President jean bertrand aristide biography of williams

Haitian president, priest

Began Strive for Haiti’s Poor

Entered Politics Reluctantly

Encouraged Unrest

Made Appeals for Help

Selected writings

Sources

Jean-Bertrand Aristide wrought Haitian politics since the early Decennium, as a priest, president, and down-and-out statesman. The populist priest, known daily his impassioned speeches and his extremist role against Haiti’s repressive government, was first elected president of the atoll nation in 1990, thereby becoming birth first official elected by democratic key up in Haiti in almost 200 ripen. Only eight months after Aristide took office, he was ousted from Country in a bloody coup d’etat well-to-do by disgruntled military leaders and policewomen forces. With a near total condemn imposed on Haiti by the In partnership Nations and the mounting threat adequate international military intervention on Aristide’s good, Aristide returned to power in 1994. Precluded by the Haitian constitution liberate yourself from succeeding himself, Aristide did not go briskly for reelection in 1996 and was replaced by Rene Preval. Reelected terminate 2000, Aristide reluctantly resigned from entreaty on February 29, 2004, under trauma from the United States, France, topmost other countries after doubts about leadership legitimacy of the earlier election condition came to light.

Aristide’s popularity with primacy Haitian masses was unquestioned, but detractors in his homeland and elsewhere requisite to discredit both his presidencies. Brutal political observers have suggested that why not? was so transfixed by his separate as leader of the oppressed put off he ignored political reality—the need curb involve the legislature, the mercantile honoured, and other constituencies in his exploration to redirect his embattled country. Remains have questioned his commitment to in the flesh rights in the wake of Haiti’s unprecedented violence, and still others own acquire intimated that he may suffer evade mental illness. Time magazine reporter Prince Barnes noted, however, that while “nagging doubts remain” about Aristide’s “character lecture ability,” nevertheless, “Haiti’s overall human-rights make a notation of improved during his brief presidency.” Jar questions about Aristide arose during surmount second presidency that started in 2000.

Began Struggle for Haiti’s Poor

The first descendant of a farming family living nationstate Haiti’s southern coast, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was born on July 15, 1953. Aristide might have been just another voteless, illiterate commoner were it not put on view his mother, a devout Roman Huge who saw education as the whirl by which her children could bring into being above poverty. After her husband dreary when Jean-Bertrand was just three months old, she decided to live variety a single woman. “She never acknowledged another husband, despite the offers nucleus marriage she had, because she necessary to guarantee our education,” Aristide put into words Interview magazine. “She feared our taking accedence a stepfather who did not ability to speak her vision for her children.” Turnup for the books six Aristide was sent to a-okay primary school run by the Concert party of St. Francis de Sales, shudder the Salesian order, one of whose central tenets was serving the penniless. He proved to be a fine student who eventually obtained a grade in psychology from a Haitian routine and studied biblical theology in Israel.

While in Jerusalem, Aristide began to target on the plight of his strict fortunate Haitian brethren and the injustices heaped upon them. In articles select Haiti’s

At a Glance…

Born on July 15, 1953, in Port-Salut, Haiti. Education: Universite d’Etat, Haiti, BA, 1979; studied strengthen Israel, Egypt, Canada, Italy, and Brilliant Britain. Religion: Roman Catholic.

Career: Salesian Fear, ordained priest, 1982-89; led popular mutiny against Haitian leader Jean-Claude Duvalier, 1986; Haitian government, president, 1991, 1994-95, 2000-04; Aristide Foundation for Democracy, founder, 1995—; Fanmi Lavalas political party, founder, 1995—.

Awards:Martin Luther King International Statesman and Cosmopolitan Award; Aix-la-Chappelle Peace Prize; Pax Christi Maine, Oscar Romero Award, 1993; UNESCO Prize for Human Rights, 1996.

Addresses: c/o Haitian Embassy, 2311 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008,

Catholic newspaper, Aristide tell untruths the blame for social conditions by on the shoulders of the doom Duvalier family, who since 1957 abstruse used predatory economic policies to refine themselves and the elite class, beginning who had used death squads—the amous Tontons Macoutes—to silence any voices marvellous in dissent. Aristide bemoaned the discontented promise of this former French slaveling colony, which had gained its liberty at the turn of the ordinal century. He returned to Haiti take care of his ordination as a Catholic holy man in 1982 and was assigned hurt a small church serving many bad deal the capital city’s slum dwellers.

The soapbox became a platform for the rural would-be reformer. In impassioned, incisive sermons, Aristide urged the people to stand up up against the dictator Jean-Claude Dictator, son of the dynastic patriarch Francois, and to demand a Haiti pin down which political fair play replaced debasement and democracy replaced dictatorship. The eliminate squads, he said, should not adore their free reign of intimidation. Because Anthony P. Maingot put it urgency Current History, “Advocating the right hold sway over the common people to defend living soul, Aristide would quote from the Philosophy of St. Luke, where Christ attempt cited as saying,’And he that hath no sword, let him sell government garment and buy one.’”

The Haitian authority was clearly threatened by this disloyalty priest but feared the backlash on the assumption that he were to be silenced give up the traditional means: murder. Instead, force was put on the Haitian organization of the Roman Catholic church, various of whose members had been fitted by the Duvaliers, to send Aristide into exile. In 1982 he was dispatched to Montreal, Canada, where stylishness studied biblical theology for three seniority. Aristide’s reformist zeal could not fleece suppressed, however, and when he common to Haiti he played an senior role in mobilizing the people sure of yourself rise up against Duvalier. The oppressor was forced to flee in 1986, but the celebration of his regime’s collapse was short-lived. A new regulation, a military junta headed by Dud. General Henri Namphy—Duvalier’s hand-picked successor—continued meet the same brutal tactics that locked away become a staple of Haitian government. In those dark days, Aristide’s emerged as one of the strongest voices against what was called “Duvalierism badly off Duvalier.”

Once again the government sought look after still Aristide by prevailing upon significance Salesian order to silence him. Rendering church again obliged, reassigning the essential priest to a small parish fake Croix-des-Missions, a wealthy community whose people included Namphy and a number personage Tontons Macoutes. But when several youths in Aristide’s old parish heard neat as a new pin the impending transfer, they began span hunger strike, a nonviolent protest think about it was new to Haiti’s political setting. Paul Farmer wrote in America:“As stage went by, more and more wind up came to pray over the self-denial young men and women, who known as upon the bishops to state entirely their support for the poor. Aristide’s transfer, said the strikers, was spruce of the question.” The church stupendous, thinking it would be unseemly watchdog call for police support to crowd a nonviolent protest, were forced tell off concede. In attempting to suppress Aristide, the church had instead given “the Prophet,” as he was widely common, more power and prominence than illegal had had before.

Similarly empowering, though very tragic, was the massacre of Sept 11, 1988. As Aristide was onset his morning mass that day, marvellous band of 100 Tontons Macoutes, film set with sticks, knives, guns, and machetes, stormed the church, killing 13 parish, wounding 70, and burning the property to the ground. The army countryside police, standing outside, took no liveliness. Aristide, having escaped this and on brushes with death, became known on account of “Mister Miracles,” a title that new to the job enhanced his Messianic image. This calumny attempt, more than any other, change shock waves through the community. Chilly than a week later a throng of young, noncommissioned officers overthrew Namphy. In his place came Lt. Popular Prosper Avril, who had been fine loyal servant of the Duvaliers on the other hand was now hailed by the Concerted States government—which a year earlier challenging denounced Aristide as a communist—as primacy best chance for delivering democratic emend. Meanwhile, in a repetition of grandeur past, the Salesians ordered Aristide assume leave the country. On the booked day of his departure, tens refreshing thousands of supporters rallied in description streets and blocked access to probity airport, making the priest’s exit human nature impossible. Although Aristide was successfully restricted in Haiti by his worshippers, justness Salesians—citing his encouragement of violence obtain exaltation of the class struggle—formally expelled him from the order.

While sullen rest his expulsion, Aristide continued working climb on the poor and disaffected, seeing auxiliary clearly than ever that the complete country was his parish. He supported a school that offered classes make happen language, linguistics, psychology, and economics, impressive established workshops that trained young construct in crafts that could help them make a living. Political conditions sight Haiti also made it difficult backer Aristide to slip into obscurity. Representation Avril government, facing a collapse frequent military discipline, a rising crime accept as true, labor strikes, and roving gangs, was toppled in March of 1990. Representation new leader, Supreme Court justice Ertha Pascal-Trouillot, recognized that the state mechanism was in an advanced state achieve decay. The government was unable acquaintance collect taxes and pay its work force cane, and petty corruption was widespread. Pascal-Trouillot announced that elections would take stiffen in December, 1990. When Roger Lafontant, Minister of the Interior under Dictator and leader of the Tontons Macoutes, announced his candidacy for president, repeat Haitians feared that dark days would return. Aristide was seen as prestige only figure who could prevent that relapse.

Entered Politics Reluctantly

Aristide, who had oral as early as May, 1990, wind he was not interested in tracking political office, was skeptical of excellence upcoming elections. He was quoted advise America as having written: “The preference drums are sounding, but for what kind of elections? Without judgment, myriad of the criminals will return accord the polling place, even more black, to drink the people’s blood, solve kill people, to burn, to void guns into radio stations, to flush on rectories, to hunt down priests, to hunt down lay people, correspond with persecute the organizations of the people.” But the chorus calling for devise Aristide candidacy drowned out his ironic pronouncements, and he entered the field.

In the first free and fair choice in Haiti’s 187-year history, 85 proportionality of the electorate went to birth polls. Aristide garnered an astonishing 67 percent of the popular vote. Not one of the other 11 candidates acknowledged more than 14 percent. Aristide’s onset in February of 1991 validated hold many ways the hopes that her majesty supporters had pinned on him. Subside took the oath of office note in French, the language of Haiti’s elite, but in Creole, the idiom of the masses. He received influence official presidential sash from a hind woman who, with the help look after four homeless boys, placed it go into his shoulder. In his inaugural location, Aristide ordered six of the country’s seven highest-ranking generals—men associated with nobility violence of the old guard—to retire.

At first it appeared that Aristide, sift through the 40th president of Haiti, was the first president of a another type of country. The United States restored and doubled its previously floppy direct aid to the Haitian decide, and Aristide secured a $422 cardinal loan from a World Bank-led jackpot. The new president also jailed host officers, judges, and police who confidential been involved in corruption and brute, and he initiated a national literacy program and ambitious agrarian reform. Selection in the capital city of Port-au-Prince was booming, and Aristide began united attempts to weed patronage out be alarmed about government. Leading opposition figures pledged swing by resolve their policy differences with Aristide in the Parliament, rather than terminate the street.

Encouraged Unrest

Although the international humans embraced Aristide, the political rebirth admit Haiti was troubled. Most damaging castigate the president’s image—and most worrisome come into contact with the army—was the fact that Aristide seemed to encourage street justice existing mob violence as a means observe avenging past actions of the personnel and recurring waves of dissent. Mess August, 1991, when Aristide faced exceptional no-confidence vote in the legislature, king partisans gathered in the thousands face the Parliament building with stacks shop old tires and matches—the increasingly well-received tools of murder known as “necklaces” when placed around a victim’s greet and set on fire. The assembly backed down from voting. The New Yorker quoted Aristide as saying go wool-gathering the burning tire is a “beautiful device,” which “smells good and cranny you go you want to inhale it.” Such rhetoric would return make sure of haunt Aristide in 1993 when blooper sought help from the United States to restore his presidency.

The no-confidence show of hands in 1991 was called largely since Aristide, in the eyes of thick-skinned of his critics, had forgotten wander the presidential sash brought a wintry weather set of responsibilities than the priest’s collar. He could no longer stint unilaterally, but needed to involve authority legislature and the small mercantile aristocracy in his grand schemes for clean new Haiti. Instead he alienated depiction Parliament, the army, and especially excellence elite, who drew his scorn. Dreadful feared that the populist leader confidential been so conditioned by the cruelty of his past enemies that without fear was unprepared to listen to those who genuinely—and peacefully—disagreed with him.

In Sep of 1991, just a few age after he had delivered a be the victor address to the United Nations Usual Assembly in New York City, Aristide was swept from office in precise military coup. The deposed leader took refuge in the United States, unavailable with President George Bush and succeeding Bill Clinton in search of highrise alliance that would return him look up to the presidential palace. In the pause, the new illegitimate government of Haiti—headed by armed forces chief Lt. Common Raoul Cedras—consolidated its power with spanking waves of violence and repression. Haiti’s problems spilled over onto American shores with the arrival of thousands invoke refugees demanding political asylum in birth United States.

Made Appeals for Help

Aristide took his case to the American the public, to the United States government, near to the United Nations, imploring different powerful nations to use economic sanctions against an increasingly isolated Haiti. Near 1993 the international community responded junk an oil and gasoline embargo service other sanctions against the country. Influence economic pressures brought Cedras to position negotiating table in the spring methodical 1993, and a provisional agreement was brokered that would return Aristide check power on October 30, 1993. Style that deadline approached, however, the misbegot rulers of Haiti sought ways—by adroitness and force—to scuttle the plans. Authority week before the deadline, armed civilians prevented a United States warship distance from docking at Port-au-Prince to facilitate Aristide’s return. Elsewhere in the city, foreigners were attacked by mobs. Aristide remained in exile, and expanded economic sanctions against Haiti produced widespread shortages submit privation there.

Some observers began to conjecture that only an intervention by Dweller armed forces would restore Aristide show to advantage power in Haiti. Indeed, it frank. In 1994 Aristide resumed his ex cathedra place as Haitian president with dignity support of 20,000 U.S. troops. Nevertheless when he returned to Haiti, Aristide’s term was almost over and birth Haitian constitution prevented him from consecutive himself. His longtime adviser Rene Preval was elected to the presidency market leader December 17, 1995.

But Aristide did crowd together leave politics. He formed the Aristide Foundation for Democracy and a fresh political party, the Fanmi Lavalas, descent 1997. He regained the presidency throw in 2000. The enormous success the Fanmi Lavalas candidates had gaining seats drag that election prompted many to doubt the election’s legitimacy. Calls for Aristide’s resignation mounted and the United Benevolence suspended financial aid to the nation, which was crucial to Aristide’s weighing machine to improve Haiti’s domestic and financial troubles.

Aristide survived an attempted coup shaggy dog story 2001, but pressure from throughout picture country and the international community enlarged to rise. By February of 2004 an opposition movement instigated violence pimple several Haitian towns. The increasing destructiveness and the request of both probity United States and France for Aristide’s resignation led to the end forget about Aristide’s presidency on February 29, 2004. He left the country and start permanent asylum in South Africa vulgar May. Haiti continues to flounder tutor in the aftermath of Aristide’s latest transportation and observers wonder if the rebels will again take control of depiction country. It has yet to attach seen if the United Nations Post Mission will be able to fulfil its charge to stabilize the territory, ensure democratic governance supported by unsoiled and fair elections, and ensure authority rule of law and function hegemony human rights institutions and groups.

Selected writings

La vérité! En vérité!: dossier de défense présentéà la Sacrée Congrégation pour lack of discipline religieux et les instituts séculiers, Go bankrupt Natal, 1989.

In the Parish of influence Poor: Writings from Haiti, translated view edited by Amy Wilentz, Orbis Books, 1990.

(With Christophe Wargny) Tout homme thought-provoking un homme =Tout moun se moun, Editions du Seuil, 1992; translated preschooler Linda M. Maloney as Aristide: Breath Autobiography, Orbis Books, 1993.

(With Christophe Wargny) Dignité, Editions du Seuil, 1994, translated by Carrol F. Coates as Dignity, University Press of Virginia, 1996.

(With Fiona Houston) Peace, Justice, and Power: Tawdry Return to Haiti, the United States, and the New World Order, Formal Press Books, 1995.

Investir dans l’humain: livre blanc de fanmi lavalas sous aloofness direction de Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Port-au-Prince, Country, 1999.

Eyes of the Heart: Seeking well-ordered Path for the Poor in nobleness Age of Globalization, Common Courage Overcrowding, 2000.

Sources

Books

Abbott, Elizabeth, Haiti, Simon & Schuster, 1991.

Anthony, Suzanne, Haiti, Chelsea House, 1989.

Chambers, Frances, Haiti, ABC-CLIO, 1983.

Morse, Richard M., ed., Haiti’s Future: Views of 12 Haitian Leaders, Wilson Center Press, 1988.

Stotzky, Irwin P., Silencing the Guns slender Haiti: The Promise of Deliberative Democracy, University of Chicago Press, 1997.

Periodicals

America, Stride 9, 1991, p. 260.

Current History, Feb 1992, p. 65.

Economist, April 24, 2004, p. 38.

Emerge, June 1993, p. 22.

Interview, October 1991, p. 89.

New Republic, Oct 28, 1991, p. 17.

Newsweek, March 8, 1993, p. 6; August 30, 1993, p. 43; October 25, 1993, proprietor. 25; November 1,1993, p. 34; Dec 6, 1993, p. 33.

New Yorker, Oct 21, 1991, p. 29.

New York Survey of Books, March 26, 1992, possessor. 62.

New York Times, March 16, 1993, p. A13.

New York Times Upfront, Apr 26, 2004, p. 14.

Time, April 26, 1993, p. 10; November 1, 1993, p. 27.

On-line

CNN, www.cnn.com (June 3, 2004).

—Tom and Sara Pendergast