Haiti (1995-2000)

Abstract

Written by the former President of the Republic of Haiti. This book was the cause of a great event in Haiti. At the moment of its presentation on May 26, 2001, the Aristide government illegally ordered the arrest of its author, Prosper Avril, a former president of this country. Yves Colon wrote about this incident in the May 31, 2001 issue of The Miami Herald: "As a former president and army general, Prosper Avril once cut a powerful figure in Haiti. Now the 64 year old grandfather sits in an overcrowded National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince... Last week, he went to an upscale restaurant in a suburb of the capital to sign copies of his book, Haiti: 1995-2000 -The Black Book on Insecurity. The book attributes a recent wave of kidnappings, holdups, robberies and killings to the inefficiency of the Aristide police force. As he signed the books, heavily-armed soldiers wearing black ski masks entered the restaurant and snatched Avril." M. Yves Colon was referring to the signing ceremony of the French version of Prosper Avril’s last book: Le Livre Noir de l’Insécurité.

Evidently furious that someone dare criticize his rule, ex-president Jean-Bertrand Aristide reacted violently. Nevertheless, Avril’s book was ranked No 2 among the best selling books in Haiti for the year 2001. Far from being written to hurt, it rather aims to put before the Haitian society a problem that deserves an urgent solution for the future of the country: the insecurity ravaging its population. On February 29, 2004, Jean-Bertrand Aristide no longer in power to block decisions of justice, Prosper Avril was freed in compliance with the various court orders demanding his release. Once he gets out, his first initiative is to present the English version of his book to the public.

Many years after the execution of the Uphold Democracy operation in 1994 in Haiti, the promised social peace has not materialized there. Numerous homicides are committed in broad daylight, without the murderers being identified, arrested and indicted. From 1995 through 2000, the period covered by this book, Haiti has lost a considerable number of its sons and daughters. Victims of either politically motivated or common law crimes, many Haitians and foreigners were pointlessly mown down by the specter of violent death that haunts until today all the corners and recesses of this country.

This book relates the conditions in which a total of 1431 such cases including assassinations by shooting, knifing, lynching, stoning, strangling, necklacing, etc. took place. It also points out the irresponsible and scandalous attitude of the then ruling government in regards to the situation, favoring a total impunity for the murderers.

Another good point in this book: Certain reflections provided are likely to help decision makers in the search for appropriate solutions to this distressing problem, which endangers the very existence of the Haitian nation. The author hopes that this English version succeeds in inducing an international interest on this issue so that the new Haitian leaders be granted the necessary support in the restoration of a genuine social peace in Haiti.