I read recently in John Adams and Toussaint Louverture and their Atlantic world Alliance, since 1800 the United States had not entertained an equal relationship with the Republic of Haiti. Ronald Angelo Johnson makes the case since that time Haiti has always been a vassal of the United States.
Indeed all my life I felt the feet of the United States on Haiti neck. I was 13 years old when already I was left with that impression. I am now (75) year old. I remember praying God that we will be delivered of the evil hands of the Duvalier regime when I was a teenager. When Duvalier father was at its deathbed, it was Ambassador Everet Knox who manipulated to have his son installed as President at the age of 19 years old.
Later when the people power forced the hands of the regime, the American government was again present to install Henry Namphy a military as provisional government. When the elections of 1987 took place he the general organized a massacre on the day of the election under the pretext that the American government did not like the candidate, Gerard Gourgue who was labeled wrongly a communist.
Later the advent of the priest President Jean Bertrand Aristide did not solve the situation. The protectorate of Haiti was transferred to the United Nations that gave the power to Rene Preval. Later it was transmitted to Michel Martelly who passed it on to Jovenel Moise. All these governments took place without the true consent of the Haitian people.
The mandate of the Jovenel government was to end on February 7th 2021 but because of a quid pro quo offered by the State Department for his support to the policy against the Maduro regime he was allowed to remain until February 7th 2022. Adding injury to the pain, his regime is governed with the gangs that inflict suffering to the Haitian people in the forms of kidnapping, insecurity and malfeasance. In addition the American Government insists he must preside to the new election and permit to change the laws of the country for ever in the form of a new Constitution. The people has been protesting every Sunday by million. To no avail.
Yet hands in hands the two first nations of the Western Hemisphere can rekindle the project of happiness started by Toussaint Louverture and John Adams in 1800 for their respective countries and for humanity. The project was quashed by Thomas Jefferson who succeeded Adams in the election of 1800 reversing forever “the project of happiness for all “concocted by Toussaint Louverture.
I was happy to see in the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti of Pope Francis “the project of happiness for all” is in the divine plan. God is not coming in earth only to redeem humanity he is coming in this world to show us how to live happy. And as such Haiti which gave the world two victories already: the victory of deliverance against the ignominy of slavery and the victory against dictatorship will gave to the world the victory of the advent of true democracy.
The democracy that nurtures the sentiment of appurtenance among the citizens of the same nation, that builds strong institutions and adequate infrastructure everywhere so the citizens will not be nomads in their country. The democracy that accept to boost the women, the rural word and the ghetto population to catch up with those who enjoy already the bliss of middle class status, the democracy that seeks and implements the divine
mission of that nation. And last but not least the democracy that teaches the youth to apply education, creativity and resilience so they will push the country to its zenith.
May God look upon Haiti and may in my life time I see Haiti shines upon the earth and together hands in hands with the United States they help build nations out of the divided countries.
Jean Hervé Charles LLB, MSW, JD
Ph-347-520-2877