History of Haiti - an overview

HAITI -  AN OVERVIEW

(with excerpts from "After the Earthquake" by  Paul Farmer and from Wikipedia)

Haiti occupies the western portion of the island of Hispaniola (along with the Dominican Republic). 

It is a largely mountainous, densely populated land of 10 million people.  Due to its extreme poverty over the last 200 years, it has been mostly deforested, much of the farming land depleted, and many of the poor have left their traditional villages and moved into overcrowded cities where there is 80-90% unemployment among males.  The capital, Port au Prince, has about half of the country’s people living in it, where people eke out a living on the streets.

Since the earthquake in January, 2010, progress has been made in clearing away rubble and some rebuilding, but several hundred thousand are still living in tent cities.  The National Palace (akin to our Capital) still sits in ruins, as well as the National Cathedral.

While billions in reconstruction aid was pledged from around the world, only a small portion of this has been able to be utilized to date, due to the lack  of an effective government and physical and economic infrastructure.  Less than 1 % of the aid that has been implemented has been channeled through the government, further perpetuating its ineffectiveness.  One very positive step is the soon to be completed state of the art hospital, medical and nursing schools 35 miles north of the capital.  This is a joint venture between Partners in Health (Dr. Paul Farmer’s organization) and the Public Health Ministry, and is a model of the kind of public/private partnership for development that is needed.  Bill Clinton heads a United Nations development effort for Haiti that is playing a critical lead role in present and future development.

Education, which is key to the country’s future, only reaches about half of the children, and some of that is very  inadequate.  There is little or no public education, so  that only those who pay can attend in most cases.   A small, wealthy elite class (less than 10% of the population) controls almost all the power and economic resources in the country, part of the reason a broad-based, stable, democratic government able to govern effectively has yet to emerge.

A Brief History

1492-  Hipaniola is the site of Europe’s first New World settlement after Columbus arrives.

The native Taino population is severely  exploited, and in less than 200 years is totally wiped out by abuse and new diseases.

1697-  The western third of the island is ceded to France, and soon becomes the wealthiest slave colony in the New World, exporting sugar, rice and coffee from huge plantations.

1791 to 1803- Slave revolts and protracted wars with European and American armies, led by Toussaint Louverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines, finally drive out Napoleon’s army.  On Jan. 1, 1804, Haiti declares its independence, the first and only nation born of a slave revolt.

1825-  Light-skinned Haitian elites, who had been consolidating economic and political power, sign a treaty  with France that requires Haiti to pay millions in reparations in exchange for recognition.  The United States and other European powers continue to withhold recognition and impose economic boycotts.  (Lincoln finally recognizes Haiti in 1862.)   Meanwhile Haiti supports Simon Bolivar’s liberation efforts in South America.

1915-  After another of many internal coups, the US Marines invaded Haiti.  US banks took over the Haitian treasury and the Marines disbanded the remnant of the  revolutionary army.  Brutal suppression of popular revolts followed.

1934-  Roosevelt ends the Marine occupation of Haiti.  A US-trained army and a small number of wealthy families hold power.

1957-  Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier is “selected” as president, cementing his power through a personal militia and terror until he died in 1971.  He was succeeded by his son, “Baby  Doc,” for another 15 years.

1986-  After the Duvaliers are forced from power, a new constitution is drafted, declaring Haitian Creole the official language.  Military and economic elites continue to vie for power.  Popular uprisings demanding political, social and economic rights for the poor continue to grow, but are violently attacked by the military and those  in power.

1990-  After several failed attempts to hold democratic elections, a social activist and Catholic priest, Jean-Betrand Aristide, was elected president with 67% of the vote.  Seven months later, his government is toppled by a military coup.

1994-  President Clinton restores Aristide to power with a bloodless military  occupation.  The Haitian army is disbanded.  Aristide hands over power in 1996 (the end of his original 5 year term) to Rene Preval.

2000-  Aristide is re-elected with 92% of the vote, in an election boycotted by the opposition.  The US begins to withdraw its support of the government.

2004-  Haiti’s bicentennial of independence.  Former army members lead revoltsHHHis in outlying cities, leading to Aristide’s resignation and exile.  UN peacekeepers enter the country.

2006-  Preval is re-elected in a UN supervised election, defeating a US backed candidate.

2008-  Four major tropical storms wipe out a quarter of the Haitian economy.  Bill Clinton is appointed US special envoy to oversee rebuilding the economy after the storms.

2010-  A massive January earthquake destroys much of central Port au Prince, killing 300,000 and leaving many more homeless.

2011-  Singer Michel Martelly is elected president, but the parliament refuses to either elect or work with his candidates for prime minister, effectively paralyzing the government.