Haiti could not and would not be allowed to enjoy its freedom and success. This was sending a dangerous message to the slaves of Brazil, the Caribbean and especially the United States. Haiti must fail and France, Portugal, Britain and the United States worked and plotted to bring this about. They found "leaders" in Haiti to work with...the last being Papa Doc Duvalier and his "tonton macoutes", and those that succeeded him until a priest was elected to power (Aristide), but he and his message were deemed to be too dangerous and he was ousted (1993) and replaced by another " servile tool"of the United States. The dream of freedom and human dignity were sacrificed on the altar of greed and colonialism.
The years have been cruel to Haiti. The people were placed under another yoke. The Americans were the new"massa". They had their local lackeys to do their dirty work and when that proved to be insufficient, they invaded , (1917-1934), and imposed their rule directly. Deprived and exploited, they toiled for their "new masters", stripped of dignity and kept in poverty and illiteracy, in order to uphold the lie "that the black man has no soul( Catholic church)", "and are incapable of reason and without any history (Colonial powers)". These lies have been perpetrated to justify the "white man's burden", and the continued denial of human rights. This was the price that Haiti had to pay for daring to successfully challenge and defeating the "white man", and it was compounded by disastrous acts of nature......hurricanes and earthquakes.
The last time it was hurricane and now a massive earthquake. There seems to be no respite, no relief. The Haitians are strong and resilient. They have withstood slavery, dictators and previous acts of nature. They have suffered tremendously, more than most and one can only hope that they will once again rise up and show that indomitable spirit that has characterised them, throughout their history.
I have over the years, seen that fierce pride and spirit in the many Haitian students whom I have had the good fortune to have had in my classes at Concordia U. and Vanier College ( I learnt a lot about Haiti from them ,(and about them), and from the research papers they wrote for me), and I know that they will persevere. Stride on!!!