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 revolts
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.
