Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

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Haiti: Historical Setting
President Aristide achieved a positive balance in the treasury
for the first time in years through the collection of taxes and
arrears; invitations to the "10th Department," as he called the
Haitian diaspora, to invest in Haiti; and foreign assistance. By
July 1991, he had accumulated US$511 million in grants and
concessionary loans and by September, a US$48 million appropriation
in standby loans from the International Monetary
Fund (IMF—see Glossary)
Aristide and his achievements did not meet with everyone's
approval. The military feared reduction of its budget, demobilization
of its infamous Leopard Corps, establishment of a separate
presidential security force, interruption of its lucrative
drug trade, and investigations into its involvement in the election
day and Jean Rabel massacres and the destruction of St.
Jean Bosco. The rich were afraid of the empowerment of the
social classes they had historically dominated and the prospect
of paying taxes and obeying laws. The Roman Catholic Church
hierarchy was apprehensive about the ti-legliz movement and its
loss of influence in a more egalitarian institution. The United
States had misgivings about Aristide because he had been critical
of "the frigid north."
Opposition to Aristide and his government became increasingly
evident. Several plots were devised by former or current
mahout and former military officers. Civilians and soldiers
attempted to assassinate or overthrow him. On April 16, mahout
burned the Hyppolite Public Market in Port-au-Prince while
former supporters complained that the effort to curb the mahout
and lower the cost of living was too slow.
On September 26, 1991, Aristide learned that a coup was
planned for his return from the UN, where he had just proclaimed
that "democracy (in Haiti) has won out for good." In
Haiti the next day, Aristide addressed the nation, denouncing
the mahout and elites. He urged the people to give the elites
what they deserved, a burning tire around their necks, or
"necklace" (pere lebruri), and extolled the device, "What a beautiful
tool! It has a good smell." Such statements alarmed civil
libertarians as examples of presidential intimidation of the legislature
and courts and abuse of presidential power.
Military Coup Overthrows Aristide, September 30,
1991 -October 1994
The coup began on September 29, 1991, when soldiers
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