By Courtney Cox
The quote,
“The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children” is an apt description
of the Duvalier reign in Haiti. The Duvaliers (‘Papa Doc’ and later ‘Baby Doc’)
presided over one of the most oppressive governments in the Western Hemisphere.
Historically,
Haiti was the ‘Pearl of the Antilles,’ largely deriving its
wealth for the métropole from sugar cane production, an industry governed by
black codes and accomplished by slave labor. After over a century of French
colonial exploitation, the power shifted to the oppressed. In 1804, a
successful slave revolution culminated in the first black republic. One can
only imagine the degree of deliverance and optimism that permeated the new
island nation.
The joy that accompanied this unprecedented victory was
short lived, however. The world’s first black republic has been subsequently
plagued by post-colonial exploitation and ruthless dictators (often serving as
Western controlled puppets). With the recent death of one of these tyrants,
Baby Doc, an assessment of his human rights legacy in Haiti seems timely.
In 1971,
the nineteen-year-old Baby Doc succeeded his father as ruler of Haiti. His human rights rap sheet screams despot. Fulfilling his
father’s legacy, Baby Doc refused to tolerate political dissent. He maintained a secret police (the MVSN – formerly known
as the Tonton Macoutes under the Papa Doc administration) which bore the
responsibility of enforcing his policies. Their enforcement culminated in
widespread censorship, innumerable disappearances, unfathomable detentions and
prisons terms, torture, and well over 30,000 executions. Baby Doc also robbed
his poverty stricken populace by hoarding and frivolously spending government
revenue. Let’s not pretend that Baby Doc’s oppressive reign was one carried out
in isolation. His regime was significantly supported by the United States through economic and military assistance in order to
further its anti-communist exploits.
On a visit
to Haiti in 1983, Pope John Paul II declared that “something must change here,”
and three years later, something did. Twenty-nine
years into the Duvalier family reign, a popular uprising ended this chapter of
Haitian history. Baby Doc was forced into exile in 1986, and a United States
military plane whisked him away to France. His exile was cushioned with illicit Haitian
funds, and he escaped all accountability for his abusive regime.
Baby Doc returned to Haiti twenty-five years after he was
ousted and one year after a devastating earthquake ravaged the island. He
claimed he returned to his native land to “help.” Some speculated that he
returned home to die. Shortly after his return, he delivered a feeble apology
at a news press conference. He claimed, “I
take this opportunity to express my deep sadness to my countrymen who rightly
feel like they may have been victims under my government.”
His attempt at
reconciliation proved woefully inadequate. Baby Doc was formally prosecuted for
financial corruption crimes soon after his return. Allegations of crimes
against humanity were added, but a judge quickly dismissed them, claiming that
the Haitian ten year statute of limitations barred claims that occurred in the
‘70s and ‘80s. The petitioners appealed the dismissal of the human rights
charges. During the appellate hearings, a judge asked the tyrant about the
allegations of executions and torture. He responded that “deaths exist
in all countries.” The Court of Appeals of Port-au-Prince did not entertain
Baby Doc’s replies. In February 2014, the Court
held
that the human rights claims were not subject to the ten year statute of
limitations because of their “continuous character.” The Court reasoned that
customary international law is a part of Haitian law, and the charges against
Baby Doc constitute crimes against humanity under customary international law.
Baby Doc died just eight months after the Court of Appeals’
decision. His dictatorship was another etch in the tumultuous history of an
often misunderstood and abused island nation. His death begs many questions.
Will the shadows of his regime ever truly be brought to the light? Will his
victims ever experience justice? In the weeks since Baby Doc’s death, victims and their families are
not discouraged,
because they know that the tyrant did not work in solitude. Some of Baby Doc’s
henchmen were named as codefendants, and consequently, trial preparations will proceed.
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