Raoul Cédras
Encyclopedia
Raoul Cédras is a former military officer, and was de facto ruler of Haiti from 1991 to 1994.
.
which ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
on 29 September 1991. Under Aristide, Cédras "was one important source for the CIA, providing reports critical of President Aristide."
Some human rights groups criticized Cédras's rule, alleging that innocent people were killed by the FAdH military and FRAPH paramilitary units. The US State department said in 1995 that in the three years following the coup "international observers estimated that more than 3,000 men, women and children were murdered by or with the complicity of Haiti's then-coup regime."
While remaining the de facto leader of Haiti as commander of the country's armed forces, Cédras did not retain his position as head of state, preferring to have other politicians as official presidents. As required by Article 149, of the 1987 Haitian Constitution, Haiti's Parliament appointed Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nérette
as provisional President, to fill in until elections could be held. The elections were called for December 1991 but were blocked by the American government. Nérette later resigned and was replaced by Supreme Court Justice Émile Jonassaint
.
Under the delegation of U.S. president Bill Clinton
, the former President Jimmy Carter
, accompanied by Senator Sam Nunn
and General Colin Powell
, urged Provisional President Émile Jonassaint to relinquish his control in 1994, in order to avoid a potential invasion. Jonassaint resigned. General Cédras had indicated his desire to remain in Haiti. However, the Americans did not think this was the best solution and convinced the General that, in the national interest, he should consider departing for Panama. The United States reportedly rented three properties from Cédras, putting U.S. personnel in them, presumably to protect the houses from being looted
where he remains. Aristide then returned to power in Haiti and would be forced into resigning again in 2004.
Background
Cédras was educated in the United States and was a member of the US-trained Leopard Corps. He was chosen by the US and France to be in charge of security for the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, and subsequently named Commander-in-Chief of the army by Jean-Bertrand AristideJean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
.
De facto leader of Haiti (1991 - 1994)
Cédras was a Lieutenant General in the Forces Armées d'Haïti (the Haitian army) and was responsible for the 1991 Haitian coup d'état1991 Haitian coup d'état
The 1991 Haitian coup d'état took place on 29 September 1991 when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, elected 8 months earlier in the Haitian general election, 1990–1991, was deposed by the Haitian army. The coup was led by Army General Raoul Cédras, Army Chief of Staff Phillipe Biamby and Chief of...
which ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
on 29 September 1991. Under Aristide, Cédras "was one important source for the CIA, providing reports critical of President Aristide."
Some human rights groups criticized Cédras's rule, alleging that innocent people were killed by the FAdH military and FRAPH paramilitary units. The US State department said in 1995 that in the three years following the coup "international observers estimated that more than 3,000 men, women and children were murdered by or with the complicity of Haiti's then-coup regime."
While remaining the de facto leader of Haiti as commander of the country's armed forces, Cédras did not retain his position as head of state, preferring to have other politicians as official presidents. As required by Article 149, of the 1987 Haitian Constitution, Haiti's Parliament appointed Supreme Court Justice Joseph Nérette
Joseph Nerette
Joseph Nérette was a Haïtian judge and political figure. He served as the provisional president of Haïti between 1991 and 1992, part of a period in which real political authority rested with the military junta headed by Raoul Cédras and Michel François.He died of lung cancer in Port-au-Prince on...
as provisional President, to fill in until elections could be held. The elections were called for December 1991 but were blocked by the American government. Nérette later resigned and was replaced by Supreme Court Justice Émile Jonassaint
Émile Jonassaint
Émile Jonassaint was a Haïtian Supreme Court Justice and political figure.He served as Haiti's President of the Constituent Assembly during the 1987 Constitution....
.
Under the delegation of U.S. president Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, the former President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, accompanied by Senator Sam Nunn
Sam Nunn
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...
and General Colin Powell
Colin Powell
Colin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
, urged Provisional President Émile Jonassaint to relinquish his control in 1994, in order to avoid a potential invasion. Jonassaint resigned. General Cédras had indicated his desire to remain in Haiti. However, the Americans did not think this was the best solution and convinced the General that, in the national interest, he should consider departing for Panama. The United States reportedly rented three properties from Cédras, putting U.S. personnel in them, presumably to protect the houses from being looted
Later life
After leaving Haiti, Cédras went to PanamaPanama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
where he remains. Aristide then returned to power in Haiti and would be forced into resigning again in 2004.
See also
- Operation Uphold DemocracyOperation Uphold DemocracyOperation Uphold Democracy was an intervention designed to remove the military regime installed by the 1991 Haitian coup d'état that overthrew the elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide...
External links
- http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761576153_8/Haiti.html#p116
- http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n23_v45/ai_14753246
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/942489.stm