Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Haiti: Historical Setting
Preparations for both forcible and permissive entries proceeded.
The United States, Canada, France, and Venezuela
(referred to as the Friends of Haiti) played a key role. Ten
countries ultimately agreed to participate, and the United
States deployed a battleship, the USS Eisenhower to the Caribbean,
increasing pressure on General Cedras.
On September 15, President Clinton addressed the United
States public, justifying the need for an invasion by citing the
terrorism of the military regime. The next day, Clinton made a
final effort to avoid a military invasion of Haiti by sending
former president Jimmy Carter, former chair of the United
States Joint Chiefs of Staff General Colin Powell, and Senator
Sam Nunn of Georgia to Haiti to arrange a peaceful departure
of the junta. On September 18, with airplanes headed toward
Haiti, Carter phoned Clinton to say that the junta would step
down in return for an amnesty for themselves and the Haitian
military. President Aristide gave his approval.
On September 19, 1994, United States troops entered Haiti
peacefully and unopposed. Haitians greeted the United States
forces warmly but cautiously, fearing reprisals from the Haitian
military. However, as the people became more festive, Haitian
police killed two people while United States forces watched,
unsure of their mandate. Other incidents occurred in Cap-Haitien
and Gonaives.
The junta left Haiti within a month. On October 4, former
police chief Joseph Michel Francois fled to the Dominican
Republic. On October 10, General Cedras resigned in a brief
ceremony in which he had to be protected from jeering
crowds, and on October 13, generals Cedras and Biamby left
for exile in Panama.
Democracy Restored, 1 994-96
President Aristide made a triumphal return to Haiti on
October 15, 1994. For the first time, an exiled Haitian president
was restored to office. A jubilant crowd, estimated at
10,000, gathered in front of the presidential palace to see and
hear him. President Aristide spoke to them about reconciliation
and justice, repeating the phrase, "No to violence, no to
vengeance, yes to reconciliation." The next day, October 16,
the UN Security Council lifted all economic sanctions against
Haiti.
A sense of disillusionment soon set in among many of Aristide's
followers, however. Their champion of social justice
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