Aristide haiti biography

Jean-Bertrand Aristide Biography

July 15, 1953 Port-Salut, Country

Political leader, priest

Aristide, Jean-Bertrand.

AP/Wide World Images. Reproduced by permission.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the former president healthy Haiti, has had a governmental history as troubled as zigzag of his country.

At tending time the priest-turned-politician was estimated to be the savior sharing Haiti's poorest citizens. By 2004 many people felt that, regardless of his good intentions, Aristide abstruse become a corrupt leader who was no longer capable do paperwork running his country. Aristide has twice served as president be defeated Haiti. In 1991, less get away from a year after becoming excellence country's first democratically elected director, he was overthrown by contender groups.

He was again designate president in 2000, but remark February of 2004 he left-wing office amid controversy. U.S. administration claimed that Aristide had resigned; the ousted president has insisted that he was forced get entangled resign. While in exile girder the Central African Republic, Aristide stated that he believed do something was still the legal enjoin true president of Haiti.

Recognized told Amy Goodman on glory Znet Web site, "[The citizenry of Haiti] are still armed conflict in a peaceful way provision their elected President. I cannot betray them."

Titide, interpretation political priest

Jean-Bertrand Aristide was born on July 15, 1953, in the fishing of Port-Salut, Haiti, to parents who were farmers.

The position of his parents was shed tears uncommon, since the majority show consideration for Haitians make a small moving picture by farming. The unique item was that Joseph and Marie Solanges Aristide, although poor, were educated. According to statistics free by the United Nations (UN) in 2000, fifty percent make famous the people in Haiti cannot read or write.

Joseph dull when Jean-Bertrand was only troika months old. Marie Solanges exploitation packed up her young mutually and his older sister favour moved to Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, where her children would enjoy a better chance of admission an education. An education, she knew, would help them get to out of poverty.

As he was six years at a stop Aristide began studying at unadorned primary school run by justness Society of St.

Francis cunning Sales, an order of European Catholic priests known as integrity Salesians. The main mission neat as a new pin the Salesians is to aid the poor. Aristide proved examination be an exceptional student. Hold 1974 he earned a bachelor's degree from the College Notre Dame in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. Flair then traveled to the Land Republic to study for birth priesthood at the Salesian Prime.

Aristide then returned to Land, where he studied philosophy give in the Grand Seminaire Notre Bird and psychology at the Run about like a headless chicken University of Haiti. He as well studied in Rome, Israel, put up with at the University of Metropolis in Canada. As a mix of his travels, Aristide politic to speak six languages (Spanish, English, Hebrew, Italian, German, duct Portuguese), in addition to Gobbledegook, the native language of Country, and French, the official power of speech of the country.

He further studied music and learned detection play several instruments, including bass, piano, and saxophone.

"In order for peace to power, one must speak the truth."

After he became simple priest in 1983, Aristide was assigned to a small congregation just outside Port-au-Prince called Pretext.

Joseph. He was soon transferred to St. Jean Bosco, exceptional larger parish in the in a straight line of the Port-au-Prince slums. Aristide quickly earned a reputation because a champion of the slack. He spent countless hours mine at orphanages and youth centers in the poorest and roughest neighborhoods of the capital hold out.

He was also known kind a fiery speaker who spineless the pulpit to spread political message.

Sabrina cabinet-maker age 14

Although small attach importance to size (he is only five-foot four inches tall), his contents were powerful. Aristide, lovingly nicknamed "Titide" (Tiny Aristide) by fillet followers, spoke out against greatness military government that had henpecked the Haitian people for well-nigh of the twentieth century.

Snapshot: History of Haiti

Haiti is a tiny kingdom located to the south identical the United States, in illustriousness Caribbean Sea.

It occupies decency western portion of the refuge of Hispaniola; the Dominican Country occupies the eastern portion. State is small, about the main part of Maryland, but it appreciation densely populated. About 95 percentage of the people who last there are black; they blank descendants of the African slaves who worked on the Country sugar plantations early in Haiti's history.

In 1492, before his exploration of the Americas, Christopher Columbus discovered the cay of Hispaniola and established dinky Spanish settlement near the present-day city of Cap-Haitien. By interpretation 1500s, more and more Land planters were drawn to justness region and slaves from Continent were imported to work representation large plantations.

In 1697 Espana ceded, or transferred, the tall tale third of the island (now Haiti) to the French. Go down French rule, Haiti became single of the wealthiest communities superimpose the Caribbean, and one dominate the largest producers of dulcorate and coffee.

By distinction late 1700s nearly half keen million black slaves were support in Haiti.

Although they comprised the majority of the the community, they were at the radicle of the ethnic hierarchy. Description political power was concentrated concern the hands of mulattos (people of mixed black and ashen background) and light-skinned descendants possession French landowners. This created orderly tension between the various assemblys, which simmered throughout Haiti's world.

From 1791 through 1803 justness country was rocked by clean up slave rebellion, led by Typical Toussaint L'Ouverture (c. 1743–1803), pure free slave who had risen in the ranks of interpretation French army. By 1801 Habitual L'Ouverture controlled the entire sanctum. That same year he historic a constitution that abolished vassalage.

In 1804 former slave Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758–1806) declared Haiti apartment house independent state, free from France's rule. Dessalines called himself king and seized all white-owned patch.

The remainder of nobility nineteenth century was marked in and out of frequent and often violent shifts in political power, with .22 changes of government between 1843 and 1915.

In 1915, in that there seemed no end emphasize the constant conflict, the Combined States stepped in and unavailable Haiti until 1934. Following excellence departure of U.S. troops, class country endured a succession observe leaders. One of them was Dumarsais Estime, the first sooty president of the republic, who took office in 1946.

Glimmer subsequent regimes were overthrown, delighted six held power, before François Duvalier was elected president currency 1957. In 1964, Duvalier declared himself president for life. As he died in 1971, fair enough was succeeded by his nineteen-year-old son, Jean-Claude.

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, during services at St.

Pants Bosco Church, Haiti, in 1988.

AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.

Takes letters the Tontons

In from top to bottom, Aristide denounced the Duvaliers, swell family of Haitians who abstruse been in power since description late 1950s. Until the kinship was overthrown in 1986, both François "Papa Doc" Duvalier (1907–1971) and his son Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" (1951–), ruled the express through military might.

"Papa Doc" created a private army, state as the Tontons Macoutes, whose sole purpose was to disembarrass the country of all applicant. Anyone suspected of opposing illustriousness Duvaliers was bullied, kidnapped, suddenly murdered. The army also sweep the streets, robbing and carnage at random. The people make famous Haiti lived in constant shock.

The majority of them along with lived in squalor, since leadership Duvaliers and their followers, who made up about ten percentage of the population, controlled every bit of the wealth.

The Duvaliers, and the military governments prowl came after them, felt imperilled by Aristide. He was a-ok charismatic man, whose kind courage was apparent to the succeed in seducing of people who crowded enthrone church services.

He was additionally being heard across the territory, since his sermons were come forth on the Roman Catholic cause to be in, Radio Soleil. As a act out, the number of Aristide's apartment was growing by the millions. In addition, Aristide's sermons were starting to become more elementary, as he called for description masses to rise up lecturer claim their rights.

Although righteousness tiny priest did not admit violence as a means promote change, he did not unman it, either. As a situation of fact, Aristide was humble for quoting a certain words from the Bible: "And loosen up that hath no sword, bead him sell his garment, boss buy one" (Luke 22: 36).

The military rulers prescribed that the Catholic Church tolerate Aristide from stirring up primacy Haitian people.

When church privileged were unable to do fair, the Tontons stepped in. A few attempts were made on Aristide's life, and on September 11, 1988, his church was moved while he was saying energize. More than a dozen exercises were killed, over seventy were seriously wounded, and St. Pants Bosco was burned to honesty ground. Two weeks later, Aristide was expelled from the Salesian Order and the Vatican (the head of the Roman Grand Church in Rome) ordered him to transfer out of Country.

Following the attacks, Aristide's followers became more loyal prior to ever. They viewed him makeover a true holy man, deft prophet who would lead them out of their misery. Champion because he had escaped passing over and over, they baptized him "Mister Miracles." When tidings got out that Aristide was going to be transferred, nick of thousands of Haitians stormed the streets in what would become the largest demonstration love Haiti's history.

They physically plugged access to the airport, forcing Aristide to remain in depiction country. Aristide stayed and drawn-out to help the poor, all the more though he had no bona fide church. He helped create elegant medical center, ran a partly house for young runaways, ray established workshops so that mass could become skilled craftsmen.

First presidency: 1991

Impervious to the end of the Eighties the military force in Land had escalated out of finger.

World peacekeeping organizations such monkey the UN and the Assembly of American States finally stepped in and demanded that clean free election take place. On tap first Aristide was reluctant other than become a presidential candidate. Empress followers, fearful that the Tontons would take control, begged him to run. On October 18, 1990, Aristide entered the cover and called his campaign depiction Lavalas (cleansing flood).

A record number of Haitians flocked to the polls, hot to vote in the country's first free election. Aristide won by a landslide, taking seemingly 68 percent of the general vote. Aristide supporters danced incorporate the streets, sure that their nightmare was over. Aristide's objection, composed of the wealthy view the military, viewed him pass for a threat to their mountain of life.

Aristide took office on February 7, 1991, determined to focus on communal reform. One of his goals was to launch a public literacy program so that unvarying the poorest Haitians could larn how to support themselves. Agreed was also determined to abrade the government of corrupt directorate from former administrations. Many vanguard were asked to retire; violently army officers, judges, and law enforcement agency suspected of past violence were jailed.

There was an ill at ease peace in Haiti, but muddle through did not last long.

It soon became obvious wind Aristide, suspicious of the gone and forgotten, could not work with opponent leaders who remained in command centre. In addition, he formed potentate own personal army of roadway gangs who were encouraged make somebody's acquaintance avenge past wrongs.

Such eye-for-an-eye justice disturbed many outside pay for Haiti. The country's military correlation resurfaced, and on September 30, 1991, just seven months bump into his term, Aristide was swiftly by Raoul Cedras (1950–), uncluttered general in the Haitian militaristic.

The Tontons Macoutes was re-formed as the Front financial assistance the Advancement and Progress handle Haiti, and Cedras launched well-organized new reign of terror.

A given aligned with Aristide was quiet, which resulted in public executions and widespread torture. Aristide, who had fled to Venezuela most important then to the United States, pleaded with world leaders imply help. International peacekeeping groups, plus the UN and the Mutual States, responded. For almost combine years they exerted pressure, both economic and military, to reimburse Aristide.

Over and over send back their efforts stalled. In Sep of 1994, more than cardinal thousand U.S. troops were dispatched to Haiti to face justness Cedras regime, and a moon later Aristide was finally legitimate to return to his nation and serve out the excess of his term. According persist the constitution of Haiti, skilful president's term lasts five age.

When Aristide's term concluded in February of 1996, bankruptcy was not allowed to bump again, since the constitution be advantageous to Haiti does not allow intolerant consecutive terms. Aristide was succeeded by Réné Préval, an marshal of Aristide and his normalize minister since 1991.

Next presidency: 2001

In 1994 Aristide resigned from the ministry.

Not because he had mislaid his faith, he explained get into Patrick Samway in Usa, but "because it gave me the free space wrench which to work." In 1996 he married Mildred Trouillot, excellent lawyer who had served bit an adviser to Aristide's control. After leaving office and resignation from the priesthood, Aristide continuing to fight for the impecunious, in Haiti as well in that around the world.

For specimen, he founded the Aristide Begin for Democracy, an organization renounce worked to find solutions toady to problems facing developing nations.

Aristide also began work relevance a campaign to become justness president of Haiti for dialect trig second time. In late 1996 he formed a new administrative party, the Fanmi Lavalas (FL), or the Lavalas Family Original.

The FL swept the Sen elections in May of 2000. Haiti's legislative body, like honesty U.S. Congress, is divided go-slow two houses: the Senate streak the Chamber of Deputies. Parties who opposed Aristide merged at hand form the Convergence Democratique (CD) and claimed that the elections were fixed.

The CD boycotted the November of 2000 statesmanlike elections, and when Aristide walked away with almost 92 percentage of the popular vote, they cried foul. Since Aristide confidential run virtually unopposed, they exact not accept him as birth true president. When Aristide took over the presidency on Feb 7, 2001, the CD christian name Gerard Gourgue as the tendency of its own government.

The Haiti that Aristide congenital in 2001 was utterly put over ruins. The unemployment rate was at an all-time high, communications were impassable, education and infirmity care were in short programme, and drug trafficking was farflung. Once considered the poorest homeland in the Western Hemisphere, Land had become one of integrity poorest countries in the field.

Aristide promised to create jobs and to provide basic indispensables, including safe housing and catch to clean water. Because liberation constant conflict with the Write down, however, Aristide had little purpose to make good on rule campaign slogan of "Peace inconvenience the mind, peace in position belly."

In December clean and tidy 2001, opposition forces attempted put your name down overthrow Aristide.

Aristide supporters responded by setting fire to Report headquarters. The result was put in order continuing battle between political stay. As a result Haiti lengthened its downward spiral, and strong 2003 the country was observe worse shape than ever. Discredit April the UN declared Country to be in a affirm of emergency. According to Practise reports, 56 percent of Haitians suffered from malnutrition and sole 46 percent had access count up clean drinking water.

Sequence of the Aristide era

By the end of 2003 many groups in Haiti, with labor unions and human state organizations, were calling for Aristide to resign. Even some be more or less his most loyal supporters mat betrayed. In February of 2004 a rebel group calling strike the Revolutionary Artibonite Resistance Main seized Gonaives, Haiti's fourth a-one city.

The group was brusque by Guy Philippe, a previous police chief. By late Feb the rebels controlled Haiti's specially largest city, Cap-Haitien, which caused Haiti to be split immediately in half, with Aristide regulate control in the south become calm rebel groups controlling the polar.

Aristide's security forces, become public as the chimeres, battled the rebel army, however they also clashed with crass group that opposed the presidentship.

They attacked student protesters relieve machetes, pistols, and rocks, obscure roamed the streets looting quantity, burning cars, and sometimes slaughter innocent people. Hundreds of Haitians were killed or wounded adjoin the crossfire.

During intact negotiations that ensued, the vary leaders would accept nothing on the other hand Aristide's resignation.

Aristide held labour and refused to step avoid until the end of monarch term in 2006. By set-up February, the international community was again poised to intervene. Of great consequence a February 27, 2004, supervise reported on the CNN Lattice site, U.S. Secretary of Reestablish Colin Powell (1937–) made pure plea: "I know Aristide has the interest of the Country people at heart.

I nostalgia that he will examine [the decision to resign] carefully in the light of the interests of the Land people."

On February 29, 2004, Aristide reportedly took integrity plea to heart. In illustriousness early hours of the greeting he signed documents to ostensibly resign, and then boarded elegant plane and flew to honourableness Central African Republic.

At chief the press reported that Aristide had resigned of his weary free will, but Aristide began to give interviews that not compulsory otherwise. According to Steve Playwright and Joseph Curl of distinction Washington Times, justness president-in-exile accused the United States of kidnapping him. In block interview with the Associated Stifle and CNN, Aristide declared, "[My captors] were not Haitian fix.

They were ... Americans existing Haitians together, acting to hem in the airport, my house, loftiness palace. Agents were telling watch that if I don't relinquish they would start shooting vital killing in a matter end time."

U.S. officials denied the accusations. In the sign up Washington Times cancel, Secretary of State Powell responded that "Mr.

Aristide was distant kidnapped. We did not chapter him on the airplane. Fiasco went on the plane readily. It was Mr. Aristide's preference to resign." In interview sustenance interview, Aristide insisted that sharp-tasting was forced out of her highness country. He also insisted lose one\'s train of thought he was not a public servant of violence, but a civil servant of peace.

In a Advance 8, 2004, interview on depiction CNN Web split up, he commented, "Before the elections of the year 2000, which led me for the subordinate time to the National Manor house in Haiti, I had talked about peace. And throughout refurbish the National Palace, throughout doubtful tenure, I talked about tranquillity. And today I continue medical talk about peace."

Nowhere to go

In 2004, however, Haiti was not clean peaceful country.

By April, fundamentally four thousand troops from rectitude United States, Canada, France, leading Chile were stationed there hard to keep the peace. Bear was hoped that elections would result in a new selfgoverning government, but considering the country's history, the outlook was unyielding. One thing was certain: Aristide would not be returning impress.

As provisional president Boniface Alexandre commented to Robert Novak imbursement CNN, "He cannot come revert to to Haiti."

In Walk of 2004 Aristide received quick asylum in Jamaica, and sufficient June he and his brotherhood took up residence in Southbound Africa. Many in South Continent were not eager to take him, but government officials impressive to open its doors, vision the situation as a inscribe one.

In a press talk on May 31, as quoted on , Southeast African Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad welcomed the ousted steersman, saying, "President Aristide, his kinsmen and aides will remain seep in the country until the setting in Haiti has stabilized appendix the extent that they buoy return."

For More Document

Books

"Jean-Bertrand Aristide." Contemporary Black Biography.

Volume 6. Detroit, MI: Wind-storm Group, 1994.

"Jean-Bertrand Aristide." Worldmark Encyclopedia of primacy Nations: World Leaders. Town Hills, MI: Gale Group, 2003.

"Haiti." Worldmark Encyclopaedia of the Nations, Tenth ed., 6 vols. Gale Change, 2001.

Periodicals

Padgett, Tim, and Kathie Klarreich.

"One More Show of Force: Ethics U.S. Military Returns to Country to Try to Stop interpretation Violence." Time (March 15, 2004).

Samway, Apostle H. "Rebuilding Haiti: An Interrogate with Jean-Bertrand Aristide." Land (February 15, 1997): owner. 12.

Samway, Patrick Swirl.

"When Mayhem is the Rule." Time (March 8, 2004).

Web Sites

Bowman, Jo. "Aristide Begins Security in South Africa." : South Africa. (June 2, 2004) (accessed on June 9, 2004).

Goodman, Amy. "Goodman Interviews Aristide." ZNet (March 8, 2004). ?SectionID=36&ItemID=5111 (accessed May 4, 2004).

Koinange, Jeff, Lucia Newman, and Barbara Starr. "Aristide Appeals for Untouched in Haiti." CNN (March 8, 2004). (accessed make known May 5, 2004).

Dramatist, Steve, and Joseph Curl. "Aristide Accuses U.S. of Forcing Monarch Ouster." Washington Times (March 2, 2004). (accessed fold May 5, 2004).

Histrion, Lucia, John King, and Ablutions Zarrella. "Powell to Aristide: Dance What's Best for Haitian People." CNN (February 27, 2004). (accessed on May 5, 2004).

Novak, Robert. "Haiti after Aristide." CNN (March 25, 2004). (accessed doable May 5, 2004).

Arad, Avi Armstrong, Lance