8/4/2023 0 Comments Free ruler gen![]() Many Haitian leaders have been critical of Adams’ predecessor, former Ambassador Brunson McKinley, who had looked upon Avril as the last and best choice to bring Haiti to democracy.Īdams, 48, replaced McKinley last Nov. ambassador),” said Bazin of the newly appointed Adams’ role in brokering the agreement. “It was positive, very positive and quite a change (for a U.S. But Haiti’s history of repression and bloodshed under two military rulers, Henri Namphy and Avril, during the four years since Duvalier’s departure has left almost everyone deeply suspicious of all uniformed men.Īccording to political and diplomatic sources, the American ambassador was the most influential voice in bringing about Avril’s departure from office. The army chief of staff is a former foreign minister and is generally regarded as both a moderate and intelligent. No one wants to take a chance with a military government for even one hour.” One businessman said: “This is no time for half measures. It would be accomplished by the people, he stressed, “with the assistance of the army and not in opposition to it.”Ībraham’s acting title of “interim president” until the civilian government takes over inspired a rash of calls to local radio stations by Haitians complaining that they never want to hear again of a military president-even for only 72 hours. “The armed forces of Haiti accept the heavy task,” he said, adding that “the mission is clear and the goal precise: to re-establish peace and order within 72 hours in order to hand over power to a provisional government conforming to the spirit of the constitution that will have the task of organizing the elections.” In announcing Avril’s resignation, Abraham indicated that the entire army, including the Presidential Guard, has accepted the conditions laid down by the opposition political coalition. That success left their palace-based unit in the catbird seat of the Haitian power game as long Avril remained in charge. ![]() In April, 1989, they helped him put down a mutiny of the army’s other two operating battalions, both of which were later disbanded. The unit’s officers and enlisted men have been implicated in corrupt business deals, bribery and crime since they placed Avril in power in September, 1988. ![]() They said that before going into voluntary exile, Avril will remain in Haiti briefly, possibly as long as several days, to help in assuring the cooperation of the 1,300-strong Presidential Guard, the last intact and fully armed fighting battalion in the army. Some telephone callers to popular radio call-in shows asked that he be arrested and tried.īut Bazin and diplomats said the deal that gained his resignation also provided personal guarantees to the general and his family. Avril, masked at times by violent and barbaric actions,” but it made no reference to his future. The announcement referred to the “irresponsible power of Gen. guaranteeing progress and liberty for all.” The coalition of parties of which Bazin is a member issued a statement praising the deal that forced Avril to step down as “a new and important victory for the people of Haiti in their unceasing fight for a new society. ![]() ![]() Many Haitians expressed fear that the public celebrations would become more violent and perhaps continue for several days. The offices of two Avril political allies, Gregoire Eugene and Daniel Narcisse, and a government branch office on the outskirts of the capital also were trashed, but there were no confirmed reports of casualties. Police used tear gas Saturday to repel would-be invaders at a pro-Duvalier radio station, and a bodyguard fired a machine gun to drive a torch-bearing crowd from the home of former Duvalier official Clovis Desinor. The wave of destruction that swept Haiti on Saturday was similar-but on a much smaller scale-to that of February, 1986, when President-for-Life Jean-Claude (Baby Doc) Duvalier was deposed. ![]()
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