THE JEAN CLAUDE DUVALIER THAT I KNEW
By Frantz Bataille,
Former Chief Editor at the Petit Samedi Soir
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| Former President Jean C. Duvalier |
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y the time the former president Jean C. Duvalier would go in court again, many would remember the early seventies when living in Haiti worth more than money and travelling overseas.
After Dr Francois Duvalier passed away in 1971, few thought that his regime could survive. However, as uncertainties were unfolding, given a legacy of violence and serial invasion, M.Jean C. Duvalier started doing the difference with “ a of touch of innocence”. To be precise, the late Duvalier seemed to have understood that the cold war was ending and time has come to soften his grip. What he did. Even after the historical visit of the vice president Nelson Rockfeller to whom the Haitian people gave an outstanding welcome, the hawks of Foggy Bottom didn’t forgive the so-called Papa Doc even though it is obvious that he had saved America from communism. However, the early years of the young Duvalier, by moving away from the hard core Duvalierists, brought in Haitian life peace and openness.
M. Duvalier had always been a man of peace. Once, as a friend of his had been under arrest, he moved quickly to his father’s office, shouting that his close schoolmate was in danger. Michael Heinl, the son of colonel Robert N. Heinl from the Naval Mission, again today remembered how much his classmate cared for him that day. But, in the spring 1963, the colonel was forced to leave the country. He had said to Bernard Diderich, the two-book author on the Duvalier’ regime: “ I would take the palace” as the Kennedy administration had decided along with Cyrus Vance, the Bill Clinton’s future Secretary of State , to storm the National Palace
At this time, journalists and diplomats noted, terror had pervaded the entire society. The 1963 spring in Haiti would have been remembered like the worst in the second half of the 20th century. Back to the palace after this bloody morning of April 26, an angry son asked straight to his father “ then , Dad, what does that mean” as the death toll was rising. Long time later, before renouncing to power, many were about to make history repeat itself like in 1963. “ I should have to put in use all my authority to prevent people from organizing a bloodbath in Haiti. “ When time has come to relinquish the power, you have to be careful. It is always a critical moment in political life”, the former president concluded.
He went on to tell “ Four or six nuns have been taken away from Siguenaud, Leogane , a few time before my departure . “I want them back home wherever they are detained”, I declared. Six hours later, these women were safely driven home. “ I took a relief, otherwise, I would be accused to have them executed. concluded the then president
This is this man that today has to go back and forth to court. Renowned for his sense of measure and tolerance, M. Duvalier learned early how to handle uneasy situations. At the beginning, he launched a policy of openness and reconciliation. Many exiles came back, some of them homesick, even those that Francois Duvalier helped with cash transfer. Moving forward, former opponents could visit their native land and families. Never had the Haitian society been living in such harmony, people in their late fifties affirm. There were sunny faces everywhere.
Haiti had then become a sort of Mecca like it used to be in the early fifties. “ The golden years” the American journalists wrote. 1954 and 1979 are distant from each other by a 25 –year interval, but the explosive sixties had never killed the Haitian joie de vivre. M. Duvalier in his late twenties understood that this kind of emotional rewards originated from the Haitian psyche, even life was still uncertain for a lot of families. In 1978, the good prices of coffee in the international market were echoing deep into the countryside. Life was then worth living. Famous names had been stopping by in Haiti: Richard Burton, Pablo Cassals, Aristote Onassis and Sekou Toure.
Je N’ai Jamais Voulu Verser Le Sang De Mon Peuple
As a result, Haiti marveled to enjoy peace . “ I never heard Jean Claude Duvalier ordering one execution, a close friend once affirmed. “ Put him in jail, would be his only step to enforce the law. He used to speak to his jailed opponents “ you are free not to support my government”, he said by phone to a notorious foe detained in casernes Dessalines. Every Saturday morning, reading the Haitian Weekly: Le Petit Samedi Soir, a kind of barometer for Haitian politics, he was expected to take vital decisions by releasing detained or sending by example water where drought was threatening crop and livestock.
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his is the jean Claude Duvalier that I knew from my early childhood, as in 1959, Castro was seizing the power in Cuba and the first Haitian plane high jacking opened the pathway to international terrorism. By the mid 80s, a new world was about to be born , long time after the vibrant Eisenhower years labeled the innocent ones despite the sneaking of communism into the so-called back yard of Bill Clinton. Human rights were then a concern and still are so. But, famous and iconic figures, whether Henri Kissinger or the former under Secretary of State for Latin American Affairs, Eliot Abrams never found out JCD’ hands in the blood of his fellows even if shedding blood is to politicians a sort of daily bread. By 1986, this is a tired and disillusioned man, but still human and aware of the value of life, that gave up power. Henri Kissinger could make a declaration, protested the American ambassador in Haiti Mc Manaway , but JCD wanted to leave, reluctant to oppose his citizens. It is like opening the Pandore Box, the French diplomats thought.
Jean Calude Duvalier in his last speech will say in French: Dieu m’est temoin, je n’ai jamais voulu verser le sang de mon people…
Later on the French Riviera, the journalists he welcome home would whisper between then : He is not the man the press destroys so much. The former president had to fight back his tears.
