If Duvalier Can Return to Haiti, Why Can’t Aristide?

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San Francisco Bayview, First Person, Dr. Jean Bertrand Aristide, Posted: Jan 24, 2011

Haiti’s first democratically elected president, Jean Bertrand Aristide, whose return to Haiti is demanded daily by his people – he was kidnapped Feb. 29, 2004, in a U.S.-engineered coup and has since lived in South Africa – wrote the following letter to the South African and Haitian governments seeking to return home. But, asks Ezili Danto, who forwarded his letter, “If Duvalier can, without trouble, travel on an EXPIRED Haitian passport, why can’t President Aristide do the same?”

Whereas Haitian authorities have refused to renew the passport of President Aristide, they renewed the passport of deposed dictator Jean Claude Duvalier without opposition in 2005. It has since expired. (See “Haiti – Politic: The Haitian government refuses to renew the passport of Aristide.”)

I would like to thank the government and the people of South Africa for the historic hospitality, deeply rooted in Ubuntu, extended to my family and me.

Since my forced arrival in the Mother Continent six and a half years ago, the people of Haiti have never stopped calling for my return to Haiti. Despite the enormous challenges that they face in the aftermath of the deadly Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake, their determination to make the return happen has increased.

As far as I am concerned, I am ready. Once again I express my readiness to leave today, tomorrow, at any time. The purpose is very clear: To contribute to serving my Haitian sisters and brothers as a simple citizen in the field of education.

The return is indispensable, too, for medical reasons: It is strongly recommended that I not spend the coming winter in South Africa because in six years I have undergone six eye surgeries. The surgeons are excellent and very well skilled, but the unbearable pain experienced in the winter must be avoided in order to reduce any risk of further complications and blindness.

So, to all those asking me to return home, I reiterate my willingness to leave today, tomorrow, at any time. Let us hope that the Haitian and South African governments will enter into communication in order to make that happen in the next coming days.

United to the Haitian people, once again my family and I express our sincere gratitude to the government and the people of South Africa.”

Comments

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Mr. Aristide what they did to you was wrong , It was an ilegal and inmoral act against the Haitian's constitution . WE LOVE YOU ß

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

YEAH ARISTIDE SHOULD GO BACK TO HAITI CAUSE HAITI NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN GET MY NAME IS MERVIN NICOLAS WHO COMES FROM LEOGANE AND I KNOW THEY NEED HELP

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Jean Bertrand Aristide is the modern Toussaint Louverture. He understands the intricacies and the complexities of the Haitian problem in the context of international politics. He has the intellectual might to articulate the interests of the Haitian people. Thus, Aristide is the solution for Haiti.

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Duvalier Returns to Haiti: Merely a Pawn in the Political Chaos by Stanley Lucas
http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/01/duvalier-returns-to-haiti-merely-pawn.html

and see Wikileaks: http://213.251.145.96/cable/2004/11/04BRASILIA2863.html

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Duvalier Returns to Haiti: Merely a Pawn in the Political Chaos by Stanley Lucas
http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/01/duvalier-returns-to-haiti-merely-pawn.html

and see Wikileaks: http://213.251.145.96/cable/2004/11/04BRASILIA2863.html

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

Duvalier Returns to Haiti: Merely a Pawn in the Political Chaos by Stanley Lucas
http://solutionshaiti.blogspot.com/2011/01/duvalier-returns-to-haiti-merely-pawn.html

and see Wikileaks: http://213.251.145.96/cable/2004/11/04BRASILIA2863.html

Anonymous

Posted Jan 24 2011

IF JEAN CLAUDE DUVALIER CAN GO BACK HOME,SO DOES ARISTIDE AS LONG AS THEY STAY AWAY FROM THE POWER AND HELP REBUILT HAITI.HAITI IS FOR HAITIANS CITIZENS TO LEAVE AND REBUILT,NOW ITS TIME TO BE REUNITED AS A REAL NATION HAITI NEEDS ALL HER CHILDREN TO BE TOGETHER AND HELP REBUILT OUR HAITI CHERIE,WITH OUT VIOLENCE.

Anonymous

Posted Jan 25 2011

Yes he should return to face justice same a Duvalier. Aristde is the worst dictator Haiti ever saw. I agree he should go back and face justice for all the political killings and millions he took
From the state funds and mainly telephone company teleco.

Anonymous

Posted Jan 25 2011

Anonymous

Posted Jan 25 2011

In what may be his first public statement since one-time nemesis Jean-Claude Duvalier showed up in Haiti, former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide said he is ``ready'' to return to his troubled homeland.

Aristide, a two-time head-of-state, wrote a letter from South Africa, according to his former foreign press liaison, Michelle Karshan. Copies were e-mailed to a list of undisclosed recipients and it is now circulating on the Internet.

Karshan said Wednesday she received the letter ``directly'' from Aristide and his spokeswoman Maryse Narcisse.

If Aristide were to return, it would be come at a politically fragile time in Haiti, compounded only by Duvalier's presence in the country. One year after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Haiti is wrestling with sluggish reconstruction, an electoral crisis, and adeadly cholera outbreak.

Anonymous

Posted Jan 25 2011

BABY DOC AKA JEAN CLAUDE DUVALIER DID WRONG TO HAITI TO AS WELL AS JEAN BETRAND ARISTIDE THEY BOTH WAS A DICTATOR AND THEY BOTH WAS GOOD AND BAD.SO,IF ARISTIDE WANT TO GO BACK HE SHOULD GO BACK HOME RIGHT NOW.

Anonymous

Posted Jan 27 2011

Well,that"s will be better if you stay where u at,stop bluffing your sister and brother

Anonymous

Posted Mar 4 2011

let them hoes fight like a real bitch sucking on a dick

Anonymous

Posted Apr 12 2011

jean bertrand aristide is among the worst leaders that Haiti has had within the last fifty years. He is a dictator, who hide underneath of a priest clothes, then he wants to present himself as a victim. Since haiti is the poorest country in the west hemisphere, many believed that he could do something positive, to help them out. Don't get me wrong the guy is such a vindictive character, a liar, a thief, a corruptor, a gangster, an immoral..! I am anxious to see his trial for crimes against humanity coming soon. To those, who are so much emotional, beware of the man real acts, and hidden crimes before you say anything, and stop using the internet for futile purposes.

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