14296: Karshan: Repaying Our Debt to Haiti by Ron Daniels (The Black World Today) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com

Repaying Our Debt To Haiti

By Ron  Daniels
TBWT Contributor
Article Dated 1/2/2003

More than just a celebration of the new year, January 1st has a special
significance in the Haitian community; it is Haitian Independence Day which
marks the occasion of the declaration of the first Black Republic in this
hemisphere after an incredible 15 year revolt led by former enslaved Africans
to win their freedom and independence. African people and the world are
indebted to the Haitian people. Haitian soldiers fought side by side with the
Continental Army in the Battle of Savannah, thereby making a contribution to
the success of the American Revolution.

But only the Haitian revolutionaries, led by the Vodoo Priest Boukman,
Toussaint L’Ouverture, Jean Jacques Dessalines, Henri Christophe and
Alexander Petion had the courage to overturn and abolish the slave system at
the height of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Moreover, this Pan-African
revolution (many of the leaders of the revolt were former enslaved Africans
from other Caribbean Islands like Jamaica, Grenada and Cuba) helped to
liberate the other half of the Island of Hispaniola paving the way for the
creation of the Dominican Republic as an independent nation.

Haiti also provided safe haven for Simon Bolivar and equipped him with arms
when he launched his campaign to liberate South America. And, the defeat of
the mighty armies of Napoleon Bonaparte by the Haitian revolutionaries was
directly responsible for the U.S. purchase of the vast Louisiana Territory
from France.

Of equal significance, the Haitian Revolution was a bright beacon of hope and
inspiration for free and enslaved Africans around the world. It shattered the
myth of white supremacy and invincibility thereby giving encouragement to
other enslaved Africans to revolt against slave systems wherever they
existed. The example of Haitian was frequently noted in the proceedings of
the Colored People’s Conventions in the 19th century. Haiti was a proud
symbol of Black self-governance and a concrete illustration that African
people could achieve the same status everywhere. No doubt the drumbeat of
Boukman’s warriors constantly reverberated throughout the slave quarters of
plantations in the U.S. Denmark Vesey’s goal was to sail to Haiti with
thousands of newly freed Africans if his elaborate revolt had succeeded in
Charleston, S.C. As Leon A. Pamphile reveals in his extraordinary book
Haitians and African Americans: A Heritage of Tragedy and Hope, Haiti
continued to be a source of inspiration for Africans in America long after
the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of the Civil War.
Under the leadership of James Theodore Holly two major migrations of Africans
in America to Haiti were attempted. For reasons of cultural differences and
political instability each attempt proved unsuccessful. Nonetheless, Haiti as
an independent Black Republic maintained a special place in the hearts and
minds of African Americans, especially because of the violence and
indignities Black people had to endure under apartheid in the South and
defacto segregation in the North.

Frederick Douglass was a great champion of Haiti and fought hard to protect
the Republic from the evil machinations of U.S. corporations. In the 20th
century, the NAACP built solid relationships with the government of Haiti and
emerged as the leading voice advocating for the end of U.S. occupation
(1915-1934) and more favorable treatment towards the Haitian people.

Unfortunately, as the prior reference suggests, the first Black Republic has
never been permitted to fulfill the promise of the Revolution, which was
consummated in 1804. France refused to recognize Haiti until the government
of the Republic paid millions of dollars in reparations to French
colonialists and slave masters for their loss of property. The U.S. was not
eager to recognize Haiti because the government correctly feared that the
example of enslaved Africans overturning slave systems would encourage
similar revolts in the South.

Morever, the prospect of exploiting cheap labor in Haiti as a subservient
country was quite appealing to the government and corporate establishment.
Though there have been unresolved tensions and contradictions within Haitian
society from the very beginning, the main reason why Haiti has never fully
realized its potential is because the U.S. has always treated this nation as
a neo-colony.

As Haiti prepares to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Haitian
Revolution in 2004, I firmly believe that Africans in America and friends of
Haiti must put their arms around the Haitian people and work with them to
fulfill the promise of the Revolution in terms of developing real democracy
and development in the 21st century. It’s time to repay our debt to Haiti for
the extraordinary contribution the Haitian people have made to Africans and
the world.

In practical terms this means African Americans must continue to work to
mediate the current political crisis in Haiti in hopes of achieving a
peaceful settlement; fight for a more favorable attitude and policy towards
Haiti by the U.S. government; spearhead the movement to compel France to
repay the reparations it forced Haiti to pay for winning its freedom and,
build a strong base of private humanitarian and material assistance for
organizations and agencies in Haiti that are working to improve the quality
of life of the people.

We can also assist Haiti by joining with the Haiti Support Project in taking
a Pilgrimage to the first Black Republic via the Cruising Into History/Haiti
2004 Initiative (www.cruisingintohistory.org). Our goal is to charter an
entire cruise ship to take upwards of 3,000 people to Haiti August 14-21,
2004. This “fantastic voyage” will be a huge boost to cultural tourism in
Haiti. It will also uplift the spirit of the Haitian people to see such a
large contingent of their brothers and sisters from the U.S. sailing to Haiti
to join with them in celebrating one of the greatest feats in history. It’s
time to repay our debt to Haiti!

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All Rights Reserved.