Haiti

Key Figures & Organizations

• Jean-Bertrand Aristide - President of Haiti (1991, 1994-1996, 2001 - 2004.) Haiti's first democratically-elected leader. Aristide was forced to flee the country in February 2004.
• Boniface Alexandre - the interim Haiti president following Aristide's forced departure in February 2004. Alexandre was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and as such was next in line for the office.
• Yvon Neptune - Prime Minister of Haiti, appointed by Aristide on March 15, 2002.
• Buteur Metayer - leader of the "National Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Haiti".
• National Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Haiti - a rebel group in Haiti that presently controls most of the country. The group can be considered an alliance between two elements within the rebellion: armed anti-government gangs and former soldiers of the disbanded Haitian army. Demanded only resignation of Aristide and the reconstitution of the Haitian army.
• Democratic Convergence - An opposition group consisting of all of Haiti's major opposition parties. It was formed in May 2000 to dispute electoral policy of the ruling Fanmi Lavalas party.
• Fanmi Lavalas - the majority political party in Haiti. Aristide, the Neptune, and most of Haiti's current senators belong to this party. It was accused of unfairly operating elections beginning in 2000.

history

• 1843 - 1915
  Haiti's government changed 22 times. Countless coups and conspiracies, numerous periods of intense political and economic disorder.
• July 28, 1915
  US forces invade Haiti in response to a bank dispute concerning Haiti's artificial currency inflation.
• 1915 - 1934
  The US Army occupies Haiti for 19 years. During the first five years 3,000 Haitans are killed by the occupying forces. Many more were subjected to involuntary servitude.
• 1957
  François Duvalier is elected to the presidency. His regime was repressive and corrupt, combining violence against political opponents with exploitation of the traditional religious practices.
• 1964
  François Duvalier proclaimed himself president for life.
• 1971
  François Duvalier dies. François Duvalier's son Jean-Claude Duvalier ("Baby Doc") succeeds him.
• February 7, 1986
  Duvalier family dictatorship ends. A constitution was ratified that provides for an elected, bicameral parliament, an elected president that serves as head of state, and a prime minister, cabinet, ministers, and supreme court appointed by the president with parliament's consent.
• December 1990
  Jean-Bertrand Aristide won 67% of the vote in a presidential election that international observers deemed fair and free.
• February 7, 1991
  Jean-Bertrand Aristide takes office.
• September 30, 1991
  Jean-Bertrand Aristide is overthrown in a violent coup led by dissatisfied elements of the army and supported by many of the country's economic elite. Aristide exiled.
• September 1991 - July 1994
  Aristide in exile. Military rule. Approx. 3,000-5,000 Haitians killed. More than 40,000 Haitian refugees rescued by the US coast guard. Economic sanctions further hurt Haiti's economy.
• July 3, 1993
  UN-sponsored "Governors Island Agreement" failed when the military refused to hold up its end of the agreements.
• July 31, 1994
  The UN Security Council adopted UN Security Council Resolution 940, authorizing member nations to use all means necessary to remove Haiti's military leadership and restore the constitutionally elected government to power. An international force of 21,000 eventually lands in Haiti. Haiti leaders agree to step down and surrender w/o bloodshed.
• 1995 - 2000
  A multinational peacekeeping force is kept in Haiti. The force begins with 21,000 members and eventually dwindles to 80 UN technical advisors.
• December 1995
  Rene Preval wins the presidency with 88% of the vote.
• April 1997
  Senate elections draw only 5% of voters and are plagued by allegations of fraud and not certified free and fair by international observers.
• May 21, 2000
  Senate elections draw over 60% of voters. A disputed methodology was used to determine winners, which greatly benefited the Fanmi Lavalas party. All major opposition parties join to create the Democratic Convergence. The Convergence condemns the elections.
• November 26, 2000
  Elections boycotted by all major opposition parties. Very low voter turnout. Jean-Bertrand Aristide of the Fanmi Lavalas party wins the presidential election with 92% of the vote. Fanmi Lavalas wins all of the 9 senator positions. Elections are not certified as free and fair by international observers.
• December 14, 2000
  The Democratic Convergence announces the creation of a provisional government to assume office on February 7 - the day of president-elect Aristide's inauguration. The primary objective of this "government" would be to organize new elections. A United States diplomatic mission obtained Aristide's agreement to an eight-point plan that among others things would revise the May elections and create a new electoral council.
• February 7, 2001
  Jean-Bertrand Aristide was sworn in as the new Haitian president. That same day, the Democratic Convergence swore in Gerard Gourgue "Provisional President of the Government of Consensus and National Union."
• late 2003 - January 2004
  Opposition objections postponed elections beyond January 2004, when terms for most legislators expired. Aristide begins rule by decree.
• February 5, 2004
  A revolt breaks out in the city of Gonaïves, instigated by a militant gang called the "National Revolutionary Front for the Liberation of Haiti." Rebellion quickly begins to spread.
• February 22, 2004
  Rebels take Haiti's second-largest city Cap-Haïtien. International diplomats offer a plan to 1) limit Artistide's power and allow him to remain in office until the end of his term, 2) appoint a new government which would include the opposition. Aristide accepts the plan, but the rebels reject it.
• February 29, 2004
  Rebels march towards Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince. Aristide agrees to rebel demands by resigning from office and fleeing the country. Supreme Court chief Boniface Alexandre succeeds him as interim president.

misc

• Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
• Haiti has been ruled by political violence and corrupt dictators for most of its history.
• The American and French governments claims that the crisis was of Mr. Aristide's making and that he was not acting in the best interests of his country; His removal was necessary for future stability in the island nation.
• Aristide claims he was kidnapped by U.S. soldiers and forced into exile, but the United States insists that he resigned voluntarily.
• Under the Haitian constitution, new presidential elections must be held between 45 and 90 days after Aristide's resignation.
• John Kerry has criticized President Bush for not aiding or supporting Haiti's democratically-elected leaders in times of need.
• US officials have stated that the military rebels would not play a role in the country's political reconstruction, and have called them to go disarm and go home. The rebel leader has agreed.
• The UN has authorized member nations to dispatch troops to remain for three months, after which they are to be replaced by an international civilian police force.
• 1,900 troops have arrived in Haiti - 1,200 Americans, 500 french, 130 Chileans and 60 Canadians. The number could grow to 5,000 soldiers (2,000 of them American marines) by the end of March 2004.
• 20,000 police would be required to re-establish order in Haiti. Training and equiping this many police could take years.
• Aristide still claims that he is Haiti's current elected president. He is calling for "peaceful resistance" to the occupation. The US has stated that Aristide has resigned and is no longer president.