1996
Divisions within the Lavalas Political Organization are manifested
by Aristide's formation of the Fanmi Lavalas (Lavalas Family).
April
1997
Elections take place for 9 senators, two deputies, members of
564 local assemblies and 133 municipal representatives. Popularly
considered fraudulent elections, voter turnout is extremely
low, with less than a 10% presence at the polls.
June 1997
Prime Minister Rosny Smarth resigns.
November 1997
1,200 UN troops withdraw. 300 police instructors and 400 U.S.
troops remain.
February 1998
The Organization du People en Lutte, formerly known as the Organization
Politique Lavalas, no longer demands that the results of the
April 1997 elections be repealed.
January 1999
President Préval appoints Education Minister Jacques
Edouard Alexis as Prime Minister. As a result of its expired
term, President Préval refuses to recognize parliament.
March 1999
A new government and provisional electoral council (CEP) are
sworn in.
July 16, 1999
President Préval signs the Provisional Electoral Law,
nullifying the 1997 elections and preparing for the fall elections.
March 27, 2000
After numerous election delays, the US calls the date of June
12 the "line in the sand" for the new Haitian parliament
to be seated. According to Article 152 of the Haitian Constitution,
the parliament is seated for its second session after a recess
on the second Sunday in June. Sanctions against Haiti are threatened,
including economic and diplomatic isolation and the denial of
US visas to those seen obstructing the democratic process.
April 3, 2000
Radio journalist Jean Leopold Dominique is assassinated in the
parking lot of his radio station, Radio Haiti International,
on Delmas.
May 21, 2000
Local and legislative elections are held. International observers
praised Haiti's elections as largely peaceful, free and fair.
The CEP announced that more than 60% of the registered voters
participated, the largest turn out since Dec 1990.
May 22, 2000
A group of political parties calling themselves the Group de
Convergence claim electoral irregularities. Their principle
claim is that one million ballots were stolen, unobserved by
national and international observers. This was denied by the
CEP.
June 1, 2000
The CEP releases election results stating that of the eight
departments that had held the vote FL won 16 out of 17 seats
in the senate in the first round. Of the 83 seats in the House
of Deputies, FL won 28 outright.
June 2, 2000
The OAS observation mission notes that according to the provisions
of the Electoral Law the methodology used to calculate the vote
percentages for Senate candidates is not correct.
June 16, 2000
President of the CEP, Manus, seeks asylum in a foreign mission
crosses the border to the Dominican Republic en route to the
US.
August 22, 2000
Haiti's newly elected parliament convenes. Fanmi Lavalas spokesperson
Yvon Neptune was appointed president of the Senate.
November 26, 2000
Elections are held for president and eight senate seats. The
CEP reports 60% voter turn out with Aristide winning 92% of
the votes cast.
February 7, 2001
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, 47, is inaugurated without disturbance,
although 10 people were arrested due to a plot to use bomb to
disturb the ceremonies. The Democratic Convergence inaugurates
its own president, Gerard Gourgue.
April 6, 2001
The United States Executive Director at the Inter-American Development
Bank uses his influence to stop disbursement of four pending
humanitarian loans.
November 8, 2001
The U.S. Congressional Black Caucus takes up the issue of de
facto economic sanctions, which have been in place in Haiti
since 1997 (when efforts to privatize state-owned enterprises
failed). They send a letter to President George Bush.
December 17, 2001
A coup attempt is unsuccessful in the early hours of the morning.
Two police officers are killed. Thousands pour into the streets
to defend democracy. Some protesters destroy offices and homes
belonging to the Convergence.
December 2001
The U.S. government secretly changes its policy towards Haitian
refugees, requiring indefinite detention.
January 2002
High-level OAS/CARICOM delegation investigates the political
impasse in Haiti.
February 22, 2002
US Congressional Black Caucus unanimously agreed that the US
should lift its veto on disbursing millions of dollars in aid
to impoverished Haiti. "The failure to find a solution
to the political impasse between Aristide's government and the
opposition party coalition could lead to anarchy in the near
future," warned Conyers in a written statement.
March 4, 2002
Senator Yvon Neptune is appointed Prime Minister. Neptune was
a senator for the Western province of Haiti, and former spokesman
for the Lavalas Family party. Senior Lavalas officials agreed
Senator Neptune was a good choice.
July 2, 2002
The OAS releases its report on the coup attempt of December
17, 2001. Their findings do not include conclusive evidence
that the attack was intended to be a coup. They call on the
Haitian Government to investigate and prosecute all offenders
in reprisal attacks.
August 2, 2002
During a prison break in Gonaives, popular leader Amiot Metayer
is freed from jail. Along with him several criminals convicted
for their participation in the Raboteau massacre are freed as
well, most notably Jean Tatoune.
September 4, 2002
The OAS unanimously agrees to Resolution 822 calling for new
elections, disarmament, increased security and normalization
of economic relations between Haiti and the international financial
institutions, among other things.
October 29, 2002
Over 200 Haitians arrive in Miami seeking asylum. Their dramatic
arrival is covered by the U.S. press.
January 2003
Government of Haiti cuts petrol subsidy to encourage the re-engagement
of the IMF.
March 19, 2003
High-level OAS/CARICOM delegation arrives in Haiti.
April 23, 2003
Attorney General John Ashcroft issues a decision to detain all
Haitians, even those granted bonds, on the basis of Homeland
Security. He cited an increase in third country nations using
Haiti as a staging point as the reason.
May 8, 2003
Haitian authorities reach an agreement with the IMF on its Staff-Monitored
Program (SMP).
June 20, 2003
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry approves two projects
to create Free Trade Zones, including on the Maribahoux Plain
at the border with the Dominican Republic.
September 22, 2003
Longtime community leader from Raboteau, Gonaives, Amiot "Kiben"
Metayer, is found murdered near Saint Marc.
September 2003
The 47th Haitian legislature closes it session after proposing
three amendments to the 1987 Constitution: 1. To formally abolish
the Haitian Army, 2. To remove life restrictions on dual citizenship,
and 3. To replace three-member mayoral cartels with a single
mayor.
October 9, 2003
The Group of 184, led by factory owner Andre Apaid, Jr. joins
the political opposition, the Democratic Convergence.
The World Bank's private sector financing arm approves its first
loan to Haiti since 1998, for the free trade zone project at
the border of the Dominican Republic on the Maribahoux Plain.
November-December 2003
Anti-government protesters clash with pro-government supporters
several times. The Group of 184 and Democratic Convergence begin
to advocate a violent overthrow of the Haitian government. Most
violence occurs when opposition marchers deviate from the agreed-upon
routes for their protests and intentionally confront pro-government
protesters. Some 100 people are injured, and approximately 45
are killed. The Haitian National Police use tear gas and fire
shots in the air but do not use unnecessary force to break up
protests.
December 19, 2003
President Aristide revives a compromise proposal from the Haitian
Conference of Catholic Bishops. He encourages the opposition
to accept their proposal, which would create a nine-member council
to oversee the next elections. The Democratic Convergence rejects
President Aristide's invitation for compromise, and declares
it will only participate if President Aristide steps down or
is removed from power.
December 26, 2003
The Inter-American Development Bank begins disbursement on loans
held up since 2000.
January 1, 2004
The Haitian people celebrate the 200th Anniversary of their
victory over slavery. Opposition members, including the Group
of 184 and the Democratic Convergence, protest the bicentennial.
Feb.2004
to May 2006
Aristide was kidnapped from Haiti and flew on a US chartered
plane to the Central African Republic, and currently lives in
South Africa. Boniface Alexandre, President (chief justice)
of Haiti's Supreme Court, assumed office as interim President
in accordance with Haiti's constitution. On recommendation from
the Council of Elders, the President chose Gerard Latortue as
interim Prime Minister. Haiti is currently under occupation
of the United Nations, a situation contrary to the UN mandate.
May
14, 2006 to Present
René Garcia Préval was reelected and inaugurated
as President of Haiti. Haiti is currently under occupation of
the United Nations, a situation contrary to the UN mandate.
