Sunday, March 4, 2007

book to get asap

I must get the book written by David Malone in Trinity College Library
Decision-making in the UN Security Council: the case of Haiti, 1990-1997

This book seems to have a lot of information about Canada's involvement in Haiti's crisis.
The exert I read online talked about Aristide taking over office and the coup.

(p.58)

Jean-Bertrand Aristide, commonly called Titide by the population, took office from February 7 to September 30 1991. He had huge challenges: hostility of the elite unconcealed, the loyalty of Armed Force uncertain and the violence in the country perduring.

Aristide appointed individuals be believed to be reformed minded to replace the country's highest ranking military officers. He underetimated the anxiety these appointments created amongst soldiers and officers who, according to the information collected, sparked the september 1991 coup against him.

One must recognize though that Aristide, unlike most of its predecessor made serious efforts to come to grips with the major challenges facing him: fractionalized army, civilian opposition groups ranging from hard core Duvalierists who have never accepted their defeat, an a reluctant business community. Aristide had big reform ideas for the country but the new administration seemed overwhelmed by the scope of the reforms and the extremely limited means at its disposal.

The military coup started on September 29th 1991. Aristide's life was at stake since he was handcuffed, physically abused and threatened by a number of officer. It is only because of the pressure from the US and France, that the rebels let Aristide fly to Caracas on an aircraft sent for him by President Perez from Venezuela.

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