Anniversary Coup in Haiti
March 1 marks the 19th anniversary of the U.S./Canadian/French led coup d’état that removed Haiti’s democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his party, Fanmi-Lavalas, from power by force in 2004. Since that time, the situation in Haiti has deteriorated as various foreign forces under various “missions” have been unsuccessful in their attempts to suppress the Haitian people’s demand for their sovereignty and right to be. As if the role Canada has played in Haiti has not been nefarious enough, it is now seeking to find new one at the behest of the U.S., while deliberately disinforming Canadians, with terms like “Haitian-led” or “Haitian-purchased” to try and legitimize their criminal aims and actions.
Canada’s mantra that “gangs” are the problem in Haiti, when it does not say who has been training and financing those gangs is disingenuous to justify foreign intervention in Haiti and continued criminalization of the protests of the Haitian people and their demand to conduct their own affairs. Nineteen years ago, the coup d’état Canada organized was also done in the name of stopping gangs that they called “Chimeres.” Following that coup however, former death squad leaders were integrated into the Haitian National Police forces — which Canada trained and armed — and were then unleashed against the Haitian people along with “peacekeeping” forces from other countries to suppress the Haitian people’s opposition to the coup and ensuing foreign intervention.
Canada is highly culpable for the devastation of Haiti, along with the U.S. and France, since together this trio overthrew the Aristide Presidency and Fanmi Lavalas and is responsible for the conditions that were imposed afterwards, which made matters go from bad to worse. Canadians should not accept a new foreign military intervention in Haiti.
For related information and background see the following articles:
Developments that Led to the 2004 Coup d’Etat