Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies

Dominican Republic and Haiti: Country Studies
entertained the wealthy, contemplated privatization of state
industries, and selected a businessman as prime minister. His
obvious wealth, his move to a mansion, marriage and subsequent
fatherhood were disturbing changes in the former
priest.
Haitians had also changed. Most were much worse off than
before 1991. The economy had been destroyed by sanctions;
the departure of the pivotal assembly industry left 70 to 80 percent
of Port-au-Prince unemployed; and the infrastructure and
agricultural sectors had collapsed. Many educated, technically
skilled, and formerly politically involved Haitians had left, and
3,000 to 4,000 others had been killed.
President Aristide faced multiple challenges on his return to
Haiti, not the least of which were the high expectations of his
supporters and a mere fifteen months left of his term. He
announced a detailed economic recovery program designed to
streamline the bloated and corrupt public sector and renew
private-sector job creation. In response, the international community
pledged a major emergency economic aid package of
US$1.2 billion. Aristide used this assistance to support the government,
and create temporary public works jobs for the
immediate alleviation of poverty, avoiding unpopular and controversial
measures. In view of the magnitude of Haiti's economic
problems, the reforms needed time to succeed.
President Aristide took bold action in dealing with the issue
of domestic security. In early 1995, he disbanded the military
and paramilitary organizations that had tyrannized Haitians
and prevented a society based on laws. A new Haitian National
Police under the Ministry ofJustice and Public Security superseded
the armed forces as the agency dealing with the nation's
serious problem of maintaining law and order. Meanwhile, the
international force, which consisted in large measure of United
States troops, remained to guarantee basic security and assist in
training the Haitian National Police. A beginning was made on
the reform of the judicial system by weeding out corrupt and
incompetent judges, and measures were taken to improve
prison conditions (see Justice System, ch. 10). As one of his first
actions, Aristide created a National Commission of Truth and
Justice to investigate and write a report on some of the worst
crimes committed between 1991 and 1994. The commission
finished its investigation and presented its findings to the Ministry
of Justice in January 1997; no further action has been
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