16414: Schuller: question on reparations (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Mark Schuller <marky@umail.ucsb.edu>

Hello,

I was looking over my pictures from Flag Day and was reminded of the figure of
US$21,685,135,571.48 as the debt owed to Haiti.  Can someone, maybe an
economist, on this list explain how this figure was arrived at?  I know of the
decree of April 17, 1825, when Boyer agreed to the indemnity of 150 million
francs for France to recognize Haitian independence.  Does this amount include
the debt service?  Loss of productive capacity?  The National City Bank's
seizure of Haitian gold just prior to the 1915 occupation?

Also, i remember reading somewhere that Boyer's act represents the only time in
the world that a colonial power required an indemnity as a condition of
granting independence.  I haven't been able to independently confirm this and
was wondering if someone on the list could help me out.

Mesi devans!  :)

Peace,

--

Mark  :0

L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE
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