Duvalier Meets With Advisers as Haiti Holds Its Breath

[Cerridwen]

MEXICO CITY — Haiti’s former dictator, Jean-Claude Duvalier, huddled with his advisers at a Port-au-Prince hotel on Monday, a day after his stunning return to the country he ruled for almost 15 years, as the nation waited for his next move.

Supporters said Mr. Duvalier, who is known as Baby Doc, was expected to speak to reporters sometime during the day.

The sudden appearance of Mr. Duvalier, 59, who ruled Haiti with brutality and corruption before he was forced to flee the country in 1986, threatened to further convulse a country that is struggling to recover from the earthquake, a lingering cholera epidemic and the political uncertainty stemming from the contested presidential election late last year.

The capital was calm on Monday. Mr. Duvalier’s supporters chanted and cheered his arrival at the Karibe Hotel. Other Haitians appeared to be as surprised as everybody else at the turn of events and waited to see if demonstrations would erupt.

<snip to more at link>

[lonestarnot]

1. Supporters? WTF!

Get that fucker outta there!

[Cerridwen]

2. Yeah, that surprised me, too.

Some people will support anyone and any thing as long as they can profit by it.

[lonestarnot]

3. I guess, if eating could be referenced as profitable.

[EFerrari]

7. If the State Department is doing this

you can't trust the reporting in American papers except for maybe, maybe, McClatchy.

[Cerridwen]

9. Thanks for the reminder and the heads up.

I'll try to watch for that. I've good practice trying to unspin some of the more egregious spin. If you catch something in anything I put up, please speak up. :)

[jwirr]

23. I am old enough to remember his cruelty. If our State Department

is doing this then THEY had better keep him in control. It is a new day and we have better communication with the internet now. Should he go back to his old ways we will know. I wonder if living in France all those years has taught him anything about being a good ruler?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

12. Lots of Pinochet fans in Chile.

And Stalin fans in Russia. And Mussolini fans in Italy. And apartheid nostalgists in South Africa. People here screech at Lula as a "communist" and pine for the dictatorship days.

People suck.

[Art_from_Ark]

106. Why would anyone in Brazil pine for the dictatorship days?

Besides being repressive, the various dictatorships trashed the currency to the point where it was being constantly devalued or even in some cases, replaced.

For example, Post Cereals was offering free Brazilian cruzeiro notes inside specially-marked boxes of cereal back in the '60s. I imagined myself going to Brazil some day and spending my little hoard, until I found out that the notes had been completely demonetized and replaced with a new currency.

[molly77]

110. When Castro and Chavez make speeches

I see hundreds of people clapping. When bush made speeches , he had military in the background. And who is the dictator? The US can't pull the democracy meme off any longer.

[Art_from_Ark]

114. Seems to me though that Castro and Chavez are left wing

The dictatorships in Brazil were right wing.

[Jack Rabbit]

30. Well, even Bush left office with a twenty-something percent approval rating

On the other hand, the Fratboy didn't have the Tonton Macoute to keep order.

Get that fucker outta there!

Oh, no. By all means they should encourage him to stay and offer him lodging in an an 8x10' room in a very secure establishment.

[walldude]

74. Hey, in his last election he got 99% of the vote.

So there is only a couple people who don't like him. Unless, well, unless you think that the election might have been rigged :shrug:

[molly77]

109. And the supporters would be the bush and clinton regime.

The only leaders they like are ruthless dictators who will sell their countries' resources for a pittance. Aristide is their real president. WE kidnapped him.

[Solly Mack]

4. Obviously, I'm just too wrong thinking ...

To my way of thinking, a brutal dictator needs to be arrested instead of being legitimized this way. (advisers?, supporters?, waiting to see what the (out of power) monster's next move is?)

But then I think America's war criminals should be arrested too.

Apparently my world view is just so horribly out of whack.

[Cerridwen]

8. Well, Solly, then so is mine.

Though, I will argue, that there is something terribly "out of whack" in the world and I don't think it's your way of thinking or mine.

Something is horrifically wrong with our world "leaders" and their way of thinking.

[Starry Messenger]

5. This makes me ill.

Thank you for watching this and posting updates. k&r.

[Cerridwen]

10. Thanks for the k&r and you're welcome.

I feel like I'm watching a monster movie come to life.

[malaise]

6. So when will the Democratically elected leader

be allowed to return or are only Western backed dictators welcome?

This is first rate fuckery.

[Cerridwen]

11. Oh, malaise, when you put it that way

I can't find the words to respond. I'm horrified, embarrassed, sad, angry, oh hell, just pick an emotion and it's slamming around inside.

[Catherina]

17. +1 n/t

[leftstreet]

40. +1

[Cerridwen]

13. From 2003, an article for some background.

He's a smarmy fuck. (Thanks to the DUer who finally 'caught' that word the other day. It's perfect)

Exile in France Takes Toll On Ex-Tyrant 'Baby Doc'

By MARJORIE VALBRUN, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

PARIS - Haiti's Ex-Dictator Duvalier Lost Wife, Chateau, Millions in Embezzled Funds -- Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, a dictator who fled Haiti in 1986 with millions of dollars, came to France to live in high style. Home was a villa in Mougins in the hills above Cannes. He and his family drove through the French Riviera in a BMW and a Ferrari Testarossa and shopped at expensive boutiques. They owned a chateau outside Paris and two apartments in the city.

Today, the former "President for Life" is broke, his lawyers and friends say. He lives in a borrowed apartment with a girlfriend. He is divorced, and French attorneys once retained by the Haitian government believe his ex-wife made off with what remained of the Duvalier riches. Mr. Duvalier says he lives off donations. He bums rides from friends. Wives of die-hard supporters cook him meals. He pines for Haiti.

<snip>

Human-rights groups say 40,000 to 60,000 political opponents were killed during the 29-year reign of the father and son. Mr. Duvalier, along with family and political cronies, also embezzled at least $500 million during his last decade of rule, according to Haitian government officials and lawyers and American officials. Successive Haitian governments -- there have been nearly a dozen since Mr. Duvalier was deposed -- retained lawyers in France and the U.S. to help recover the money.

Mr. Duvalier denies having opponents jailed or killed, or that he was a dictator. "If I were dictator, I would have done everything in my power to stay in power," he says. He also denies stealing. He says he arrived in France with a modest inheritance and some savings, though he won't say how much.

<snip to more at link>

I'll leave the reader to decide why wapo did a puff piece on this, person.

[Jack Rabbit]

57. Not Wapo (Washington Post), but WSJ (Wall Street Journal)

Murdoch has an affection for brutal dictators as long as they agree to US trade demands.

[Cerridwen]

58. Thanks for the correction.

As you can see I'm reading all over. Apparently my eyes glazed over at one point. :)

[molly77]

111. State media

[iamtechus]

14. Woopee!

Baby Doc will keep the damned communists out. :sarcasm:

[Cerridwen]

15. More background from 2004, at link.

Sorry, guys, way to much to quote just pieces.

http://www.peacenowar.net/Americas/News/March%202%2004--Haiti.htm

[Cerridwen]

16. The Guardian UK checks in...looks like another please feel sorry

for the dictator piece.

The last paragraph is...horrifying

Philippe Moreau Defarges, co-director of the French Institute for International Relations, agreed Duvalier's decision to return to Haiti was probably a mix of "nostalgia and a desire for power". "He is not an old man and he needs to find a role for himself. He is his father's son, and he has gone back home." <far more at link leading to that last chilling paragraph>

[Cerridwen]

18. The Guardian reports on...the Guardian?

This is cute. The Guardian is reporting on how they reported on 'baby doc' when he "escaped" into exile.

Several linked articles within the article itself.

ean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier returned to Haiti last night for the first time since he fled into exile nearly 25 years ago. The former dictator left the country on 7 February 1986 after two months of nationwide revolt ended 28 years of rule by his family. The news that he was on a special US transport plane to France was welcomed on the streets by "a mixture of joy and rage", the Guardian's Greg Chamberlain reported from Port-au-Prince. He wrote that the 34-year-old Duvalier announced his intention to hand over power "in a recorded televised message squeezed in between Mickey Mouse cartoons".

Elsewhere in the paper, Chamberlain wrote a withering portrayal of the family that had heaped misery upon Haitians for so long.

The younger Duvailier was a lonely manipulated figure, partly a prisoner of his past, having had power thrust on him as a witless youth of 19.

link to more

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cerridwen]

20. Amnesty International

JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER MUST FACE JUSTICE FOR HAITI RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Amnesty International's Haiti expert on the return of Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier was president of Haiti for 15 years, between 1971 and 1986

17 January 2011

Amnesty International today urged the Haitian authorities to bring former president Jean-Claude Duvalier – also known as 'Baby Doc' – to justice for human rights abuses committed during his regime in the 1970s and 80s.

“The widespread and systematic human rights violations committed in Haiti during Duvalier’s rule amount to crimes against humanity. Haiti is under the obligation to prosecute him and anyone else responsible for such crimes," said Javier Zuñiga, Special Advisor at Amnesty International.

Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to Haiti on 16 January after nearly 25 years in exile in France. He fled Haiti in 1986 after a popular uprising which was violently repressed by the former Haitian Armed Forces and a local militia known as the “tonton macoutes”.

Throughout his 15 years in power (1971-1986) systematic torture and other ill-treatment were widespread across Haiti. link

[blindpig]

21. Can the Tonton Macoute be far behind?

Where is the rightful president Aristide?

The United States government bears great responsibility for the suffering of the Haitian people and it looks like that ain't stopping.

[Cerridwen]

22. Tonton Macoutes

eta: Thanks, blindpig. I've added some info and link to additional info.

Tonton Macoutes

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | Copyright

Tonton Macoutes , personal police force of dictator Francois Duvalier (Papa Doc) of Haiti. Unpaid volunteers who were directly responsible only to Duvalier, they were given virtual license to torture, kill, and extort. They murdered hundreds of Duvalier's opponents, sometimes publicly hanging the corpses as warnings. After Papa Doc's death (1971), his son Jean-Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc) changed their name to the National Security Volunteers, though they continued to terrorize the citizenry. After the overthrow of Baby Doc (1986), although officially disbanded, the group continued to spread terror.

this link goes to snippet quoted above and there are several other articles linked there as well for those who want to read up.

[upi402]

26. "license to torture, kill, and extort" - Neocon wetdream

Chaos is conducive to this crap. People want nprmalcy and order and some will willingly sacrifice their human right for it.

[Cerridwen]

28. And a generation who didn't live through that time but are now

living through the current chaos.

If you haven't read it yet, I linked to an article in the LA Times. It's pretty damned scary. Even if predictable.

[Cerridwen]

24. LA Times: "...supporters...sought to rehabilitate his image and revive..."

<snip>

It was unclear whether Duvalier, who has been living in Paris, plans to try to step into the political void. Though the former dictator was widely scorned when forced into exile in 1986 — a transition hailed as the end to the ruthless dynastic rule of the Duvalier family — a small group of supporters has recently sought to rehabilitate his image and revive his National Unity political party. Duvalier could attempt to capitalize on Haiti's current misery by emphasizing the relative stability of the dictatorship years.

<snip>

"I've come to help," Duvalier was quoted as saying.

<snip>

As news spread of the arrival of "Baby Doc," small groups of Haitians took to the streets in celebration — a sign perhaps of just how desperate the population has become. But his return could also portend even greater political convulsions. In some neighborhoods, a counter-rally cry went up, demanding the return of another exiled Haitian leader, the leftist populist former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

<snip>

"The way the country is going now, it has to be for the good," said Jean Sammy, 37, who was out Sunday night chanting in the streets.

<snip to link>

An entire generation has been born who have no personal memory of his reign alongside those who are still walking around with the very real physical scars.

Please read the article. It's quite scary that he may be welcomed during a time of crisis since he may be perceived as bringing "stability" regardless of the cost of that "stability."

[EFerrari]

25. Mark Weisbrot's article last week was prophetic:

Posted: January 11, 2011 02:33 PM

What is it about Haiti that makes the "international community" think they have the right to decide the country's fate without the consent of the governed? Yes, Haiti is a poor country, but Haitians have fought very hard and lost many lives for the right to vote and elect a government.

snip -- check this out:

Three weeks ago Ricardo Seitenfus, the OAS Special Representative to Haiti was removed from his post for publicly criticizing the role of the UN mission and the international community in Haiti. Last week he revealed something even more damning:

"At the meeting of Core Group (donor countries, UN and OAS), something that seemed just creepy . Some representatives suggested that President Rene Preval should leave the country and we should think of an airplane for that. I heard it and was appalled."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-weisbrot/oas-backs-illegitimate-el_b_807521.html

[Cerridwen]

27. Is it the oil? Is it money to be made? Is it a hatred for people

who "don't look like us"? A combination? More?

Or is it simply because, "we" can?

What the hell does France have to do with all this? One of the articles I read (no link as it was one of dozens I clicked read then closed) mentioned something strange about France's roll in this whole thing. One article says this has been in the works for a while now. And, of course, there's the recent "election."

:(

[EFerrari]

33. France has a long history but more recently, France helped us take out Aristide

along with Canada.

[Cerridwen]

37. Check out the article I linked below about the possibility that

the assets they seized from him may be returned to Haiti soon.

Another weird piece of...something.

[Catherina]

112. France sent him out on a diplomatic passport.

so they and the US don't need to act *shocked* about shit.


"A source close to Duvalier said he had returned under a diplomatic passport. " - http://www.wehaitians.com/haiti%20is%20asked%20to%20place%20baby%20doc%20in%20tight%20handcuffs%20secured%20chains.html

[sabrina 1]

29. Shouldn't he be under arrest in Haiti for war crimes?

My god, I was so worried about that country, it breaks my heart since I first started reading and writing about it ten years ago. And I was so afraid that with the US involved, it would not be long before the country was taken over again by the old dictators.

Why is HE allowed into the country, but the people's choice, Aristede, forbidden, by the U.S.?

Sometimes it's just too painful to read about that country and the criminal role the U.S. plays in keeping it in the horrible state it is in. :-)

[Cerridwen]

31. One of the officials, in one of the dozens of articles I've read,

said there was no warrant and they were trying to decide how to proceed. If I can find that article and quote I'll post it here.

:(

[Cerridwen]

46. Here ya go. I found a couple of those articles I mentioned.

Thank heavens for browser history. :)

Here's the one that mentioned no warrant for his arrest, though now as I re-read it, I see it was a "source close to duvalier."

Here's another article asserting he'll only be there through the 20th. his partner makes the assertion, so there's another grain of salt for your diet.

Oh, the English at that site doesn't appear to be the writers' first language so it can take a bit to read through, but it appears to be from knowledgeable sources. Of course the sentence I just typed doesn't look much better, so there ya go. :)

[sabrina 1]

53. Oh thank you. I'm glad it wasn't just me wondering about an

arrest warrant. All of these dictators should be in jail. I don't know why they are allowed to live like kings in other countries. But then, I guess they served the Empires well so that is their reward.

Thank you again for the information. I'm glad the question is being raised and it will be interesting to hear what our government has to say about this. They have a lot to say about duly elected presidents so I imagine they will be outraged by this, no? :sarcasm:

[Cerridwen]

55. A lot of rights groups are calling for his arrest.

The Haitian business community is singing his praises; one called him a "Messiah." (see my post at the bottom)

I've not yet found any statement from our government. I'm watching. Not too many statements from other governments, either.

[Cerridwen]

32. Cancelled press conference

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier remained huddled inside his hotel Monday, as the reasons behind his unexpected return to Haiti and what he hoped to accomplish remained unclear.

Duvalier returned to his homeland Sunday after some 25 years in exile, adding uncertainty into an already turbulent situation.

A scheduled press conference at his hotel Monday was canceled at the last minute because the hotel was not equipped to handle the crowd, and no other location could be found, Henry Robert Sterlin, a Duvalier associate, told reporters.

Sterlin said that the former dictator had returned because he was moved by the anniversary of last year's tragic earthquake, and because he missed his homeland. <snip to link>

There is still no mention of his motives. Most don't seem to buy the "I'm here to help" message.

[sabrina 1]

39. Did he bring back the money he stole before he left?

And how did he get permission to return to Haiti, when Aristedes is prevented by the U.S. from doing so?

The Duvalier family stole millions from HAiti aside from brutalizing the population while they ruled the country.

I would think that this administration would ask this former dictator NOT to return. After all they asked the duly elected president, Aristedes, not to return.

Is the U.S. still trying to install a friendly dictator (friendly to the U.S.) once again in Haiti?

[Cerridwen]

41. I have an article linked in post #36(?) below about the assets that

were seized.

The rest of your questions are the same that almost every article I've read is asking.

No one seems to know WTF is going on.

[11 Bravo]

34. I can't wait until Hugo Chavez announces his solidarity with Duvalier.

DU will be hysterical, and there's not enough popcorn on the planet to get us through the ensuing flame-fests.

[Cerridwen]

35. Would you mind terribly leaving this thread as a place to update

information of what's going on?

Thanks. I'd appreciate it.

[sabrina 1]

38. Chavez is a supporter of Aristedes, the Haitian people's choice

for their leader, ousted by the U.S. not once, but twice. Your comment demonstrates the ignorance about Venezuela pervasive among Americans due to the fact that they rely on the MSM and Fox for their information, although generally found on the right.

Chavez would not support a former dictator supported and backed by the U.S. in Haiti.

At least do a little research before making such ridiculous claims.

Chavez is acutely aware of the history of Haiti's role in helping South American countries gain their independence from Colonial rule. Last January, eg, forgiving Haiti's debt to Venezuela he said this:

“Haiti has no debt with Venezuela—on the contrary, it is Venezuela that has a historic debt with Haiti.” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on January 26, 2010

The amount of the debt owed to Ven. was approx. $295 million dollars which amounted to over one third of Haiti's overall Global debt.

He also donated millions of dollars before the hurricane, to help Haiti build its infrastructure. But if you think he would have ever trusted a criminal like Baby Doc who made off with millions of dollars that belong to the Haitian people, then you really need to go learn a little about the inter-relationships of those countries.

[EFerrari]

48. Iirc, Haitian troops helped Bolivar in his fight against Spain.

It's an old and close relationship.

[sabrina 1]

52. Yes, Bolivar was given refuge in Haiti, which was a very newly

independent nation then.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sim%C3%B3n_Bol%C3%ADvar

In 1815, after a number of political and military disputes with the government of Cartagena, however, Bolívar fled to Jamaica, where he was denied support and an attempt was made on his life, after which he fled to Haiti, where he was granted sanctuary and protection. He befriended Alexandre Pétion, the leader of the newly independent country, and petitioned him for aid.<8>

In 1817, with Haitian soldiers and vital material support (on the condition that he abolish slavery), Bolívar landed in Venezuela and captured Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar). At that time, Venezuela remained a captaincy of Spain, however, and Bolívar decided that he would first fight for the independence of New Granada (which was a vice royalty), intending later to consolidate the independence of Venezuela and other less politically important Spanish territories.

It is very nice that Chavez remembers his country's history and Haiti's.

[Cerridwen]

36. 'baby doc' arrives just before "his" money? My title, not the article's.

Baby Doc assets law set to enter into force

The assets of former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier blocked in Switzerland could be returned to the Haitian authorities after a new Swiss law takes effect.

"Baby Doc" Duvalier, a once feared and reviled dictator who was ousted in a popular uprising nearly 25 years ago, made a surprise return to the island state on Sunday.

Swiss bank accounts containing some SFr6 million ($6.2 million) linked to the former Haitian dictator have been frozen since 1986.

In February 2010 the Swiss government issued an emergency decree to keep the money blocked until a new dictator-assets law could be published. The government decree was a reaction to the country's top court ruling in January 2010 that the money must be returned to Duvalier's family because the statute of limitations had expired. link

he returns to Haiti a few weeks before the money is returned? Just another interesting piece of information I found.

[leftstreet]

42. K&R

Thank you for all the updates and associated links

[Cerridwen]

43. You're welcome.

Thanks for the K&R. :)

I'm confused as hell by this and figured I wasn't alone. Geez, I hope I'm not alone. :)

[leftstreet]

45. No, you're not alone

It's like walking into the middle of movie, one you could swear you've seen before but you're not sure....

[Cerridwen]

47. Good description. It's like they've changed some of the scenery

and moved the furniture, aged a few faces, and then gone on with the show.

[Swamp Rat]

44. Baby Doc and the Tonton Macoute back in power in Haiti... What say YOU, President Obama?

You gonna support this dictatorship?

[sabrina 1]

49. Good question. We know the U.S., under Bush

kidnapped and ousted the duly elected president of Haiti, Aristedes and that there has been no policy change since we ousted our own criminal regime and installed a Democratic administration, towards allowing Aristedes to return.

In fact, he asked for permission to return during the hurricane but was denied by this administration

So, how did this criminal, thieving brutal dictator get permission to get into the country? Hopefully he will be arrested before he escapes again.

If he is allowed to stay and this administration makes no objection, then we can add one more dictator to the list supported by this administration.

[Cerridwen]

50. Hey, Swamp Rat. I've been keeping an eye open for any sort of a

statement from our government. If you see one first, would you please post it and add to this thread?

I've been wondering about the answer to your question, as well.

[lonestarnot]

95. Haven't heard a peep, have you?

[Cerridwen]

51. This looks like a good summation in an article from...the Guardian again.

I hate the title, but the article appears even-handed.

Baby Doc's voodoo politics haunts Haiti

The return of former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier at a critical moment for Haiti's shaky democracy cannot bode well

The return to Haiti of former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier on Sunday has brought a chilling new element of chaos an insult to a country already in the grips of a democratic crisis. Baby Doc's return forces obvious questions about the continued forced exile of twice-democratically elected and overthrown Jean-Bertrand Aristide, whose political party, Fanmi Lavalas, still the most popular party in Haiti, was excluded from running in the recent elections.

Duvalier's return demonstrates that the popular movement that overthrew him, uprooted his Macoutes, disbanded his army and elected the country's first and only mass-based government, has itself, for the time being at least, been put safely out of action: broken, divided, misrepresented, discredited.

During last week's one-year anniversary of the earthquake, in addition to the commemoration of the tragic loss of life there, outrage at broken promises and systematic NGO, UN and government failure, much of the discussion was over a leaked copy of the Organisation of American States findings about the contested 28 November elections. According to the international monitoring body, President Rene Preval's desired successor, son-in-law Jude Celestin, should be disqualified from participating in the second round of the elections. But independent observers said the OAS had used questionable methodology in coming to what Mark Weisbrot from the Centre for Economic and Policy Research called "a political decision", adding it was "highly unusual and perhaps unprecedented for any electoral authority to change the results of an election without a full recount."

So, how does Baby Doc fit into this? His father, François, a country doctor and amateur anthropologist, took power after winning a rigged election in 1957. He used voodoo influence and a Haitian militia called the Tonton Macoutes to terrorise all segments of the population, and installed his inept, socialite son, Jean-Claude, as president for life. An estimated 50,000 people were killed under the Duvaliers. There was no freedom of speech, dissidents were murdered, jailed or forced into exile; Haiti has never recovered from this brain drain of the intellectual class, exiled into diaspora.

<snip to a bit more at the link I think it's well worth the click for a "complete" picture>

[Cerridwen]

54. "I heard this guy is here, 'baby dog.'"

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- In a shocking turn of events, former dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier has returned to Haiti after 23 years in exile, just the latest piece of a troubling puzzle here since the November presidential elections became mired in controversy and fraud.

<snip>

Florence Merceron, one of the first friends to greet Duvalier at the Hotel Karibe in Petionville, told AOL News her family knew he was coming days ago.

"Today I was at the airport since 3 p.m., waiting for him," said Merceron, whose late husband, Gen. Pierre Merceron, was once Duvalier's general of the army and secretary of the interior and defense. "What pleases me the most is that the young people, who weren't even born in 1986, they all came out, cheering. They saw a messiah."

<snip>

A young Brazilian businessman, staying at the Hotel Karibe, had no idea of the evening's historical significance for Haiti. He grabbed his BlackBerry and pointed to an e-mail message, "I heard this guy is here, 'baby dog.'"

<snip to the rest of the article>

A growing common theme in the articles, people want stability, it we better when 'baby doc' was in power, young people have no memory of the bad old days except what their parents tell them about how stable it was,...catapulting the propaganda?

[EFerrari]

59. It's a pretty impressive experience to watch one of these events

with your eyes wide open, isn't it?

[Cerridwen]

61. Wide open but from a distance. :(

But, yeah, it's quite the education.

[Cerridwen]

56. NPR: Former Exile 'Baby Doc' Lands In Haiti Amid Praise (a hero's welcome)

Uhm, uh, okee, dokee.

<snip>

Haitian police on motorcycles surrounded his motorcade and pushed back hundreds of cheering supporters from the airport gates.

<snip>

But at the airport on Sunday night, young men — many of whom weren't even born when Baby Doc fled the country — praised the Duvalier period as a time of prosperity for Haiti.

<snip>

Robinson Marquis, who was standing nearby, said Baby Doc was Haiti's last great president.

"Since he left the country, we have no country," says 35-year-old Marquis. "When he come back, we going to have an army and a country and the country going to be beautiful again, like way back since he left in 1986."

<snip so you can read it with your own eyes>

The "hero's welcome" comes in the last paragraph.

[Cerridwen]

60. Florida Haitians protest: Joanne98 has a thread up in LBN (link enclosed)

I'll just link to her thread

A couple of comments there might have some information not yet showing up here.

[Cerridwen]

62. "US 'surprised' at return of ex-Haiti dictator" Does twitter count as an official

response medium?

WASHINGTON — The United States admitted it was "surprised" at ex-dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier's return to Haiti after 25 years in exile, a State Department spokesman said Monday.
The former tyrant was holed up in a luxury Port-au-Prince hotel after arriving back in the country late Sunday, with observers wondering the purpose of his return in the wake of a contested election.
"We are surprised by the timing of Duvalier's visit to Haiti. It adds unpredictability at an uncertain time in Haiti's election process," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in a post to blogging site Twitter.
Haiti is wrestling with the results of November 28 elections that sparked deadly riots after allegations of vote-rigging against ruling party candidate Jude Celestin, the favorite of President Rene Preval.

link

Twitter? Really?

[EFerrari]

64. So now we have PJ Crowley's official denial. n/t

[Cerridwen]

65. On Twitter, no less.

Seriously. Is it just because I'm "old" that I think something more substantial than a tweet should be an official response? Or perhaps this is their way of making an unofficial announcement?

Oh well, I guess I should practice yelling, "Get off my lawn!"

[EFerrari]

70. I've come to appreciate Twitter. It lets me keep track of topics

efficiently. There will probably be a press briefing tomorrow -- a lot of places are shut down today.

[Cerridwen]

72. Good points, all.

I guess I'll have to rely on people like you when it comes to twitter. :)

[EFerrari]

77. You might like it. It's low maintenance.

:)

I didn't jump on the social networking bandwagon because it's hard enough to keep track of everything already but twitter is surprisingly intuitive and doesn't blow up if you ignore it for a few hours or days.

lol

[Cerridwen]

78. lol

I'll keep that in mind. Given my IT background you'd think I'd be an early adopter. Truth is, I loved bleeding edge for work and always purposely stayed behind the curve at home. :D

[EFerrari]

79. This just in via ggreenwald:

JohngCole
My first thought on Duvalier's return to Haiti was "I wonder how Lanny Davis is involved?"
18 minutes ago

:rofl:

[Cerridwen]

81. Another tweet

alqaeda: Ben Ali flees Tunisia, Baby Doc goes back to Haiti: airlines considering announcing new Dictator class seats to meet demand.

:)

[sabrina 1]

83. The U.S. misses their old dictator friends. With Ben Ali thrown

out of Tunisia, that's one less 'ally' for this government. So, maybe they're feeling nostalgic for some familiar dictators who know how to keep things under control for their masters.

[Catherina]

113. Priceless! n/t

[EFerrari]

66. And the bookend:

"We are not aware of any plans for former President Aristide to travel to #Haiti."
1 hour ago via web

[Cerridwen]

69. Oh yeah. Thanks. I saw that and got distracted before I could

include it.

Loverly world in which we live.

[Catherina]

107. That twitter is priceless! So are his others

That twitter is priceless. Here are some other amusing ones


#Tunisia made some important promises today, to open up to media and human rights groups. These are steps in the right direction.
about 18 hours ago via web

We are not aware of any plans for former President Aristide to travel to #Haiti.
about 18 hours ago via web


Tunisia is not a Wiki revolution. The Tunisian people knew about corruption long ago. They alone are the catalysts of this unfolding drama.
8:37 AM Jan 16th via web

RT @bencnn No one I spoke to in Tunis today mentioned twitter, facebook or wikileaks. It's all about unemployment, corruption, oppression.
10:32 AM Jan 15th via web (Of course not you idiot, you only speak to thugs).



No country believes in press freedom more than the United States. We practice what we preach. #WPFD
8:29 AM Dec 9th, 2010 via web

http://twitter.com/PJCrowley


Fucking priceless

[maryf]

63. rage or silence...

for now silence, except to K&R

[Cerridwen]

67. Thanks, maryf. I completely understand.

I did rage last night and I'm reading and relaying these articles today as a way to channel the rage and confusions and...helplessness.

[Odin2005]

68. Shit.

[Cerridwen]

71. Speaking of shit, did you see the 'hero's welcome' post in this thread

or the one I made an OP.

Serious shit.

[EFerrari]

73. Here's a distillation up at OED. Suggestion BD might be a distraction

and also, that the French Ambassador said he wasn't well.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Is-Baby-Doc-Duvalier-s-Ret-by-Georgianne-Nienabe-110117-185.html#startcomments

[Cerridwen]

75. And a scare tactic.

I especially noted the changed reporting going on.

I wonder if I should have done screen shots rather than just links.

:(

[EFerrari]

76. Well, its rare that something actually goes missing. Someone has it

or you can usually find it. I wouldn't worry.

Thanks so much for doing the heavy lifting on this today!

[Cerridwen]

84. Something I just noticed about the wording of Crowley's tweet...

"we were surprised by the timing..."

Not surprised about the arrival, but the timing. Yep, tin foil firmly in place. Maybe just a weird choice of words.

MIAMI, Fla - A State Department spokesman responded to the unexpected news that former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier had returned to Haiti on Sunday -- the tiny nation where the former "President for life" was ousted by a popular uprising 25 years ago, and which is currently in the middle of a heated presidential run-off.

"We are surprised by the timing of Duvalier's visit to Haiti. It adds unpredictability at an uncertain time in Haiti's election process," State Department Assistant Secretary P.J. Crowley said via his Twitter on Monday evening.

Many Haitian-Americans also believe that Duvalier's arrival threatens to further de-stabilize the tenuous political situation in Haiti, with the tiny Caribbean nation already fractured, and left limping by the aftermath of the devastating earthquake a year a go that left over 200,000 dead, and an on-going Cholera outbreak that has killed several thousand people.

" This news fell on us like a brick," Marleine Bastien, a Haitian-American community activist from Miami, Florida said. " We are all in shock. When we thought it couldn't get worse, it gets worse."


This is all that is at the link. http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/17/u-s-surprised-by-baby-docs-return/#ixzz1BLT8stzL

edit because I meant wording but typed working.

[EFerrari]

86. Insulza is supposed to be there tomorrow.

Surprised by the timing, my granny.

[Cerridwen]

87. I thought he was supposed to be there today?

Ah well, getting names and places and dates smashed up. :)

[EFerrari]

88. Maybe I am!

lol

[Cerridwen]

89. :)

Careful, I thought we were supposed to take turns; both of us walking in circles at the same time is just *not* a good idea. lol

[Cerridwen]

80. An article from CBS. Not too much new information.

New information seems scarce at this point. It's all starting to look the same. Or it could be that I've been at this too long today and I'm getting a case of computer stare. :)

(AP) PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier ensconced himself Monday in a high-end hotel following his surprise return to a country deep in crisis, leaving many to wonder if the once-feared strongman will prompt renewed conflict in the midst of a political stalemate.

<snip>

"He was deeply hurt in his soul after the earthquake," Sterlin said. "He wanted to come back to see how is the actual Haitian situation of the people and the country."

<snip>

"Part of what he does by getting back into Haiti is bring back the old battle lines," said Jocelyn McCalla, a political analyst and former director of the National Coalition for Haitian Rights. "People are going to start talking about being pro- or anti-Duvalier ... It intensifies the instability."

<snip>

Aristide's attorney in Miami, Ira Kurzban, said the ousted former president, who remains popular in Haiti, wants to come back to his homeland. link

The US has already tweeted that it's not aware of any plans for Aristide to return to Haiti.

Of course the US apparently didn't know that 'baby doc' would be showing up either.

[Cerridwen]

82. This is from the Miami Herald and it's from yesterday/last night.

I find some of the info suspect; thousands of supports being at least part of that. This is the only report I've read that reports thousands. Most report hundreds. There're also a few things about pepper spray being used to keep things under control and the appearance of tanks as visual deterents. Again, it's the only place I've read it so far. That doesn't mean it didn't happen. Just, I'm not trusting it. If you know the reliability of the Miami Herald, please let me know.

Anyway, for posterity's sake:

(from page 2)

For months, graffiti on walls have read, "Welcome home Jean-Claude Duvalier," indicating that his return may have been in the works for some time. He has said for years that he would like to return to Haiti.

Gesnol Pierre-Louis, who was 2 years old when Duvalier left, said he's always been a fan of the former president.

"My parents always said when he was here, life wasn't expensive, Haitians were not dying of hunger," said Pierre-Louis, 25. "He was not a bad person."

But others remain confused about what the return means and its political impact.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/16/2019209_p2/newspaper-ousted-president-jean.html#ixzz1BLIslZoD

link to page one

[Cerridwen]

85. Humor.

RT: BorowitzReport : If Baby Doc can come back from 1986, this is excellent news for Boy George.

found via twitter

[Cerridwen]

90. Article from Mother Jones with some pictures for a change.

It sounded like a wild rumor when it circulated earlier today, but tonight, Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier landed in Haiti after a quarter-century of exile. The word from Duvalier is that he's come to help his country. According to everyone on the street and on the radio, the Americans and the French conspired to bring him here to upset current president René Preval, who's been accused of fixing his country's recent elections.

Please go to link to see pics and rest of story. I don't wanna take the poor guy's hard work.

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2011/01/baby-doc-duvalier-haiti-return

[Cerridwen]

91. "Journalist Michele Montas says victims will press charges" "We have proof"

Added On January 17, 2011
Journalist Michele Montas says victims will press charges against fmr. Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.

Only video available at this time. Sorry no transcript yet.

link to CNN video

I did find this article at M & C (Monsters and Critics) that said the same:

Washington/Port-au-Prince - The dust began to settle Monday on the surprise return of ousted dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier to Haiti as a Haitian journalist said she will bring charges to have him arrested.

Michele Montas, a journalist and former spokeswoman to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, told CNN from Haiti that she planned to go to a public prosecutor to file an official complaint against Duvalier for his brutality during the 1971-1986 dictatorship.

<snip>

Montas and her journalist husband Jean Dominique fled Haiti during the Duvalier years after their radio station came under repeated attacks.
'I will go to press charges (against Duvalier.) We have enough proof,' she vowed.

<snip to link>

[Cerridwen]

92. Canadian government condemning his return

CTV.ca News Staff
Date: Mon. Jan. 17 2011 10:00 PM ET

The Canadian government is condemning the return of the former dictator known as "Baby Doc" to his native Haiti -- the country he fled following his ouster from power in 1986.

<snip>

Our government is concerned that Haiti's former dictator has returned at a critical time in Haiti's democratic process," Dimitri Soudas, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's spokesperson, said in a terse statement.

<snip>

But, in comments from France where she is attending a roundtable with Haitians, diplomats and UNESCO representatives this week, former Canadian governor general Michaelle Jean said she's "astounded" by Duvalier's casual return, "without warning, like a citizen, without reproach?"

The Canadian Press reports that Jean, whose family fled the Duvalier regime for Canada, also wonders whether Haitians can actually forget "the horrors, the suffering, the injustice" of his leadership.

<snip to link>

[Cerridwen]

93. CARICOM criticises return of Baby Doc Duvalier

Here it is. I've been waiting for this one.

CARICOM criticises return of Baby Doc Duvalier

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Chairman of the Council of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Monday criticised the return of Jean Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier to Haiti, saying that his return could further inflame the already shaky political situation in the French Speaking CARICOM country.

“The return of Baby Doc would be an unwelcomed distraction in the current volatile situation and just when the international community is trying desperately to sustain the fragile security gains in recent years,” said Denneth Modeste, who is also Grenada’s junior Foreign Minister.

The Council, the second highest decision-making body of the 15-member regional grouping, Monday began a one-day meeting here that will also approve the non-reciprocal trading arrangement agreed for Haiti over a three-year period.

<snip>

“It is in this context that I view with unease, the return to the country yesterday (Sunday), of one of those personalities whose mode of governance from 1971 to 1986 was not consistent with such democratic edifices as the rule of law.”

more at link

[Cerridwen]

94. This looks to be a little lightweight, happy, happy, joy, joy piece.

I'll include it here, as I keep saying, for posterity. Careful if you don't have a strong stomach.

from page 2

Broussard also says that he was glad to see Duvalier on the flight yesterday, and feels the former president had been unfairly portrayed.

“All that stuff about Duvalier, I think is bad publicity,” he says. “Duvalier was the first ex-president to give money to Leogane, which is where his mother is from, after the earthquake.”

Asindor agrees that most of what the foreign media and organizations have said about Duvalier is not true. He spent the night of January 13, 2010, the day after the devastating earthquake, sleeping under the shade of a small tree in the camp in Tabarre, and has been living there ever since. He feels that Duvalier will be the one to provide homes and jobs for people like him.

“This is not about Duvalier, foreigners just try to paint a bad image about anything to do with Haiti,” he says. “All these things about the Tonton Macoutes, it is a misunderstanding. They would only come if you did something bad. They were like the national security, they always kept the country peaceful.”

<snip to page 1>

Yeah, I know, but it's out there so I thought it needed to be included here. Besides, who knows which narrative will "win" so we might as well know what might come.

[Cerridwen]

96. Supporters or hams when the cameras are around?

I thought this was an interesting take on the whole "supporters" issue. Are they supporters or just looking for their "15 minutes of fame"? As the author says, not that there aren't supporters, there are. But are they all.

Another article I read, but didn't link (who knows why?) noted that the overwhelming majority of his supporters are male. There are very few girls or women in the pictures or in the crowds. A couple of pictures I noticed the few women looked anything but supportive. Murderous and rage-filled might be better adjectives for their expressions. That's why this article caught my attention and why I'm including it.

Is it Duvalier or is It the Cameras?

While walking around the National Palace on the one-year anniversary of the January 12th earthquake, I wanted to take some photos of random crowds gathered around. My Haitian-American friend advised me against it. Will people get mad, I asked, knowing that in many countries locals are actually sick and tired of foreigners coming in to snap photos and then run off to publish a Pulitzer Prize winning photo or the next cover of National Geographic (see: Afghan girl).

“No,” he replied. “If you take photos, they’ll likely just act up in front the camera, exaggerating for attention.” I wasn’t sure what he meant at the time, but I had a vague idea. Sure, everyone wants to have a camera on them, and we all want our 15 minutes of fame, so why not dramatize the moment if possible?

His words didn’t fully clique until I found myself somewhat stalking the unexpected arrival of former Haitian dictator Jean Claude Duvalier aka “Baby Doc.” I ended up finding myself outside the Karibe Hotel with throngs of onlookers, mostly journalists, to witness the occasion. And indeed it was a spectacle. You can see the crowd going wild in the video clip below:

link to blog with videos

[Cerridwen]

97. More gallows humor from Twitter

I am friggin' mad! Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier just ran off with my new PR guy. Dictators, they have no souls #Haiti #WTF
2 minutes ago via web

OBL_is
Osama Bin Laden Is

[Cerridwen]

98. This one just broke my heart. I followed a link from a tweet.

(I decided not to include his name) said to everyone publicly:

Text: Hello.to Everyone,I don't know if some of you my
friends ,remember Papa Doc, and Baby Doc this
people were the Tiranes of Haiti for for many years
now Baby Doc comebacks to Haiti,do you think He
comes to help the people (wrong) he comes to break the Piggy Bank he knows theirs a lot a money in the Country right now if not ask the prime Minister, I think this Men should be trial
for all the killing he order wen he was the President
all the people who donate to help put attention to
what ever hes up to,open your eyes Mr Clinton,
Mr.Obama, Angelina Joly,and all the public let him know that your watching him.

thank You

I won't include the link because of the troll-factor at DU and I don't want to make it easy for a bunch of trolls to blast this poor man.

[Cerridwen]

99. Duvalier's return met with confusion for Haitian exiles.

Jailed under the Duvalier regime for more than four months, Miami playwright Jan Mapou first felt shock at the news that deposed dictator Jean-Claude ``Baby Doc'' Duvalier had returned to Haiti.

Then, resignation.

Now, disgust.

<big ol' snip>

ARISTIDE RUMOR

On Monday, rumors emerged that Aristide would seek to return to Haiti. The former priest was ousted by a ragtag group of rebels in 2004 and sought refuge in South Africa, where he remains today.


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/17/v-fullstory/2020812/a-confusing-time-for-haitian-exiles.html#ixzz1BMS7AyXy

[Cerridwen]

100. "The US state department has refused to comment "

Yeah, that pisses me right off.:(

Haiti at boiling point as former dictator returns

The international community is struggling to make sense of the surprise return of former Haitian president and dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier.

His sudden appearance in the capital Port-au-Prince yesterday stunned everyone and has thrown more doubt over a disputed and stalled presidential election process.

The US state department has refused to comment and today Mr Duvalier, 59, cancelled an expected press conference where it was hoped he might explain what he is up to.

<snip>

"There is great disenchantment to the current situation among Haitians, that Haitians are fed up with what is going on with the Haitian political class, with the electoral problems and also with the international community," he said.

link

[sabrina 1]

101. I was wondering about the 'crowd' of fans greeting him.

I couldn't help remembering the 'crowd of joyful Iraqis' at the toppling of the statue of Saddam.

And all those little flags that suddenly appeared in Kuwait during the first Gulf War.

I wonder will the State Dept. remain silent if Aristedes decides to return to Haiti?

Aristedes is the rightful president of Haiti, elected by a majority of the people there.

Shame on this administration for its silence on this. I become more and more disgusted each day with what is going on in this country.

[Cerridwen]

102. In another report it said the US had 'denounced' his return but it

provided no statement to back it up. I'm still looking for that. *sigh*

Everything's being spun "6 ways from Sunday" so I'm not sure what's what. That's why you'll see some of the things I'm linking.

I'm still waiting for that other shoe to drop. I hope to heaven it's not an explosion.

[leftstreet]

103. LOLOL Check out this photo

Getty Images 5 hours ago PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - JANUARY 17: Supporters of former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier look on beneath Duvalier banner at an informal gathering of the National Unity Party January 17, 2011 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier was greeted by supporters yesterday upon returning to his homeland for the first time in 25 years from his exile in France.

I know it's the day after, but still it seems a little :o

[Cerridwen]

104. Yeah, if they're not dancing in the streets only a day later...

my guess is they really don't have time for him right now.

This move is all about something much farther up the chain.

People starve and die and the "leaders" play political oneupmanship.

If there is a God, he needs to be born a Haitian - right now!

[sabrina 1]

105. Lol, that reminds me of the Freeper pro-war protests!

I have to say, that really is funny if that's a representation of how much support he has there.

[Catherina]

108. "Baby Doc's back"

Posted Monday, January 17, 2011

Haiti's politics
Baby Doc's back

PORT-AU-PRINCE



TO LITTLE pomp and widespread confusion, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, the former dictator of Haiti, returned to his country last night, a quarter century after fleeing to exile on the French Riviera. Mr Duvalier arrived on an Air France flight a little before six in the evening, and a few hundred people greeted him outside the airport. A convoy of Haitian national police then accompanied him to a glitzy hotel in a suburb of Port-au-Prince, the capital. Along with his Haitian companion, Veronique Roy, and a smattering of associates, he dined on a grilled conch and promised a press conference. But in the morning, about a hundred reporters waited in vain for Mr Duvalier to appear. A shabbily suited spokesperson cited “capacity problems” at the hotel and promised that the ex-dictator would talk tomorrow.

Litle is known about the intentions of Mr Duvalier, who simply said upon arrival that he had “come to help”. His trip may well have been prompted by Haiti’s current political turmoil—its presidential run-off election, originally scheduled for yesterday, has been postponed indefinitely because of arguments over who should participate. But with both the Haitian government and the UN peacekeeping force keeping mum, speculation is running rampant over what he has in mind. One theory holds that the French sent him to pressure René Préval, the president, to accept the findings of a report by the Organisation of American States, which called for the government's presidential candidate, Jude Celestin, to be dropped from the run-off. (The French embassy has denied any involvement). Another contends that Mr Préval himself cooked up the visit as a “Wag the Dog”-style ploy to distract the country. “Do you hear anyone talking about the election this morning?”, quipped Louis Henri Mars, an anti-violence campaigner. A less popular interpretation is that the stooped, haggard Mr Duvalier just wants to spend his last days at home.

It is also unclear why Mr Duvalier, a torturer, kidnapper and thief—although a less brutal ruler than his father and predecessor, François—has not been arrested. The Haitian government reiterated in 2008 that its criminal proceedings against him were ongoing, and he faces a $500m judgment in the United States. Haiti has no statute of limitations for misappropriation of public funds, and international law holds than crimes against humanity can always be prosecuted.

...

http://www.wehaitians.com/baby%20doc%20is%20back.html