The Republic of Haiti

Background Area: 27,750 square kilometers Population 8.5 million –Density: 302 per square kilometer –95% African descent –Remainder mixed Caucasian-African –Speak Creole; official language is French GDP 4.3 billion Government: Republic –Legislative, executive, judicial Independence: 1804

Political History Spain colonized Hispaniola –A key island in various colonial efforts to control Caribbean (Spanish, French, British) African slaves imported to replace Taino –Sugar cane plantation economy evolves –1791 slave rebellion – Toussaint L’Overture (against French) – launches long term war of attrition. 1804, independence from France – renamed Haiti –Haitian independence credited with convincing Napoleon to sell Louisiana to USA –Haiti second oldest Republic in Western Hemisphere –Oldest Black Republic

Political History s –Period of political re-organization of Hispaniola –1844, Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo) breaks away from Haiti –22 changes of government, intense political and economic disorder : U.S. military occupation –Prompted by instability

Duvalier Dictatorship Military Dictatorship – family Haiti ruled by a series of provisional governments

Jean Bertrand-Aristide –67% of the vote (12/1990) –Roman Catholic Priest –Overthrown in September (1991) –Army coup/elite alliance Governs until 1993 International efforts to promote transition to democracy fail – military refuses to step down 1994 UN adopts resolution 940 – authorizes member states to use all resources to facilitate the capture of military leadership and restore democracy.

1994 Clinton administration threatens military invasion Dispatches negotiation team led by Jimmy Carter –General Raoul Cedras agrees to accept the intervention of the multinational force –September 19, 1994 MNF arrives (21,000) –October 1994 military leaders and families departed for exile elections held –Pro-Aristide coalition (Lavalas Political Organization, OPL) wins all levels of government –Feb 96 term ends, barred from re-election, Aristide agrees to presidential election 12/1995 –Aristide ally, Rene Preval wins 88% of the vote –1996, Feb 7 th Preval sworn in (5 year term) –1 st transition between democratically elected officials

Gridlock Aristide breaks with OPL coalition Creates new party - Lavalas Family April 1997 elections – (1/3 Senate, majority of parliament, local officials) –Fraud –5% participation rate –Not certified by international observers as free and fair –Partisan conflict –Local elections scheduled for 1998 unable to be organized Preval dismisses incumbents with expired terms (most of the Chamber of Deputies) converts offices to state employee status and appoints individuals to these positions President and Prime Minister rule by decree

May 21, 2000 elections Elections to select officials for –Chamber of Deputies –2/3rds Senate –Local councils –Municipal governments –Town delegates Multiple party candidates Turnout exceeds 60%

Erroneous vote counting Vote counting methodology to determine winners of Senate seats flawed. –FL Aristide’s new party set to sweep the election Domestic and international controversy ensues –CEP president fled rather than release erroneous results –OAS, CARICOM, USA exert pressure to resolve the vote tabulation errors –International lenders refuse to extend credit (Haiti would not delay seating new – erroneously elected – parliament.) Democratic Convergence –Opposition party coalition –Calls for annulment of May elections and new elections

Flawed elections, the return of the Aristide & International Involvement Despite unresolved nature of vote count Aristide assumes presidency Feb 7, 2001 Consequences: –International community continues to negotiate for a political resolution –July 2001 political violence between FL and OPL breaks out continues to December –Negotiations between the parties are suspended. January 2002 – OAS Adopts Resolution 808 –Call to address political violence, stalemate, spreading human rights problems –OAS special mission begins work in Haiti, climate continues to deteriorate –Economic collapse – humanitarian disaster loom

Consequences… September 4, 2002 OAS adopts resolution 822 –Calls for resolution by committing Haitian government to blueprint for restoration of security, free, fair elections Protest strikes, attacks on opposition by government supported gangs continue Nov 02- Feb 03 separation intensifies Opposition calls for Aristide to step down spring 2003 Government forces openly attack opposition, civilians, opposition leaders murdered. Despite international negotiations stability deteriorates to end of 2003 January 2004 – Aristide meets with CARICOM officials –Discussion of plan to resolve the crisis –By Feb 21 plan still not implemented –CARICOM asks for schedule –Armed anti-government groups emerge around the country taking control of various sectors. –February 29, 2004 Aristide resigns and flees to South Africa

Interim Government steps in –Following the constitution Supreme Court Justice Boniface Alexander assumes presidency –Mandate to organize new elections –Managed to organize three rounds (with UN/OAS assistance) –New government selected Feb 7, 2006 –Rene Preval wins 51.15% of the electorate In excess of 60% turnout

New Parliament Parliament –30 seat Senate –99 seat Chamber of Deputies Elected in two rounds – Feb and April 2006 –Multiple party participation resulted in plurality outcomes –Fusion, Union, Alyans, OPL, Famni Lavals parties gained seats in both chambers