The human rights birth in Haiti, 1991-2000

Los derechos humanos de nacimiento en Haití 1991-2000

On the 7th February 1986, Haiti was a free country, liberated from the Duvalier dictature. For a short period, there was what we called in Haitian Creole, the "dechoukaj»: everything that symbolized the former power of the "macoutes", the political policy of the dictature, was physically destroyed by hand. No robberies occured, but only acts which suggest that the population began to have the right to exist and to manifest its will. The concept of rights was born, but its growth had to pass over so many difficulties that progressively it became human rights, as if the rights needed the appendice "human" to exist!

During this period (1986-1991), Haiti had eleven (11) governments. All changes were subjected to crimes, violence, disparitions, and terror.

In November 1987, the first democratic elections, in concordance with the new Constitution, brought again a blood bath.

Following the 30 September 1991 Putsch, Haiti passed through a difficult period with the international embargo decreed by the USA, where President Aristide was exiled (1991-1995). Economically, it was a disaster for the population who lived in a context of extreme poverty. The majority of the population stagnated and progressively constituted itself in popular organizations, in support of the President in exile. Politically, it corresponded to a resurgence of violence, exactions and torture, disparitions and rapes, which were well tolerated by the military government. However, at the same time, and, for the first time, not only the concept, but also the reality of Human Rights Violations and Victims, with international structures of care, was born.

It's possible to say that society changed following the return of Aristide to Haiti (1995-2000): not in its economic development nor in its capacity to bring about changes in Haiti, but, paradoxically; every person was now able to claim Human Rights albeit, without rules. For this reason, with the birth of Human Rights we assisted in the birth of madness that, in Haiti, was previously infrequent and managed by the traditional religion, voodoo, but which now gave rise to the first structures of mental health care, psychological support and rehabilitation.