France should pay at least $150 billion in reparations to Haiti for slavery and its aftermath, a coalition of 20 Haitian civil society organizations visiting Geneva for the United Nations Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) said on Thursday. He claimed that.
The Haitian group reached this amount by adding 200 years of unpaid interest to the reparations France collected from Haiti after it became the first Caribbean nation to revolt and win independence in 1804.
“That’s $21 billion plus the 200 years of concessions that France has enjoyed, so it could be $150 billion, $200 billion or more,” said Jemima Pierre, a professor at the University of British Columbia. explained This was reported to Reuters on Thursday.
haiti revolution Began The war began in 1791 and lasted until 1804, when a series of battles between the local population (which at that point included many imported African slaves) and French colonial forces led to instability in Haiti. mixed with scuffles between different groups within society. Spanish colonial forces on the other side of Hispaniola (who would eventually establish the Dominican Republic) and British forces in Jamaica further complicated the situation.
Haitian revolutionary slave revolt on the night of August 21, 1791. (Photo credit: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
Eager to rally enough manpower to defeat all other political parties and maintain control over Haiti, France began granting citizenship to its loyal supporters, effectively abolishing slavery in 1794. However, the Haitian militia continued to fight the French until they abandoned the struggle for control. French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte needed troops elsewhere. Haiti’s independence was declared on January 1, 1804.
France did not formally recognize Haiti’s independence until 1825, but for recognition it demanded a high price: a payment of approximately 150 million francs, known as “indemnity.” The payments were supposed to compensate the French colonists for losses they suffered when slaves revolted and won Haiti’s independence.
King Charles X of France at the time was considering invading and reconquering Haiti. He sent a powerful fleet to collect Haitian leader Jean-Pierre Boyer’s signature on a reparation agreement, and no one, including Charles X, believed that Haiti could come up with the amount indicated. Despite this, Boyer decided he had little choice but to sign. The 150 million francs was ten times Haiti’s annual government budget at the time and ten times the amount the United States paid for the Louisiana Purchase.
Haiti ultimately borrowed 30 million francs from French banks to pay the initial reparations, but was later unable to repay those loans. France reduced the balance on account of 60 million francs, and the document granting this discount was called the “Treaty of Friendship” and was actually a slip-up. It then forced Haiti to make cuts. more Huge debt to pay compensation. France ultimately raised five times as much, about 90 million francs. the National budget.
Marlene Daudt, Professor of African Diaspora Studies, University of Virginia dubbed Haiti’s reparations payment will be determined in 2022 as the “biggest robbery in history,” but Boyer was looking down the barrels of about 500 cannons when he agreed to pay, making this issue more than just a robbery. It’s hard to see it as nothing.
The fledgling Haitian government was plundered of the funds needed to pay for public works, education, and other critical needs, and could hardly afford to do so in the first place. Mr. Doubt cited estimates that Haiti would not be able to repay all the loans it took to fund reparations until 1947.
Haiti’s defenders argue that France has profited at Haiti’s expense and can make a far more direct case than most reparations activists for the negative impacts directly felt by the current generation of Haitians. There is. But reparations activists do not stop at such tenable claims and immediately begin reparations. claim The entire world, including the United States, owes untold amounts of debt to Haiti.
On the other hand, as with any reparations claim, the questionable morality of punishing today’s French people for the actions of their ancestors will emerge, and the task of determining exactly how much France will owe Very controversial, France does not have $150 billion. Either way, it’s lying down.
Current French annual report budget Approximately $318 billion, the budget deficit is is growing rapidlyand sharp cut It’s on the horizon.Riots, strikes, and violent protests occur every time the French government tries to cut some aspect of spending. happen.
To say the least, French President Emmanuel Macron would face significant political repercussions if he were to announce major tax increases and cuts to domestic programs to finance huge reparations for Haiti. Some analysts crunch the numbers and claim France’s debt could be around $21 billion, but President Macron also It is unlikely that they will accept that amount. Assigned Millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Haiti.
French President Emmanuel Macron (ABDULMONAM EASSA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Haiti now also faces the painful question of who exactly will collect these reparations. Missing The government is functioning, but gangs are rampaging through the streets and corruption is rampant. Reparations advocates say the huge cash infusion will help resolve Haiti’s long history of violent unrest, but the country’s most powerful people are rifle-toting gang leaders. In some cases, even critically needed humanitarian aid donations are difficult to collect. call yourself “barbecue.”
Gang leader Jimmy “Barbeque” Chéridier and members of the G-9 Coalition gang in the Delmas 3 neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on February 22, 2024. (Giles Clarke/Getty Images)
Haitian civil society organizations convened in Geneva felt that the newly appointed “Transitional Council” should give Haiti enough security to proceed with public projects, but even the council members themselves were not elected. This is highly debatable, as there are concerns that Prime Minister Ariel will be weakened by not having been elected by Prime Minister Ariel. Henry or the gang will kill him.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry (VALERIE BAERISWYL/AFP via Getty Images)
Haiti is everyday tops The list of the world’s most corrupt and lawless countries has been around for decades. Correcting this situation is more urgent than deciding who is to blame, but neither the United Nations nor the United States nor France nor any other Caribbean nation is needed to restore order. Japan is not keen on deploying military power of this level. And even if such aid were offered, Haitians likely would not welcome it.
People walk past burning tires during a protest against Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Oderin Joseph)
