| HAITI Republic of Haiti Republique d'Haiti/Repiblik d' Ayiti Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 09/21/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Port-au-Prince
9,035,536
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death
rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by
age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death
rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by
age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2010 est.)
Jean-Max Bellerive
Prime Minister since 01 November 2009
Prime Minister since 01 November 2009
President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not
serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006
Next scheduled election: 2011
serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006
Next scheduled election: 2011
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
National Assembly
Next scheduled election: May 2011
National Assembly
Next scheduled election: May 2011
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
| RELIGIONS |
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3%
note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo
note: roughly half of the population practices voodoo
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Republic with 10 departments (departements, singular - departement); Legal system is based on Roman civil law system; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006
(next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most
votes in the last election serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the
third most votes serves two years
elections: Senate - last held 19 April 2009 with a run-off held on 21 June 2009 (rescheduled from March or April 2008 after
postponement; Next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006
with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (next regular election to be held in 2010)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Executive: President elected by popular vote for a five-year term (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 7 February 2006
(next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the National Assembly
Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the Senate (30 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of Deputies (99 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms); note - in reestablishing the Senate, the candidate in each department receiving the most
votes in the last election serves six years, the candidate with the second most votes serves four years, and the candidate with the
third most votes serves two years
elections: Senate - last held 19 April 2009 with a run-off held on 21 June 2009 (rescheduled from March or April 2008 after
postponement; Next regular election, for one third of seats, to be held in 2010); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21 April 2006
with run-off elections on 3 December 2006 and 29 April 2007 (next regular election to be held in 2010)
Judicial: Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation
| LANGUAGES |
French (official), Creole (official)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The recorded history of Haiti began on December 5, 1492 when the European navigator Christopher Columbus happened upon a
large island in the region of the western Atlantic Ocean that later came to be known as the Caribbean Sea. It was inhabited by the
Taíno, an Arawakan people, who variously called their island Ayiti, Bohio or Kiskeya. Columbus promptly claimed the island for
the Spanish Crown, and renamed it La Isla Española ("the Spanish Island"), or Hispañola (later Anglicized as Hispaniola).
Columbus established a small settlement, but, when he returned in 1493, the settlers had disappeared, presumably killed. He
claimed the whole island for Spain, and left his brother Bartholomew Columbus to find a new settlement. Following the arrival of
Europeans, Haiti's indigenous population suffered near-extinction, in possibly the worst case of depopulation in the Americas.
However, a significant number of the Taíno survived and set up villages elsewhere, away from European settlements. Many Taíno
women were captured and raped, setting what would be a large generation of mestizo children. Spanish interest in Hispaniola began
to wane in the 1520s, as more lucrative gold and silver deposits were found in Mexico and South America. Thereafter the
population of Spanish Hispaniola grew slowly. Fearful of pirate attacks the king of Spain in 1606 ordered all colonists on Hispaniola
to move closer to the capital city, Santo Domingo. This backfired, as British, Dutch and French pirates then established bases on
the island's abandoned northern and western coasts. French buccaneers established a settlement on the island of Tortuga in 1625.
They survived by pirating Spanish ships and hunting wild cattle. Although the Spanish destroyed the buccaneers' settlements several
times, on each occasion they returned. The first official settlement on Tortuga was established in 1659 under the commission of King
Louis XIV. In 1664, the newly established French West India Company took control over the colony, which it named
Saint-Domingue, and France formally claimed control of the western portion of the island of Hispaniola. In 1670 they established
the first permanent French settlement on the mainland of Hispaniola, Cap François (later Cap Français, now Cap-Haïtien). Under
the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, Spain officially ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France. By that time, planters outnumbered
buccaneers and, with the encouragement of Louis XIV, they had begun to grow tobacco, indigo, cotton and cacao on the fertile
northern plain, thus prompting the importation of African slaves. Slave insurrections were frequent and some slaves escaped to the
mountains where they were met by what would be one of the last generations of Taíno natives. After the last Taíno died, the
full-blooded Arawakan population on the island was extinct. The labor for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000
African slaves (accounting in 1783-1791 for a third of the entire Atlantic slave trade). African culture thus remained strong among
slaves to the end of French rule, in particular the folk-religion of Vodou, which commingled Catholic liturgy and ritual with the beliefs
and practices of Guinea, Congo and Dahomey. Thousands of slaves found freedom by fleeing into the mountains, forming
communities of maroons and raiding isolated plantations. Saint-Domingue also had the largest and wealthiest free population of
color in the Caribbean, the gens de couleur (French, "people of color"). The outbreak of revolution in France in the summer of 1789
had a powerful effect on the colony. While the French settlers debated how new revolutionary laws would apply to
Saint-Domingue, outright civil war broke out in 1790 when the free men of color claimed they too were French citizens under the
terms of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. On August 22, 1791, slaves in the northern region of the colony staged a revolt that
began the Haitian Revolution. With the colony facing a full-scale invasion by Britain, the rebel slaves emerged as a powerful military
force and successfully drove back the British, By 1798 was the defacto ruler of the colony. In 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte sent a
massive albeit unsuccessful invasion force. Abandoning his dream of a New World empire to concentrate on the war in Europe, in
April, Napoleon signed the Louisiana Purchase, selling France's North American possessions to the United States. The indigenous
army, now led by Dessalines, devastated Rochembeau and the French army at the Battle of Vertières on November 18, 1803. On
January 1, 1804 Dessalines then declared independence, reclaiming the indigenous Taíno name of Haiti ("Land of Mountains") for
the new nation. Most of the remaining French colonists fled ahead of the defeated French army, many migrating to Louisiana. Haiti
is the world's oldest black republic and the second-oldest republic in the Western Hemisphere, after the United States. Although
Haiti actively assisted the independence movements of many Latin American countries -- and secured a promise from the great
liberator, Simon Bolivar, that he would free their slaves after winning independence from Spain -- the nation of former slaves was
excluded from the hemisphere's first regional meeting of independent nations, held in Panama in 1826. Furthermore, owing to
entrenched opposition from Southern slave states, Haiti did not receive U.S. diplomatic recognition until 1862 (after those states
had seceded from the Union) -- largely through the efforts of anti-slavery senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Upon
assuming power, General Dessalines authorized the Constitution of 1804. The Constitution of 1867 saw peaceful and progressive
transitions in government that did much to improve the economy and stability of the Haitian nation and the condition of its people.
Constitutional government restored the faith of the Haitian people in legal institutions. The development of industrial sugar and rum
industries near Port-au-Prince made Haiti, for a while, a model for economic growth in Latin American countries. This period of
relative stability and prosperity ended in 1911 when revolution broke out and the country slid once again into disorder and debt.
The United States was particularly apprehensive about the role of the German community in Haiti (approximately 200 in 1910),
who wielded a disproportionate amount of economic power. Germans controlled about 80 percent of the country's international
commerce. The United States, responding to complaints to President Woodrow Wilson from American banks to which Haiti was
deeply in debt, occupied the country. The occupation of Haiti lasted until 1934. The U.S. occupation was self-interested,
oppressive, sometimes brutal, caused problems that lasted past its lifetime, and never paid any reparations for its crimes. In 1930,
Sténio Vincent, a long-time critic of the occupation, was elected President, and the U.S. began to withdraw its forces. The
withdrawal was completed by Roosevelt, as President, in 1934, under his "Good Neighbor policy". The U.S. retained control of
Haiti's external finances until 1947. After a period of disorder, elections were held in September 1957, which saw Dr François
Duvalier elected President. Duvalier (known as "Papa Doc") soon established another dictatorship. His regime is regarded as one of
the most repressive and corrupt of modern times, combining violence against political opponents with exploitation of Vodou to instil
fear in the majority of the population. In 1964, Duvalier proclaimed himself "President for Life." On Duvalier's death in April 1971,
power passed to his 19-year-old son Jean-Claude Duvalier (known as "Baby Doc"). Widespread discontent in Haiti began in
1983, when Pope John Paul II condemned the regime during a visit, finally provoking a rebellion, and in February 1986, after
months of disorder, the army forced Duvalier to resign and go into exile. A series of provisional governments ensued until the
promulgation of a new constitution in 1987. In December 1990, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a charismatic Roman Catholic priest, won
67% of the vote in elections that international observers deemed largely free and fair. Aristide's radical populist policies alarmed
many of the country's elite, and, in September 1991, he was overthrown in a violent coup and forced into exile. With pressure from
the United States In October Aristide was able to return. Elections were held in June 1995. Aristide's coalition, the Lavalas
(Waterfall) Political Organization, had a sweeping victory. When Aristide's term ended in February 1996, René Préval, a prominent
Aristide political ally, was elected President with 88% of the vote: this was Haiti's first ever transition between two democratically
elected presidents. Anti-Aristide protests in January 2004 led to violent clashes in Port-au-Prince, causing several deaths. On
February 29, 2004, with rebel contingents marching towards Port-au-Prince, Aristide departed from Haiti. There is controversy
over whether or not he was forced to leave the country by the United States. After Aristide's overthrow, the violence in Haiti
continued, despite the presence of peacekeepers. Préval took office in May 2006 and is the current president of Haiti. The 2010
Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25
km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12
January 2010. By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. An estimated three million
people were affected by the quake; the Haitian Government reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had
been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had
collapsed or were severely damaged.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Haiti
large island in the region of the western Atlantic Ocean that later came to be known as the Caribbean Sea. It was inhabited by the
Taíno, an Arawakan people, who variously called their island Ayiti, Bohio or Kiskeya. Columbus promptly claimed the island for
the Spanish Crown, and renamed it La Isla Española ("the Spanish Island"), or Hispañola (later Anglicized as Hispaniola).
Columbus established a small settlement, but, when he returned in 1493, the settlers had disappeared, presumably killed. He
claimed the whole island for Spain, and left his brother Bartholomew Columbus to find a new settlement. Following the arrival of
Europeans, Haiti's indigenous population suffered near-extinction, in possibly the worst case of depopulation in the Americas.
However, a significant number of the Taíno survived and set up villages elsewhere, away from European settlements. Many Taíno
women were captured and raped, setting what would be a large generation of mestizo children. Spanish interest in Hispaniola began
to wane in the 1520s, as more lucrative gold and silver deposits were found in Mexico and South America. Thereafter the
population of Spanish Hispaniola grew slowly. Fearful of pirate attacks the king of Spain in 1606 ordered all colonists on Hispaniola
to move closer to the capital city, Santo Domingo. This backfired, as British, Dutch and French pirates then established bases on
the island's abandoned northern and western coasts. French buccaneers established a settlement on the island of Tortuga in 1625.
They survived by pirating Spanish ships and hunting wild cattle. Although the Spanish destroyed the buccaneers' settlements several
times, on each occasion they returned. The first official settlement on Tortuga was established in 1659 under the commission of King
Louis XIV. In 1664, the newly established French West India Company took control over the colony, which it named
Saint-Domingue, and France formally claimed control of the western portion of the island of Hispaniola. In 1670 they established
the first permanent French settlement on the mainland of Hispaniola, Cap François (later Cap Français, now Cap-Haïtien). Under
the 1697 Treaty of Ryswick, Spain officially ceded the western third of Hispaniola to France. By that time, planters outnumbered
buccaneers and, with the encouragement of Louis XIV, they had begun to grow tobacco, indigo, cotton and cacao on the fertile
northern plain, thus prompting the importation of African slaves. Slave insurrections were frequent and some slaves escaped to the
mountains where they were met by what would be one of the last generations of Taíno natives. After the last Taíno died, the
full-blooded Arawakan population on the island was extinct. The labor for these plantations was provided by an estimated 790,000
African slaves (accounting in 1783-1791 for a third of the entire Atlantic slave trade). African culture thus remained strong among
slaves to the end of French rule, in particular the folk-religion of Vodou, which commingled Catholic liturgy and ritual with the beliefs
and practices of Guinea, Congo and Dahomey. Thousands of slaves found freedom by fleeing into the mountains, forming
communities of maroons and raiding isolated plantations. Saint-Domingue also had the largest and wealthiest free population of
color in the Caribbean, the gens de couleur (French, "people of color"). The outbreak of revolution in France in the summer of 1789
had a powerful effect on the colony. While the French settlers debated how new revolutionary laws would apply to
Saint-Domingue, outright civil war broke out in 1790 when the free men of color claimed they too were French citizens under the
terms of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. On August 22, 1791, slaves in the northern region of the colony staged a revolt that
began the Haitian Revolution. With the colony facing a full-scale invasion by Britain, the rebel slaves emerged as a powerful military
force and successfully drove back the British, By 1798 was the defacto ruler of the colony. In 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte sent a
massive albeit unsuccessful invasion force. Abandoning his dream of a New World empire to concentrate on the war in Europe, in
April, Napoleon signed the Louisiana Purchase, selling France's North American possessions to the United States. The indigenous
army, now led by Dessalines, devastated Rochembeau and the French army at the Battle of Vertières on November 18, 1803. On
January 1, 1804 Dessalines then declared independence, reclaiming the indigenous Taíno name of Haiti ("Land of Mountains") for
the new nation. Most of the remaining French colonists fled ahead of the defeated French army, many migrating to Louisiana. Haiti
is the world's oldest black republic and the second-oldest republic in the Western Hemisphere, after the United States. Although
Haiti actively assisted the independence movements of many Latin American countries -- and secured a promise from the great
liberator, Simon Bolivar, that he would free their slaves after winning independence from Spain -- the nation of former slaves was
excluded from the hemisphere's first regional meeting of independent nations, held in Panama in 1826. Furthermore, owing to
entrenched opposition from Southern slave states, Haiti did not receive U.S. diplomatic recognition until 1862 (after those states
had seceded from the Union) -- largely through the efforts of anti-slavery senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts. Upon
assuming power, General Dessalines authorized the Constitution of 1804. The Constitution of 1867 saw peaceful and progressive
transitions in government that did much to improve the economy and stability of the Haitian nation and the condition of its people.
Constitutional government restored the faith of the Haitian people in legal institutions. The development of industrial sugar and rum
industries near Port-au-Prince made Haiti, for a while, a model for economic growth in Latin American countries. This period of
relative stability and prosperity ended in 1911 when revolution broke out and the country slid once again into disorder and debt.
The United States was particularly apprehensive about the role of the German community in Haiti (approximately 200 in 1910),
who wielded a disproportionate amount of economic power. Germans controlled about 80 percent of the country's international
commerce. The United States, responding to complaints to President Woodrow Wilson from American banks to which Haiti was
deeply in debt, occupied the country. The occupation of Haiti lasted until 1934. The U.S. occupation was self-interested,
oppressive, sometimes brutal, caused problems that lasted past its lifetime, and never paid any reparations for its crimes. In 1930,
Sténio Vincent, a long-time critic of the occupation, was elected President, and the U.S. began to withdraw its forces. The
withdrawal was completed by Roosevelt, as President, in 1934, under his "Good Neighbor policy". The U.S. retained control of
Haiti's external finances until 1947. After a period of disorder, elections were held in September 1957, which saw Dr François
Duvalier elected President. Duvalier (known as "Papa Doc") soon established another dictatorship. His regime is regarded as one of
the most repressive and corrupt of modern times, combining violence against political opponents with exploitation of Vodou to instil
fear in the majority of the population. In 1964, Duvalier proclaimed himself "President for Life." On Duvalier's death in April 1971,
power passed to his 19-year-old son Jean-Claude Duvalier (known as "Baby Doc"). Widespread discontent in Haiti began in
1983, when Pope John Paul II condemned the regime during a visit, finally provoking a rebellion, and in February 1986, after
months of disorder, the army forced Duvalier to resign and go into exile. A series of provisional governments ensued until the
promulgation of a new constitution in 1987. In December 1990, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, a charismatic Roman Catholic priest, won
67% of the vote in elections that international observers deemed largely free and fair. Aristide's radical populist policies alarmed
many of the country's elite, and, in September 1991, he was overthrown in a violent coup and forced into exile. With pressure from
the United States In October Aristide was able to return. Elections were held in June 1995. Aristide's coalition, the Lavalas
(Waterfall) Political Organization, had a sweeping victory. When Aristide's term ended in February 1996, René Préval, a prominent
Aristide political ally, was elected President with 88% of the vote: this was Haiti's first ever transition between two democratically
elected presidents. Anti-Aristide protests in January 2004 led to violent clashes in Port-au-Prince, causing several deaths. On
February 29, 2004, with rebel contingents marching towards Port-au-Prince, Aristide departed from Haiti. There is controversy
over whether or not he was forced to leave the country by the United States. After Aristide's overthrow, the violence in Haiti
continued, despite the presence of peacekeepers. Préval took office in May 2006 and is the current president of Haiti. The 2010
Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25
km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12
January 2010. By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded. An estimated three million
people were affected by the quake; the Haitian Government reported that an estimated 230,000 people had died, 300,000 had
been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had
collapsed or were severely damaged.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Haiti
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with 80% of the population living under the poverty line and 54% in abject
poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable
to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has
recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation
infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership
Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free
access to the US. A second version of the legislation, passed in October 2008 and dubbed HOPE II, has further improved the
export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian
exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP
and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited
infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with
the Bank. Haiti received debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)
initiative in 2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Haiti)
poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agricultural sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable
to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. While the economy has
recovered in recent years, registering positive growth since 2005, four tropical storms in 2008 severely damaged the transportation
infrastructure and agricultural sector. US economic engagement under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership
Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in December 2006, has boosted apparel exports and investment by providing tariff-free
access to the US. A second version of the legislation, passed in October 2008 and dubbed HOPE II, has further improved the
export environment for the apparel sector by extending preferences to 2018; the apparel sector accounts for two-thirds of Haitian
exports and nearly one-tenth of GDP. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP
and more than twice the earnings from exports. Haiti suffers from a lack of investment because of insecurity and limited
infrastructure, and a severe trade deficit. In 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with
the Bank. Haiti received debt forgiveness for about $525 million of its debt through the Highly-Indebted Poor Country (HIPC)
initiative in 2009. The government relies on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Haiti)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Haiti is officially a presidential republic, although it is often claimed to be authoritarian in practice. Suffrage is universal, for adults
over 18. The constitution was modeled after those of the United States and of France. It was approved in March 1987, but it was
completely suspended from June 1988 to March 1989 and was only fully reinstated in October 1994. On February 29, 2004, a
rebellion culminated in a coup against the popularly elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, allegedly with the assistance of the
French and United States governments. The first elections since the overthrow were held on February 8, 2006 to elect a new
President. Rene Preval was declared to have won with over 50 percent of the vote.
Political corruption is a common problem in Haiti. The country has consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt nations according
to the Corruption Perceptions Index, a measure of perceived political corruption. In 2006, Haiti was ranked as the most corrupt
nation out of the 163 that were surveyed for the Index. The International Red Cross reported that Haiti was 155th out of 159
countries in a similar survey of corrupt countries.
The year 2010 is a presidential election year in Haiti. On 15 January 2010 controversial former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide said he would like to return home to assist in rebuilding Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. The former Haitian
leader lives in forced exile in South Africa. Mr. Aristide said he and his family were ready to leave for Haiti at a moment's notice.
"As far as we are concerned, we are ready to leave today, tomorrow, at any time, to join the people of Haiti, to share in their
suffering, help rebuild the country," he said. "Moving from misery to poverty with dignity." Aristide had been in exile in South Africa
since being ousted in a bloody rebellion in February 2004. By mid-2010 the legislature had almost entirely dissolved after members'
terms had expired because the January earthquake forced the cancellation of February 2010 legislative elections. President Preval's
five-year term ends in February 2011; an attempt to prolong his term by several months if elections were not held resulted in
protesters clashing with police in front of the ruins of the presidential palace. Préval said unofficially that he wanted elections on 28
November 2010, but he had not yet issued the necessary decree.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Haiti
over 18. The constitution was modeled after those of the United States and of France. It was approved in March 1987, but it was
completely suspended from June 1988 to March 1989 and was only fully reinstated in October 1994. On February 29, 2004, a
rebellion culminated in a coup against the popularly elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, allegedly with the assistance of the
French and United States governments. The first elections since the overthrow were held on February 8, 2006 to elect a new
President. Rene Preval was declared to have won with over 50 percent of the vote.
Political corruption is a common problem in Haiti. The country has consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt nations according
to the Corruption Perceptions Index, a measure of perceived political corruption. In 2006, Haiti was ranked as the most corrupt
nation out of the 163 that were surveyed for the Index. The International Red Cross reported that Haiti was 155th out of 159
countries in a similar survey of corrupt countries.
The year 2010 is a presidential election year in Haiti. On 15 January 2010 controversial former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide said he would like to return home to assist in rebuilding Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake. The former Haitian
leader lives in forced exile in South Africa. Mr. Aristide said he and his family were ready to leave for Haiti at a moment's notice.
"As far as we are concerned, we are ready to leave today, tomorrow, at any time, to join the people of Haiti, to share in their
suffering, help rebuild the country," he said. "Moving from misery to poverty with dignity." Aristide had been in exile in South Africa
since being ousted in a bloody rebellion in February 2004. By mid-2010 the legislature had almost entirely dissolved after members'
terms had expired because the January earthquake forced the cancellation of February 2010 legislative elections. President Preval's
five-year term ends in February 2011; an attempt to prolong his term by several months if elections were not held resulted in
protesters clashing with police in front of the ruins of the presidential palace. Préval said unofficially that he wanted elections on 28
November 2010, but he had not yet issued the necessary decree.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Haiti
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti;
despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island.
despite efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians cross into the Dominican Republic and sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims
US-administered Navassa Island.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe; substantial bulk cash smuggling activity; Colombian
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis
narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial transactions; pervasive corruption; significant consumer of cannabis
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Haiti
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Haiti is a constitutional republic with a population of approximately nine million. International observers assessed the 2006 presidential
and parliamentary elections as generally free and fair, after which President Rene Preval and the new parliament took office in May 2006.
Parliament confirmed Jean-Max Bellerive as the new prime minister in November 2009. Haiti has a multiparty political system. Elections
for one-third of the Senate's members, originally scheduled for late 2007, occurred in April and June 2008 and were also generally
considered free and fair. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, but in some instances elements
of the Haitian National Police (HNP) acted independently. The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) consisted of approximately
9,100 military, police officers, and civilians who assisted and advised government and security authorities.
The following human rights problems were reported:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Haiti is a constitutional republic with a population of approximately nine million. International observers assessed the 2006 presidential
and parliamentary elections as generally free and fair, after which President Rene Preval and the new parliament took office in May 2006.
Parliament confirmed Jean-Max Bellerive as the new prime minister in November 2009. Haiti has a multiparty political system. Elections
for one-third of the Senate's members, originally scheduled for late 2007, occurred in April and June 2008 and were also generally
considered free and fair. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, but in some instances elements
of the Haitian National Police (HNP) acted independently. The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) consisted of approximately
9,100 military, police officers, and civilians who assisted and advised government and security authorities.
The following human rights problems were reported:
- failure to hold timely parliamentary elections,
- alleged unlawful killings by HNP officers,
- HNP participation in kidnappings,
- overcrowding and poor sanitation in prisons,
- arbitrary threats and arrests,
- prolonged pretrial detention, a
- n inefficient judiciary subject to significant influence by the executive and legislative branches,
- severe corruption in all branches of government,
- violence and societal discrimination against women,
- child abuse,
- human trafficking,
- ineffective enforcement of worker rights.
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti said that those responsible for reconstruction must be
careful not to recreate the same factors that perpetuate inequality and poverty and lead to violations of human rights .
Port-au-Prince, April 29, 2010
This Thursday, April 29, 2010, Mr Michel Forst, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti appointed by the UN
Secretary General concluded his fifth visit to Haiti in 10 days during which he met the President of the Republic and the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General, and members of government and the Protector of Citizens.
This mission was primarily to assess the impact of the humanitarian crisis on the enjoyment of rights and to promote the place of rights
in the reconstruction. Because in situations of humanitarian crisis or major disturbances, certain population groups are particularly
threatened because of their vulnerability and need even more attention is paid to their protection needs. This is mainly IDPs, as well as
women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities or those who have suffered trauma, amputation or severe injury.
"The loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in no way be solely attributed to fate or natural elements," noted the Independent Expert,
"one must not forget that the country has lived too long in a situation of extreme poverty which probably contributed significantly to
amplify the consequences of the disaster. That is why those responsible for reconstruction must be careful not to recreate the same
factors that perpetuate inequality and poverty and thus lead to violations of human rights. "
Hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes, many of them are parties elsewhere, sometimes near or far beyond
their city or village of origin, family or friends. "This is not distance mileage that counts but the fact that those affected are left without
any resources, even more vulnerable to a dramatic economic situation, with a community organization and family destroyed and
therefore more threatened in respect their rights. These people must above all be protected. They should be especially protected against
illegal evictions began, "noted the Independent Expert who has called for a moratorium on evictions pending the establishment of a true
national strategy by the government that will both guarantee the right to property, protect the right to education and the right to lead a
decent life.
In his meetings with Haitian authorities and MINUSTAH with the Independent Expert has also reiterated the need to think of
reconstruction with the vision of a rights approach. "The urgency of the reconstruction, the pragmatism of planning should not distract
us from the rights approach. We can make sanitation or water supply otherwise, with an approach from the standpoint of access rights.
This applies even to the construction of schools, colleges, hospitals have in mind when the right to education or access to care, "pleaded
the Independent Expert recalling that one can so decline this approach to transport, waste management, food security, housing, public
buildings, courts and prisons. "The rights approach starts from the point of view of the rights of beneficiaries, is the message that must
constantly hammering. We must change the paradigm, change the way we look is on the goals of reconstruction.
Click here to read more »
The Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti said that those responsible for reconstruction must be
careful not to recreate the same factors that perpetuate inequality and poverty and lead to violations of human rights .
Port-au-Prince, April 29, 2010
This Thursday, April 29, 2010, Mr Michel Forst, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti appointed by the UN
Secretary General concluded his fifth visit to Haiti in 10 days during which he met the President of the Republic and the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General, and members of government and the Protector of Citizens.
This mission was primarily to assess the impact of the humanitarian crisis on the enjoyment of rights and to promote the place of rights
in the reconstruction. Because in situations of humanitarian crisis or major disturbances, certain population groups are particularly
threatened because of their vulnerability and need even more attention is paid to their protection needs. This is mainly IDPs, as well as
women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities or those who have suffered trauma, amputation or severe injury.
"The loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in no way be solely attributed to fate or natural elements," noted the Independent Expert,
"one must not forget that the country has lived too long in a situation of extreme poverty which probably contributed significantly to
amplify the consequences of the disaster. That is why those responsible for reconstruction must be careful not to recreate the same
factors that perpetuate inequality and poverty and thus lead to violations of human rights. "
Hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes, many of them are parties elsewhere, sometimes near or far beyond
their city or village of origin, family or friends. "This is not distance mileage that counts but the fact that those affected are left without
any resources, even more vulnerable to a dramatic economic situation, with a community organization and family destroyed and
therefore more threatened in respect their rights. These people must above all be protected. They should be especially protected against
illegal evictions began, "noted the Independent Expert who has called for a moratorium on evictions pending the establishment of a true
national strategy by the government that will both guarantee the right to property, protect the right to education and the right to lead a
decent life.
In his meetings with Haitian authorities and MINUSTAH with the Independent Expert has also reiterated the need to think of
reconstruction with the vision of a rights approach. "The urgency of the reconstruction, the pragmatism of planning should not distract
us from the rights approach. We can make sanitation or water supply otherwise, with an approach from the standpoint of access rights.
This applies even to the construction of schools, colleges, hospitals have in mind when the right to education or access to care, "pleaded
the Independent Expert recalling that one can so decline this approach to transport, waste management, food security, housing, public
buildings, courts and prisons. "The rights approach starts from the point of view of the rights of beneficiaries, is the message that must
constantly hammering. We must change the paradigm, change the way we look is on the goals of reconstruction.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World 2010 Report
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Partly Free
Overview
Haitian politics remained turbulent in 2009. Following a vote of no confidence by the parliament, Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis
was forced from her post in October after only a year in office. President Rene Preval named planning minister Jean-Max Bellerive as
her replacement, and the appointment was quickly ratified by the parliament.
Haitian electoral authorities held presidential and legislative elections in February 2006, with a second round of parliamentary elections in
April. Despite initial turbulence when some polling stations opened late, the voting was deemed the cleanest and fairest in Haitian history,
and turnout surpassed 50 percent. The elections yielded evidence of both political consensus and continued fragmentation. Former
president Preval won a second term with 51 percent of the vote, triumphing over at least 33 other contenders, but his newly organized
Lespwa party failed to win a majority in either house of parliament. Lespwa captured just over a third of the Senate seats and a quarter
of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies. In December 2006, municipal elections were held successfully, along with a final round of
voting to decide a handful of unresolved parliamentary races. Security improved the following year after UN forces cracked down on
gangs in the capital.
Haiti entered a period of turmoil when the parliament forced out Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis amid rising food prices in April
2008 and then rejected the president’s two initial nominees to replace him. Michele Pierre-Louis was finally approved as a compromise
candidate in September, but she was dismissed by parliament in October 2009 following a contentious debate over allegations that
hurricane recovery funds had been misspent, though the charge was never proven. Despite fears that Pierre-Louis’s removal would
spark new instability, the nomination and confirmation of her replacement, former planning minister Jean-Max Bellerive, occurred within
two weeks, marking a succession that was surprisingly orderly. Elections to replace one third of the Haitian Senate were held in April,
with a run-off in June, amid widespread disinterest and low voter turnout; Lespwa won five of the eleven seats contested in the run-off,
thereby maintaining a legislative plurality in the parliament’s upper chamber.
In order to ensure the country’s stability in the short-term, the UN Security Council extended the peacekeeping force’s mandate until
October 2010.
Endemic corruption continues to hobble Haiti’s political and economic development. A number of lawmakers elected in 2006 have
reportedly been involved in criminal activities, and they sought parliament seats primarily to obtain immunity from prosecution. Preval
identified the fight against corruption as a major priority, demanding full disclosure of financial records for top government officials.
Haiti was ranked 168 out of 180 countries surveyed in Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 5
Status: Partly Free
Overview
Haitian politics remained turbulent in 2009. Following a vote of no confidence by the parliament, Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis
was forced from her post in October after only a year in office. President Rene Preval named planning minister Jean-Max Bellerive as
her replacement, and the appointment was quickly ratified by the parliament.
Haitian electoral authorities held presidential and legislative elections in February 2006, with a second round of parliamentary elections in
April. Despite initial turbulence when some polling stations opened late, the voting was deemed the cleanest and fairest in Haitian history,
and turnout surpassed 50 percent. The elections yielded evidence of both political consensus and continued fragmentation. Former
president Preval won a second term with 51 percent of the vote, triumphing over at least 33 other contenders, but his newly organized
Lespwa party failed to win a majority in either house of parliament. Lespwa captured just over a third of the Senate seats and a quarter
of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies. In December 2006, municipal elections were held successfully, along with a final round of
voting to decide a handful of unresolved parliamentary races. Security improved the following year after UN forces cracked down on
gangs in the capital.
Haiti entered a period of turmoil when the parliament forced out Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis amid rising food prices in April
2008 and then rejected the president’s two initial nominees to replace him. Michele Pierre-Louis was finally approved as a compromise
candidate in September, but she was dismissed by parliament in October 2009 following a contentious debate over allegations that
hurricane recovery funds had been misspent, though the charge was never proven. Despite fears that Pierre-Louis’s removal would
spark new instability, the nomination and confirmation of her replacement, former planning minister Jean-Max Bellerive, occurred within
two weeks, marking a succession that was surprisingly orderly. Elections to replace one third of the Haitian Senate were held in April,
with a run-off in June, amid widespread disinterest and low voter turnout; Lespwa won five of the eleven seats contested in the run-off,
thereby maintaining a legislative plurality in the parliament’s upper chamber.
In order to ensure the country’s stability in the short-term, the UN Security Council extended the peacekeeping force’s mandate until
October 2010.
Endemic corruption continues to hobble Haiti’s political and economic development. A number of lawmakers elected in 2006 have
reportedly been involved in criminal activities, and they sought parliament seats primarily to obtain immunity from prosecution. Preval
identified the fight against corruption as a major priority, demanding full disclosure of financial records for top government officials.
Haiti was ranked 168 out of 180 countries surveyed in Transparency International’s 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Click here to read more »
Abandoned and betrayed – why Haiti’s displaced people feel neglected by the state
By Chiara Liguori, Caribbean researcher for Amnesty International
22 June 2010
Where is the state in Haiti? In the week we have spent here so far, we have been hearing this question again and again. Displaced people
living in makeshift camps haven’t seen any improvement in their living conditions in the six months since the earthquake, and in some
cases their situation has been deteriorating. They wonder if they still have authorities to address and if they will ever get any help. They
feel abandoned and betrayed.
In most cases, the presence of the state is visible only through unpopular decisions. Since early April, the government announced the end
of food distribution because it found that aid was creating dependency and blocking the national economy. Since then, more and more
people have reported difficulties in acquiring adequate food. Reports of malnutrition are increasing and more and more girls are being
forced into sexual exploitation in order to eat. Many parents face a hard choice between feeding their children or sending them to school.
The governmental decision to interrupt distribution of food aid has been widely publicized on radio. However, little or no information
seems to have been available concerning state plans for relocation and resettlement of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced
people. Probably because a plan still does not exist. The large majority of displaced people continue to occupy public squares, football
pitches and school yards without knowing if something (and what) is being prepared for them by the authorities.
What is clear to them is that their life will become even more dire if nothing is done. Dozens of people living in makeshift camps erected
on private land are facing the threat of forced expulsion by the land owners, who are claiming back their land, or at least some form of
compensation for loss of profit. In some cases, people have already been evicted or have fled following intimidation. A displaced woman
confirmed: “The state needs to prepare a plan for people on private lands. If the state has no plan, people will end up in the streets once
again.”
Women’s organizations working with victims of gender-based violence also feel that the state’s mechanisms to prevent and respond to
violence against women and girls are totally ineffective. This was the view before the earthquake. Now they feel even more neglected
considering the emergency situation and the exposure of even more women and girls to acts of violence. The police are absent in most
camps and displaced women rarely have funds to pay for much-needed medial attention. Given the ineffective state response, solidarity
is the only source of hope. A woman whose daughter was raped in May told us: “After what happened to my daughter I joined
KOFAVIV (a women’s grassroots organization providing support to victims of gender-based violence), and now at least I feel stronger.
If the state doesn’t do anything for us, we can only help each other”.
Click here to read more »
By Chiara Liguori, Caribbean researcher for Amnesty International
22 June 2010
Where is the state in Haiti? In the week we have spent here so far, we have been hearing this question again and again. Displaced people
living in makeshift camps haven’t seen any improvement in their living conditions in the six months since the earthquake, and in some
cases their situation has been deteriorating. They wonder if they still have authorities to address and if they will ever get any help. They
feel abandoned and betrayed.
In most cases, the presence of the state is visible only through unpopular decisions. Since early April, the government announced the end
of food distribution because it found that aid was creating dependency and blocking the national economy. Since then, more and more
people have reported difficulties in acquiring adequate food. Reports of malnutrition are increasing and more and more girls are being
forced into sexual exploitation in order to eat. Many parents face a hard choice between feeding their children or sending them to school.
The governmental decision to interrupt distribution of food aid has been widely publicized on radio. However, little or no information
seems to have been available concerning state plans for relocation and resettlement of hundreds of thousands of internally displaced
people. Probably because a plan still does not exist. The large majority of displaced people continue to occupy public squares, football
pitches and school yards without knowing if something (and what) is being prepared for them by the authorities.
What is clear to them is that their life will become even more dire if nothing is done. Dozens of people living in makeshift camps erected
on private land are facing the threat of forced expulsion by the land owners, who are claiming back their land, or at least some form of
compensation for loss of profit. In some cases, people have already been evicted or have fled following intimidation. A displaced woman
confirmed: “The state needs to prepare a plan for people on private lands. If the state has no plan, people will end up in the streets once
again.”
Women’s organizations working with victims of gender-based violence also feel that the state’s mechanisms to prevent and respond to
violence against women and girls are totally ineffective. This was the view before the earthquake. Now they feel even more neglected
considering the emergency situation and the exposure of even more women and girls to acts of violence. The police are absent in most
camps and displaced women rarely have funds to pay for much-needed medial attention. Given the ineffective state response, solidarity
is the only source of hope. A woman whose daughter was raped in May told us: “After what happened to my daughter I joined
KOFAVIV (a women’s grassroots organization providing support to victims of gender-based violence), and now at least I feel stronger.
If the state doesn’t do anything for us, we can only help each other”.
Click here to read more »
For Women, Disaster and a Brutal Aftermath
by Meghan Rhoad
Published in: The Miami Herald
July 16, 2010
It was nighttime in Parc Marie Vincent when the five men grabbed her, Gentile told Human Rights Watch researchers. A few short
weeks after losing her home in the earthquake, she was in a packed camp for the quake survivors when she was kidnapped, raped,
beaten and forced to perform oral sex.
When the earthquake hit Haiti in January, the scale of the devastation shocked the world. Over 200,000 people killed, and 1.2 million
uprooted. Entire agencies, government and private, gone. The scope and depth of the tragedy seemed beyond belief.
But at least one aspect of the disaster should have come as no surprise: the heightened risk of violence and exploitation women would
face in the aftermath. No less horrifying for being expected, the brutality women suffer in such situations has been documented over and
over again, from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to Gulf Coast post-Hurricane Katrina.
When Human Rights Watch visited Haiti the month after the quake, threats to women were already apparent. There was no lighting and
little security in the camps. The emergency shelters provided no privacy, forcing women to bathe and dress in public view. Trips to the
toilets in the dark of night were made more dangerous by the lack of sex-segregated facilities.
Even as Haitian authorities and relief agencies rallied to address these issues, the risks turned into terrifying reality for some women.
Women reported being raped and brutally beaten in those early weeks after the quake, and months later, increased levels of sexual
violence continue.
Knowing that these dangers exist in emergency situations underlines the need for concerned and capable governments such as the United
States to take the lead in responding. The International Violence Against Women Act, a bill before the House Foreign Affairs committee,
would have the United States do just that in a broad range of situations involving violence against women.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, the ranking minority member on the committee, and her colleagues on both sides of the aisle
should act without delay to move this important legislation forward.
The bill, known as IVAWA, sets out a road map for preparedness. Drawing on decades of lessons learned about how to prevent and
respond to violence against women, the bill would create a structure to coordinate U.S. efforts for the greatest possible impact. For
disaster situations, it provides for the State Department to help expand the capacity of international humanitarian organizations to protect
women and girls.
Click here to read more »
by Meghan Rhoad
Published in: The Miami Herald
July 16, 2010
It was nighttime in Parc Marie Vincent when the five men grabbed her, Gentile told Human Rights Watch researchers. A few short
weeks after losing her home in the earthquake, she was in a packed camp for the quake survivors when she was kidnapped, raped,
beaten and forced to perform oral sex.
When the earthquake hit Haiti in January, the scale of the devastation shocked the world. Over 200,000 people killed, and 1.2 million
uprooted. Entire agencies, government and private, gone. The scope and depth of the tragedy seemed beyond belief.
But at least one aspect of the disaster should have come as no surprise: the heightened risk of violence and exploitation women would
face in the aftermath. No less horrifying for being expected, the brutality women suffer in such situations has been documented over and
over again, from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to Gulf Coast post-Hurricane Katrina.
When Human Rights Watch visited Haiti the month after the quake, threats to women were already apparent. There was no lighting and
little security in the camps. The emergency shelters provided no privacy, forcing women to bathe and dress in public view. Trips to the
toilets in the dark of night were made more dangerous by the lack of sex-segregated facilities.
Even as Haitian authorities and relief agencies rallied to address these issues, the risks turned into terrifying reality for some women.
Women reported being raped and brutally beaten in those early weeks after the quake, and months later, increased levels of sexual
violence continue.
Knowing that these dangers exist in emergency situations underlines the need for concerned and capable governments such as the United
States to take the lead in responding. The International Violence Against Women Act, a bill before the House Foreign Affairs committee,
would have the United States do just that in a broad range of situations involving violence against women.
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, the ranking minority member on the committee, and her colleagues on both sides of the aisle
should act without delay to move this important legislation forward.
The bill, known as IVAWA, sets out a road map for preparedness. Drawing on decades of lessons learned about how to prevent and
respond to violence against women, the bill would create a structure to coordinate U.S. efforts for the greatest possible impact. For
disaster situations, it provides for the State Department to help expand the capacity of international humanitarian organizations to protect
women and girls.
Click here to read more »
Remarks With Haitian President Rene Preval After Their Meeting
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
March 9, 2010
Allow me to express my deepest thanks to you, my deepest thanks to the American people, to the American Congress, the American
Government, to you, Madam Secretary and to your staff, to President Obama and to Mrs. Obama, for all of the help and support that
you have provided to Haiti after the earthquake of January 12th. And of course, the support provided to Haiti by the United States did not
start at this earthquake. In fact, it came way before that.
So we must work together to ensure the conditions that will allow the recovery of Haiti. And all of these conditions have to be worked
upon – not just the immediate short-term needs but we must also work towards the long term – good governance, all of investments that
have to be encouraged.
Today, we are faced with a historical situation that will allow us to rebuild, re-found this country.
In the past, everything had been concentrated and focused on the capital, where the political and economic elites of the country live, and
the rest of the country was neglected. That’s why so many people came to Haiti – into Port-au-Prince – in the illusory quest for work
that did not exist, and that is why there’s so much shoddy construction, which does not comply with standards, and that’s why there
were so many casualties. And that’s why when people leave the provinces, that’s why each time there is a flood, there are so many
deaths. Just last Sunday, there were 15 deaths due to flooding.
Political stability is something fundamental for the development of a country. I think that is what constitutes a guarantee for investors,
for the population, that there is some guarantees, that there’s some security about their future. We need a parliament that’s operating,
that functions, that votes laws. You need an executive power, you need a judicial power. The parliamentary elections had been scheduled
for February, but of course, everybody will understand that, due to the conditions, how difficult it will be to respect that timetable and to
organize elections.
As you know, the country has been severely impacted. The electoral body has been deeply affected. MINUSTAH, which was supporting
us, was accompanying us, has been deeply affected. The OAS has been affected. And of course, there have been many casualties. All of
the death toll has not been fully counted. There have been many people. So we have to find a way, and the experts will indeed help us
find a way to ensure that by the time of my departure, we will find the right way to organize elections.
We must find the right way. We should not try to do things too (inaudible), because we did have some very good systems in place. We
did have some maps that existed. But what we must absolutely avoid is that we have a temporary provisional government that does not
enjoy legitimacy. We must have a government that does have political legitimacy.
Click here to read more »
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
March 9, 2010
Allow me to express my deepest thanks to you, my deepest thanks to the American people, to the American Congress, the American
Government, to you, Madam Secretary and to your staff, to President Obama and to Mrs. Obama, for all of the help and support that
you have provided to Haiti after the earthquake of January 12th. And of course, the support provided to Haiti by the United States did not
start at this earthquake. In fact, it came way before that.
So we must work together to ensure the conditions that will allow the recovery of Haiti. And all of these conditions have to be worked
upon – not just the immediate short-term needs but we must also work towards the long term – good governance, all of investments that
have to be encouraged.
Today, we are faced with a historical situation that will allow us to rebuild, re-found this country.
In the past, everything had been concentrated and focused on the capital, where the political and economic elites of the country live, and
the rest of the country was neglected. That’s why so many people came to Haiti – into Port-au-Prince – in the illusory quest for work
that did not exist, and that is why there’s so much shoddy construction, which does not comply with standards, and that’s why there
were so many casualties. And that’s why when people leave the provinces, that’s why each time there is a flood, there are so many
deaths. Just last Sunday, there were 15 deaths due to flooding.
Political stability is something fundamental for the development of a country. I think that is what constitutes a guarantee for investors,
for the population, that there is some guarantees, that there’s some security about their future. We need a parliament that’s operating,
that functions, that votes laws. You need an executive power, you need a judicial power. The parliamentary elections had been scheduled
for February, but of course, everybody will understand that, due to the conditions, how difficult it will be to respect that timetable and to
organize elections.
As you know, the country has been severely impacted. The electoral body has been deeply affected. MINUSTAH, which was supporting
us, was accompanying us, has been deeply affected. The OAS has been affected. And of course, there have been many casualties. All of
the death toll has not been fully counted. There have been many people. So we have to find a way, and the experts will indeed help us
find a way to ensure that by the time of my departure, we will find the right way to organize elections.
We must find the right way. We should not try to do things too (inaudible), because we did have some very good systems in place. We
did have some maps that existed. But what we must absolutely avoid is that we have a temporary provisional government that does not
enjoy legitimacy. We must have a government that does have political legitimacy.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Michel Forst Haiti to follow up its recommendations
September 9, 2010
The UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, Michel Forst, has since September 3, on official visit in the
country. A visit which aims to assess the evolution of the situation there since his last mission. For Mr. Forst, it will also make follow up
recommendations made in its latest report.
"Assessing progress in reforming the rule of law, justice, police and prisons, continue to evaluate the impact of the humanitarian crisis on
the rights and warn about the need to put human rights at the heart the reconstruction process "are the main objectives of this mission of
the Independent Expert. Objectives announced at the conference held weekly MINUSTAH September 9 in the presence of Haitian and
international press.
"If the purpose of reconstruction is guaranteed better access to rights for Haitians, it is necessary that the methods are also mindful of
the interests," said the expert, further emphasizing the need for government Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti and
donors to "integrate safeguards should be imposed on companies to ensure non-discrimination, a significant impact on employment,
particularly for vulnerable groups and the protection of the environment. "
Some progress, however ...
Concerning the reform of the rule of law, the Independent Expert was able to appreciate how, despite great difficulties, some courts,
including Jacmel, show encouraging signs in the functioning of courts, police and prisons, and Welcomes the cooperation between the
institutions concerned.
The independent expert commends the Office for the Protection of Citizens for significant efforts to expand its presence throughout the
territory of Haiti and calls the "rapid implementation of the framework law which will establish the full scope of responsibilities and
powers of this institution, responsible for ensuring the protection of rights of every citizen and citizen. "
The Independent Expert also welcomes the report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the events of January 19 at the Prison
for Cayes has been submitted to the Prime Minister, and looks forward to its publication, and the trial and sentence to follow, to establish
responsibilities.
During his last mission in April 2010, the Independent Expert had visited Leogane, Les Cayes and the border with the Dominican
Republic. It was presented in June, its report to the Council of Human Rights United Nations in Geneva.
Click here to read more »
Michel Forst Haiti to follow up its recommendations
September 9, 2010
The UN Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, Michel Forst, has since September 3, on official visit in the
country. A visit which aims to assess the evolution of the situation there since his last mission. For Mr. Forst, it will also make follow up
recommendations made in its latest report.
"Assessing progress in reforming the rule of law, justice, police and prisons, continue to evaluate the impact of the humanitarian crisis on
the rights and warn about the need to put human rights at the heart the reconstruction process "are the main objectives of this mission of
the Independent Expert. Objectives announced at the conference held weekly MINUSTAH September 9 in the presence of Haitian and
international press.
"If the purpose of reconstruction is guaranteed better access to rights for Haitians, it is necessary that the methods are also mindful of
the interests," said the expert, further emphasizing the need for government Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti and
donors to "integrate safeguards should be imposed on companies to ensure non-discrimination, a significant impact on employment,
particularly for vulnerable groups and the protection of the environment. "
Some progress, however ...
Concerning the reform of the rule of law, the Independent Expert was able to appreciate how, despite great difficulties, some courts,
including Jacmel, show encouraging signs in the functioning of courts, police and prisons, and Welcomes the cooperation between the
institutions concerned.
The independent expert commends the Office for the Protection of Citizens for significant efforts to expand its presence throughout the
territory of Haiti and calls the "rapid implementation of the framework law which will establish the full scope of responsibilities and
powers of this institution, responsible for ensuring the protection of rights of every citizen and citizen. "
The Independent Expert also welcomes the report of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the events of January 19 at the Prison
for Cayes has been submitted to the Prime Minister, and looks forward to its publication, and the trial and sentence to follow, to establish
responsibilities.
During his last mission in April 2010, the Independent Expert had visited Leogane, Les Cayes and the border with the Dominican
Republic. It was presented in June, its report to the Council of Human Rights United Nations in Geneva.
Click here to read more »
TRANSLATED FROM FRENCH BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE
Press Release
August 31, 2010
Incident to the Department of Immigration and Emigration: RNDDH deplores the misuse of facts by the Justice and outraged
condemnation of the victim.
The National Network for the Defence of Human Rights (RNDDH) notes that Thursday, August 26, 2010, an incident occurred with the
Department of Immigration and Emigration among the officer Jules WANCEAU assigned to the Security Unit of the Building and named
Eddy PIERRE aka Eddy PRIVERT, security officer approached the Government Commissioner at the Court of First Instance of
Port-au-Prince, Me Harycidas AUGUSTE, whose presence at the scene was motivated by personal activities to obtain three (3) passport
books for his family.
The Government Commissioner and the police assigned to his security were introduced in the office of the Director General of
Immigration. However, the man named Eddy STONE was denied access by the officer on duty, Jules WANCEAU, pursuant to an order
that the armed persons are not permitted to enter the Director's office with their weapons.
An argument ensued during which the officer Jules WANCEAU launched unfortunate remarks against the Government Commissioner.
Informed of the incident by Eddy PIERRE, the Government Commissioner was arresting officer's office for contempt of the Judiciary.
Arrested, handcuffed at the scene of his assignment by his peers and taken by force to the Prosecutor of Port-au-Prince, the officer
brought the same day before Magistrate John Paul Perez, the criminal court. Celery and expeditious trial was held and in which it states:
On those grounds, the Court heard the prosecution, the means proposed by the defense counsel; said constant and said the facts alleged
against the defendant for contempt Jules WANCEAU, sentenced him to three (3) months imprisonment, dismissal from his position as
police officer also said he is prohibited from voting and election for a period of six (6) months, the right to bear arms, or used as an
expert witness in a deed of testify in court if not only make a simple statement.
RNDDH emphasize that:
1.The contempt is a matter likely to impair the dignity of the office of the protected person. He is punished only when it is done in the
presence of the protected person and where that person is in the course of or in connection with the performance of his duties.
However, the Commissioner Harycidas AUGUSTE was not in the exercise of his duties at the Immigration. Moreover, the remarks were
not addressed directly to the depositary of the authority protected him but have been reported, the intentional element of the offense does
not exist.
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Press Release
August 31, 2010
Incident to the Department of Immigration and Emigration: RNDDH deplores the misuse of facts by the Justice and outraged
condemnation of the victim.
The National Network for the Defence of Human Rights (RNDDH) notes that Thursday, August 26, 2010, an incident occurred with the
Department of Immigration and Emigration among the officer Jules WANCEAU assigned to the Security Unit of the Building and named
Eddy PIERRE aka Eddy PRIVERT, security officer approached the Government Commissioner at the Court of First Instance of
Port-au-Prince, Me Harycidas AUGUSTE, whose presence at the scene was motivated by personal activities to obtain three (3) passport
books for his family.
The Government Commissioner and the police assigned to his security were introduced in the office of the Director General of
Immigration. However, the man named Eddy STONE was denied access by the officer on duty, Jules WANCEAU, pursuant to an order
that the armed persons are not permitted to enter the Director's office with their weapons.
An argument ensued during which the officer Jules WANCEAU launched unfortunate remarks against the Government Commissioner.
Informed of the incident by Eddy PIERRE, the Government Commissioner was arresting officer's office for contempt of the Judiciary.
Arrested, handcuffed at the scene of his assignment by his peers and taken by force to the Prosecutor of Port-au-Prince, the officer
brought the same day before Magistrate John Paul Perez, the criminal court. Celery and expeditious trial was held and in which it states:
On those grounds, the Court heard the prosecution, the means proposed by the defense counsel; said constant and said the facts alleged
against the defendant for contempt Jules WANCEAU, sentenced him to three (3) months imprisonment, dismissal from his position as
police officer also said he is prohibited from voting and election for a period of six (6) months, the right to bear arms, or used as an
expert witness in a deed of testify in court if not only make a simple statement.
RNDDH emphasize that:
1.The contempt is a matter likely to impair the dignity of the office of the protected person. He is punished only when it is done in the
presence of the protected person and where that person is in the course of or in connection with the performance of his duties.
However, the Commissioner Harycidas AUGUSTE was not in the exercise of his duties at the Immigration. Moreover, the remarks were
not addressed directly to the depositary of the authority protected him but have been reported, the intentional element of the offense does
not exist.
Click here to read more>>
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Rene Garcia Preval
President since 14 May 2006
President since 14 May 2006
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
