Haiti Background

Before the January 12 earthquake, the small island nation of Haiti was struggling. Eighty percent of the more than 10 million people living in Haiti lived in poverty – and about half of that number lived on less than a dollar a day – making it the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Despite all these challenges, Haitians are proud of their history and are eager to create a better future for themselves.

Natural Disasters

In the Summer and Fall of 2008, Haiti was in the news as four back-to-back storms hammered the impoverished island. Its fragile economy shrunk by 15 percent and years of economic development work washed out to sea. More than 800 people died as a result of the storms.

Haiti was still struggling 15 months later when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused unimaginable devastation yet again. More than 230,000 people died and over 1.2 million were displaced and forced to live in make-shift shelters.

Within days after the deadly quake, film and TV star Jimmy Jean-Louis returned to his native country to provide help. At that time he said: “Everywhere you go everything is dead. This is what the end of the world is going to look like.”

Compounding the crisis is the five-month Atlantic hurricane season, which started June 1 and is predicted to be the worst in decades. Although Haitian authorities and international aid organizations are working to provide better shelter, clean drainage canals and prepare for the inevitable, experts say it is not enough. Rains from tropical storms and hurricanes will cause even more destruction in the capital.

Economy

Prior to the earthquake, textiles and apparel made up about two-thirds of Haiti’s exports to the United States and generate around $130 million per year for the country. Haitians that have left the island in search of job opportunities and a better life send money to their loved ones back home, and these remittances from abroad comprise about 20 percent of Haiti’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Twenty-eight percent of Haiti’s economy relies on agriculture and this industry employs about 66 percent of the labor force. Cash crops include coffee, mangoes and cocoa. There is also a small fishing industry. The agriculture industry in Haiti has been significantly damaged and diminished due to the major deforestation that has taken place as well as the natural disasters that continuously devastate the country.

When three hurricanes and one tropical storm ravaged Haiti in 2008, its economy was on the rise. Since the storms and the Jan. 12 earthquake, unemployment levels and the prices of basic necessities have skyrocketed. Haiti’s economy is in worse condition than ever before.

Human Rights

When people are desperate, they will do desperate things—and those at greatest risk are children. Children become prostitutes, work as forced laborers, pressed into gangs or face other horrible situations. 

Nearly a quarter million impoverished children are forced to work as unpaid domestic servants, or restavèks, in major Haitian cities, according to a comprehensive study by PADF that was released in December. The children’s’ families are so poor that their parents send them to live in other homes where they hope to have the chance for education and food. Unfortunately, the children (who are mostly girls) are prone to beatings, sexual assault and other abuses by their host families.

PADF and its partners are responding to the situation by supporting shelters for restavèks and other vulnerable children. Projects include shelters, vocational training, school, health services, counseling and rehabilitation.

It also works with the Haitian government to enact laws to better protect vulnerable groups, train the police to better respond to these victims and create a dialogue among all stakeholders.

Environment

Charcoal is one of the primary fuels for cooking. The tragic result: 97 percent of Haiti is deforested.

In addition to the environmental degradation, it affects the safety of Haitians as there is nothing to stop rainwater runoff during storms. Because of this, Haiti is especially vulnerable to inclement weather and it shows in the effects hurricanes and other natural storms and disasters have recently had on the country.

Deforestation has ruined most of Haiti’s soil, destroying the country’s opportunity for a prosperous agriculture industry.

Haiti's Rich History

Two hundred years after Christopher Columbus discovered and named the island of Hispaniola in 1492, it was split into two separate countries. The eastern side became the Dominican Republic (controlled by Spain) while the western side became Haiti (controlled by France).

The French quickly developed coffee and sugar plantations in Haiti and brought in hundreds of thousands of slaves from Africa to work on them. Haiti became France’s most economically productive colony.

By 1791, however, the slaves revolted against their oppression. Within 10 days, they took control of the entire Northern Province. Within a year, they controlled about a third of the island.

Events in Europe had an impact on Haiti. In 1793, France declared war against Great Britain. Spain joined the fight on the side of the British.

A key figure during the war— and one of the most famous black Haitian generals at that time—was Toussaint L’Ouverture, a former slave who taught himself to read and write. At first, he sided with the Spanish and fought against the French. When France agreed to free all the slaves in 1793—almost two years from the original date of insurrection on the island—L’Ouverture switched sides and joined the French. His forces were comprised mostly by formerly enslaved Africans and were very successful in battle.

After the war, O’Ouverture created a separatist government and named himself as the leader. The French wanted to exert control over Haiti and re-establish slavery. Napoleon dispatched some 20,000 troops under the command of his brother in law. Although they won a few battles, the French troops were suffering from Yellow Fever.

Napoleon’s brother in law tricked O’Ouverture to a meeting, kidnapped him and shipped him to France. A new set of Haitian generals took on the French, defeating them in late 1803. On January 1, 1804, Haiti had achieved its independence, and became the first free Black republic in the world.

Before withdrawing, however, France realized they would suffer a tremendous economic loss by leaving Haiti. To help cope with their debt, France demanded that Haiti pay reparation of 150 million francs (about $21 billion in today’s dollars). Later, it was reduced to 60 million francs. This debt, years of war and a ravaged economy crippled Haiti.

Haiti’s independence had a direct result on the United States. France was deep in debt and forced to sell some of its assets—including its Louisiana territories to the United States.

Since declaring independence as the world’s first black republic, Haiti has been plagued by corrupt leaders and political violence. The first truly Democratic elections did not take place until 1930, but were followed by several military coups that began in 1946.

Eventually, in 1957, Francois Duvalier, also known as “Papa Doc,” was elected president. His election marked the beginning of one of the most oppressive dictatorships in Haiti’s history. Duvalier ensured that he stayed in power through his personal military, the Tonton Macoutes, which was ultimately accountable for 30,000 deaths. Haiti’s most educated people began to flee the country. Although Papa Doc’s son continued the corruption and terrorism, he was ousted in 1987 by another military coup.

After several leaders were ousted, democratic elections took place again in 1990. Despite occasional violence, Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president. René Préval was named prime minister. Their campaign promised to rid the country of the government corruption.

Only a year later, in 1991, another military coup that was financed by Papa Doc supporters ousted Aristide. For three years, the Organization of the American States, the United Nations and the United States negotiated and imposed sanctions and embargos on Haiti to pressure the military government until they finally agreed to step down in 1994.

In 1995, former Prime Minister René Préval was elected president. His administration’s priorities included agricultural production, administrative reform and economic modernization.

Aristide won the 2000 elections, but after allegations of election fraud and miscounted votes, an uprising occurred and he was forced to resign in 2004. Aristide was eventually exiled to the Central African Republic. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Boniface Alexandre acted as interim president until Préval won again in the February 2006 presidential elections.

Haiti has never truly prospered and its history is full of continuous political coups, incredible poverty, and most recently devastating natural disasters. Haiti needs more help now than ever before to rebuild, repair and recover.