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NEWS & LETTERS, DECEMBER 2003Our Life and Times by Kevin A. BarryHaiti's anniversaryIn January 2004 the world's first Black republic, born of an anti-slavery revolution, will mark the 200th anniversary of its hard-won independence from France. Since that time, Haiti has often experienced tyranny, most notably under the rule of the Duvalier family (1957-86), as well as direct U.S. occupation (1915-34). In 1994, U.S. troops returned to power President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a liberation theology proponent who had been ousted in a military coup. Although hemmed in by the U.S., the European powers, and Haiti's own wealthy establishment, the Aristide forces initially represented many of the aspirations of the Haitian masses. Those masses willingly answered Aristide's calls for general strikes and flocked to the polls again and again to trounce his opponents, whose only real support seemed to come from abroad. Over time, however, Aristide isolated himself from those same masses. He began to rule through secretive militias, which intimidated not only his establishment foes, but even allies expressing questions or doubts. Most now believe that the 2000 assassination of Jean Dominique, a courageous progressive radio broadcaster long allied with Aristide, was in fact carried out by these militias. All efforts to investigate the case were stymied by intimidation. Since then the militias, which call themselves "chimeras" or even the "Cannibal Army," have run amuck. Meanwhile, the neoliberal bourgeoisie and its backers in Washington are itching to overturn Aristide and take power. The masses, seeing no real improvement in their conditions of life and labor, have lapsed into indifference. |
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