FLOWERS,  NO TEARS

Dr Roger  Lafontant

In the early hours of September 30, 1991 the former minister of Interior, Dr Roger Lafontant was

 shot to death while serving life sentence into the Penitencier National, the main prison in Haiti. Detained for having attempted to seize the power even after the 1990 election was held and a priest  Jean B. Aristide had won, Roger Lafontant had been taken to the court.  Considered a hard core duvalierist, he however  had have a lot of following. Many welcome the coup on  the 6 January 1991, convinced Dr Lafontant would have spared the country from chaos.

In September, back to Haiti after having been to the UN where the current President JB Aristide delivered his speech¸ rumors of a coming coup were aroused at the national Palace. JBA addressed the nation with a fierce speech in which he threatened the upper classes. Less than 48 hours later, soldiers went out and launched the move to overthrow Aristide. In the meantime, afraid and angry, JBA ordered the assassination of  the famous prisoner. By 2.10 AM, Roger  lafontant meet his fate. A caporal named Leus Sincere went to his jail cell and shouted three times. Roger lafontant, hit  in the heart, only had the time to shout aloud: You ’re cowards” in French”.  It was his last word. Then, he fell dead on the spot. He was said to have been dragged in the main yard of the Penitencier.

Few time later, as things went worse, the killer took refuge in the Venezuelan embassy. Stines Doura, the captain in charge of the prison, wrote a paper in which  he reported having  executed  the order of the president JBA who wanted his rival to be killed. The captain flew  to NY and the caporal traveled to Caracas. The commander in chief of the Army Raoul Cedras sent Lafontant’s body to the morgue.

That seemed to have been the end of this tragedy that started in January 1991. That day a lot of people have been killed, torn by machetes and knives in the streets by Aristide mobs led by some wealthy men and manipulated  by broadcasted news. The Army remained at this time in his barracks. Even in remote cities, killings went on. Pastor Sylvio Claude, an opponent to Aristide, had been dismembered and his body laid in the streets.

DR LAFONTANT USED TO SAY"IF I FELL I WANT FLOWERS AND NOT TEARS"

A medical doctor and a flamboyant orator, Dr R. Lafontant was as well cherished and disliked. His political carrier begun  back to the sixties. A Fignolist in the beginning, he sided Francois Duvalier a few years later. He had been blamed to have betrayed his classmates, which Roger Lafontant always denied. Kept away from the power, R.Lafontant could however get his share of influence.  At this time, he used to have fun at Ibo Lele where he spent nights dancing and hanging out. Renowned for his largesse and generosity, this is a powerful man who came back in 1991, five years  after Jean C.Duvalier’s departure. Alongside Claude Raymond, a former general, R.Lafontant emerged as a leader of  the orphaned TTM.  He had been said to have seized the power with an accomplice, Mme Ertha P. Trouillot, a temporary president.

During his years at the Faculte of Medecine, as a student, Lafontant  had been  remembered for his bravado and passionate character. His Latin mantra: Excelsior could indicate that for long he was looking after power, but it was as an ideologue and social activist  he would  survive in the memory of his fans, friends and supporters. Born in 1931 and raised in the forties amidst social and color conflicts, R. Lafontant seemed to have followed in the footsteps of  Dumarsais Estime, Daniel Fignole and in particular, F.Duvalier  whom he always considered as his political father. Reputed for his loyalty to Papa Doc’s son, R.Lafontant  has been expected to continue the duvalierism after 1986. “ If I die, wrap me in the flag of Francois Duvalier”,  he always  express as a  wish and his will.

He had paid with his life this dream and this legacy. 

PS:

Captain Stines Doura lives in Georgia with his family. The killer Leus Sincere seems to have changed his name. Jean B. Aristide who ordered the execution is back in Haiti.  In Hollywood, los Angeles, a young Haitien film maker tries to sell the idea to make a movie based on the killing of Roger Lafontant.