Page 191 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo II

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haiti – The path to peace – Minustah

AUrELIANo PINTo DE MoUrA

the repubLic of haiti
The Republic of Haiti (The Land of the Mountains) occupies half of the western side of
Hispaniola Island in the Caribbean Sea; on the east side there is the Dominican Republic.
Haiti is the first Nation to be independent in Latin America in the year 1804 and the first black
republic in the world. There are nearly eight million and four hundred thousand inhabitants,
of which two million live at the capital, Porto Principe. Most of the people are illiterate and
live below the poverty line.
Haiti official language is French, but Creole language is spoken by most of the popula-
tion. The Catholicism is predominant, however voodoo is spread all around the country.
there are similarities between voodoo and Brazilian candomblé and ubanda.

historicaL background
Hispaniola Island was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1492. In less than 200
years the island transformed from a pirates land to a formal colony, producing sugar cane, us-
ing slave labor. In 1697 the western side of the island was given to France, getting the name
of Saint Domingue.
Under influence of French Revolution, in 1794 there was a bloody rebellion comprising
500.000 black slaves, conducting Toussaint Loverture to be the chief of government in 1801.
Two years later the island was recaptured by the French forces. Loverture was arrested and
sent to France where he died soon afterwards. Dessalines, a former slave, conducted a new
rebellion till the independence in January 1804, when Haiti was formally established as a
formal independent country. During the rebellion, thousands of people died at the same time
sugar mills were destroyed. In October Dessalines was proclaimed emperor.
In 1814 the eastern side of the island was retaken by Spain where today is the Dominican
Republic.
After two emperors and many presidents, in constant crisis, corruption and financial scan-
dals provoked the American intervention by US marines in 1915, under the allegation of
protection of American citizens, with Haiti losing control over its finances, health and public
services. Only in 1941 the situation was finally controlled by the Haitian government.
From 1957 on, again in crisis and in constant instability Haiti lived another turbulent
period, under a harsh and bloody dictatorship of François Duvalier which lasted till 1971.
He was followed by his son, Jean Claude till 1986. Obliged to flee the country by the Haitian
people, Jean Claude exiled in France, leaving the country under a military and civilian junta.
The population, out of control, began to attack the former officials of the deposed dictator-
ship, sacking the cities and looting even cemeteries.
There was a transition government, led by General Henry Namphy, again with violence
and unrest, when a priest called Bertrand Aristide came to political evidence. A tough Duva-