The U. So far, the U. The definition of democracy in the U. After all, Haiti was the first country the world to abolish slavery. Fourteen days after declaring independence from France, in , the Haitian chief of state Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared Haiti would provided refuge and guaranteed freedom for all and any Black persons who reached its shores. Dessalines was soon killed. But what Haitians want has been ignored since , the last time a Haitian president was assassinated.
That opened the door for a brutal year U. Even before , there were 19 U. Several presidents elected by Haitians have been overthrown with the U. Poor Haitian people, the majority, massively voted for him, and he brought people like them — the peasants, the urban working classes — into power. This horrified the Haitian middle and upper classes. Aristide was overthrown by the Haitian army seven months into office. He later returned to power and was overthrown again — a coup he says was U.
Natives of Haiti! My happy fate was to be one day the sentinel who would watch over the idol to which you sacrifice; I have watched, sometimes fighting alone, and if I have been so fortunate as to return to your hands the sacred trust you confided to me, know that it is now your task to preserve it.
In fighting for your liberty, I was working for my own happiness. Before consolidating it with laws that will guarantee your free individuality, your leaders, who I have assembled here, and I, owe you the final proof of our devotion. Generals and you, leaders, collected here close to me for the good of our land, the day has come, the day which must make our glory, our independence, eternal. If there could exist among us a lukewarm heart, let him distance himself and tremble to take the oath which must unite us.
Let us vow to ourselves, to posterity, to the entire universe, to forever renounce France, and to die rather than live under its domination; to fight until our last breath for the independence of our country. And you, a people so long without good fortune, witness to the oath we take, remember that I counted on your constancy and courage when I threw myself into the career of liberty to fight the despotism and tyranny you had struggled against for 14 years.
Remember that I sacrificed everything to rally to your defense; family, children, fortune, and now I am rich only with your liberty; my name has become a horror to all those who want slavery.
Despots and tyrants curse the day that I was born. If ever you refused or grumbled while receiving those laws that the spirit guarding your fate dictates to me for your own good, you would deserve the fate of an ungrateful people. But I reject that awful idea; you will sustain the liberty that you cherish and support the leader who commands you.
The invasion ended with the Haitian-American Treaty of The articles of this agreement created the Haitian Gendarmerie, essentially a military force made up of U. The United States gained complete control over Haitian finances, and the right to intervene in Haiti whenever the U.
Government deemed necessary. The U. The selection of a President that did not represent the choice of the Haitian populace increased unrest in Haiti. Following the successful manipulation of the elections, the Wilson administration attempted to strong-arm the Haitian legislature into adopting a new constitution in This constitution allowed foreign land ownership, which had been outlawed since the Haitian Revolution as a way to prevent foreign control of the country.
Extremely reluctant to change the long-standing law, the legislature rejected the new constitution. Law-makers began drafting a new anti-American constitution, but the United States forced President Dartiguenave dissolve the legislature, which did not meet again until Embassy in Washington DC. UN mission in Haiti.
Republic of Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince. Image source, EPA. Image source, Getty Images. Numerous local radio stations, such as this one, were destroyed in the quake. Read full media profile.
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