 |
Aristide's bold and populist reforms rankled the
neo-Duvalierists -- those
sympathetic to the recently ousted dictatorial regime of the Duvalier family --
especially the powerful military whose members launched a coup d'etat on
September 29, 1991. Next day, Raoul Cedras (1949-) and his troops captured
Aristide (later granted safe passage to Venezuela), established a three-man
ruling junta and assumed control of the radio and television. The military
violently suppressed all street protests and enforced strict curfews. Within
weeks of the coup, about 500 people had been killed in armed confrontations. The
United States and the European Community suspended economic aid to Haiti, while
the Organization of American States (OAS) tried to isolate the ruling junta and
demanded Aristide's return to power. Aristide urged the UN Security Council to
help restore democracy. However, US support for him was waning amid reports of
alleged human rights violations during his tenure. Many countries, including the
US, imposed a trade embargo but it was unevenly enforced. As economic hardships
and worsening human rights abuses at home forced thousands of Haitians to seek
refuge in neighboring countries, the OAS and the UN mediated several agreements
to restore democracy to Haiti. Only the Governor's Island Accord in New York on
July 3, 1993, negotiated directly between Aristide and Cedras for the former's
return to power, had any hope of succeeding. However, its implementation was
derailed by growing right-wing violence and repression in Haiti and different US
policies. Responding to pressure, the US government agreed (under the UN
Security Council's Resolution 940) to lead an international military team to end
the crisis in Haiti. Finally, Haitian military leaders stepped down, and on
October 15, 1994, Aristide finally returned home to resume office.
|