#2359: On Dr. Francois Duvalier : Poincy replies

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Jean Poincy <caineve@idt.net>

PART II: A DREAMER THAT BECAME RUTHLESS


			      THE SEED OF DR FRANCOIS DUVALIER'S RUTHLESS

As we all know Ayitian people love to give affectionate name to those
they really love whom have inclined to their plights and concerns. The
masses did show their gratitude to Duvalier and they dearly loved him.
Because of his bond with the masses, groups with different interests
from that of the people hated Duvalier. They made him see hell because
of his populous penchant. They went very far in wanting to assassinate
his beloved son Jean-Claude Duvalier, he was a child and had done
nothing wrong to others. 

Why did they want to kill him? Do we know of any father whom would sit
by and watch others jeopardizing the life of his son, his only son, his
own blood, and an innocent child? As a father, the chief of the State,
what would you do if not to retaliate in a volatile political scene such
as that of Ayiti then and always? Do we know of any leader who would sit
there and watch planes come to bombard with the intent to annihilate him
in the palace? In trying to answer the question, HOW such a
wholeheartedly devoted man to the cause of the forgotten lot became so
ruthless we will begin to understand. They, the groups both economic and
intellectual regardless their skin color, whom have been suppressing the
masses for more than a century, are to be asked WHY did they turn
Duvalier into a ruthless dictator? 

Doesn't that tell us something, one is hated because he is doing
humanitarian good to a deprived, neglected and rejected group pushed to
live in subhuman conditions. For a whole century and a half, it was red
slavery without the chain and the hard work. It was humiliation and
still is. They were considered as savages and still are. They were not
to be where the cream was and still, there are not. Do we remember the
rural code of Boyer, (mentioning of fact is my restricted use it) which
prevented the peasants, the former slaves rather, from leaving their
district without permission; which when asked could be denied
automatically. 

That was not to force them to cultivate the land that was to prevent
them from mingling with the cream, the mulattoes. Petion's clique knew
the small plots given to them could not help the country being
productive; hence, what was the purpose of the rural code if it were not
to exclude them legally. That was little South Africa in Ayiti
throughout la "politique de doublure" and still is in different degree.
Dr. Francois Duvalier came with the resolution to stop it and he did.
Only under Duvalier universities were open to bright children coming
from the poor masses. Only under Duvalier, the poor began to aspire to
better themselves on the education front. Only under Duvalier, the poor
aspire to a bourgeoisie class, as he wanted to create a black
bourgeoisie. 

Unfortunately he went the wrong way about it and the country has
suffered from it. I don't know any of you personally, but if one of you
is black, you owe many thanks to Duvalier, to create the opportunity for
you to dream today if you are dreaming. For a century and a half or so,
a black child born in poverty was in poverty and died in poverty. From
my vantage point giving the majority of the people an opportunity to
dream for a better life, making way to elevate their social status is an
achievement. You know what it is when you are deprived of your natural
right to develop your human potential. Duvalier brought that right to
life. His opponents did like it and they did their best to outdo him,
but he outsmarted them.

When they realized that they became too weak to fight him rather than
working with him to make things better, they rather left. Had one been
willing to let go his/her demeaning view toward the man and the masses
and decided to contribute the society's development s/he would have not
any problem of living in Ayiti, they decided to go to Africa and teach
or go elsewhere to do other things. However, they were not willing to do
that for the Ayitian masses that would be a waste of their time to
educate these savages. They proved for not doing so for a century and a
half.

Anyone conscious of his/her moral obligation to his/her society would
stay and fight on a solid ground through education and other means to
outdo Duvalier. No! All intellectuals alike they were interested in
moving Duvalier out of power to replace him. They were all politicians,
doctors, and poets/writers with confused boundaries. They were not of a
profession to help build the country. They were not even entrepreneurs.
They were a very parasitic group in the society.  Duvalier came to put
an end to all that and they hated him for that. They put him on a
defensive mode, which forced him to neglect his dream. He found himself
in the predicament to maintain his grip on power. 

He had to fight a malignant tumor and he did so ruthlessly. The masses
were no victims (yes extension of abuses were extended to them but it
was insignificant). The real victims where the aspirants to power and
they were the suppressors of the masses. They were the victims. If one
is from the masses and happened to affiliate to one of them yes s/he
became victim automatically. That's part of the political game and has
been like that in every society that has history of persecution; and
which society really that does not have one. Can't we see that's a human
thing? Why do we expect Ayiti to be different?

Public execution has been legitimate to some societies and not in
others, but it does not take away its savage aspect. Toussaint had
executed his beloved family member for treason. What made his action
less ferocious than that of Duvalier? Maybe, Duvalier's mistake is that
he did not institute some bogus tribunal where those accused falsely of
treason could be tried legally in public places. Public execution is an
execution pure and simple. 

Political tortures and assassination are well known facts and are at the
heart of societies' development and the affirmation of powerful groups
even well respected institutions. Let's ask the Vatican about the
Christian church history on torture in relation to those whom refused to
adhere to illogical beliefs. Let's ask Galileo how he escaped from
death? Let's ask Socrates how he ended up by maintaining his position on
things that went against the societies beliefs. Let's ask all the
defenders of human rights today about their token in the history of
tortures. What makes it different when a man in power wants to establish
and maintain his power while others are nagging him? 

Come on folks, you know better than that. That's a human factor and a
part of human history. Let's go on folks.  What would make such isolated
incidents be more moving than others? Antoine, you are from the North
and seem to hold great esteem for Christophe, I don't think Duvalier was
more ruthless than he was. In fact, he was madly ruthless and you know
it. He was the word himself. You praise him, is it because none of his
victims was close to you or is it because he made the North prosperous
or because he built a wonder of the world? Come on guys with those
stories. Being acquainted with the world history will show that there is
no beef. They are tales, tales, tales, political tales, dramatic tales
and moving tales.


			TO COME NEXT PART III: ON THE DEVISE L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE


Ayiti has lived, lives and will live
Mozeb