September 22, 1957 Is A Date Which When Mentioned Brings Memories Of Tyranny, Oppression And Terror To The Minds Of Many People Of Haitian Descent.
It is the day when Francois Duvalier, better known to most as Papa Doc, took the reigns of the Haitian government. Few could have foreseen the devastation that this elected dictator would bring to the masses of the Haitian population. Although Papa Doc was elected to the Presidential office for a non-renewable six year term, he extended his autocratic tenure for fourteen years. During the time period of 1957-1971, between 20,000 and 50,000 Haitians are said to have been murdered by Duvalier's government. An additional one-fifth of its population lives else-where in political or economic exile. An estimated 80% of Haitians employed in professional fields fled Haiti under this oppressive regime headed by a terrorist. The ramifications of this fleeing to technology and research, education and health care can not be over-estimated. Many of the problems faced by Haiti today can be traced back to the monstrous policies of Duvalierism.
Early Life
He was raised in Port-au-Prince and trained as a doctor, serving in rural areas. There he won acclaim for helping the poor fight typhus and other diseases. He married Simone Ovide in 1939, and became director general of the national health service in 1946. In 1949, he served as minister of both health and labour. After opposing the coup of Paul Magloire, he was forced into hiding until an amnesty in 1956.
Early Life
He was raised in Port-au-Prince and trained as a doctor, serving in rural areas. There he won acclaim for helping the poor fight typhus and other diseases. He married Simone Ovide in 1939, and became director general of the national health service in 1946. In 1949, he served as minister of both health and labour. After opposing the coup of Paul Magloire, he was forced into hiding until an amnesty in 1956.
Elected in 1957
Backed by the army, Duvalier won the 1957 Haitian elections; he had campaigned as a populist leader, attacking the "noirist" elite. Duvalier revived the traditions of vodun and later used them to consolidate his power, claiming to be a hougan himself. Duvalier deliberately modeled his image on that of Baron Samedi in an effort to make himself even more imposing.
In 1966, Duvalier persuaded the Vatican to allow him to nominate the Catholic hierarchy for Haiti. Ideologically, Duvalier perpetuated his notion of black nationalism by allowing Haiti to appoint its own bishops. Practically, Duvalier consolidated his power and sought to expand control over religious authorities, a potential challenge to his authority.
'President-for-life'
Duvalier came under pressure from the government of John F. Kennedy due to evidence of corruption over aid. Aid was officially suspended in 1962 but the pressure eased following the death of Kennedy. The country assumed the mantle of an anti-communist presence to balance that of nearby Cuba. After Kennedy's assassination, Duvalier claimed that the killing was a result of his placing a curse on Kennedy.
In April 1963, Haiti was almost attacked by the Dominican Republic. Only the lack of senior military support for Juan Bosch y Gaviño prevented the Dominicans invading; instead, the conflict was mediated by the OAS.
By the mid-1960s it was clear that Duvalier had no intention of stepping down. In June of 1964 he proclaimed himself president for life and began to create a personality cult around the image of himself as the physical embodiment of the Haitian nation. Like some of his predecessors, Duvalier was often rumored to be contemplating making himself Emperor of Haiti, and ruling the nation as a monarch.
Beginning in 1967, Texas entrepreneur Don Pierson came into contact with representatives of the Haitian government in Washington, DC, while he was attempting to lease or sell a ship which had been used by Swinging Radio England broadcasting off the coast of England. In 1971 this marketing effort resulted in a 99-year contract being drawn up between financial interests represented by Don Pierson and the government of Haiti, for the development of a freeport on the island of Tortuga, which is the same year that "Papa Doc" died.
His son "Baby Doc" then took power and upon learning of a new multimillion dollar contract between the Freeport and Gulf Oil Corporation, Jean-Claude Duvalier expropriated the entire venture, causing it to collapse in 1974.
