Francois & Jean-Claude Duvalier
Haiti
Profile
He started studies medicine at the University of Haiti and he graduates in 1934. In the future he will gain the reputation of a practitioner of voodoo sorcery. In 1950 he began an organization against the military regim.
He is elected president in 1957 and he promised to give more power and right to the black people. In 1971 the constitution is amended to permit Duvalier to name his son, Jean-Claude as his successor whom at the age of 19 becomes the youngest president in the world, he will create a personal security force (Leopard Corps) that will take over most of the functions of Haiti's police force.
In August 1978 the Inter-American Commission on human rights visits Haiti and they find evidence of a really large abuse of human rights, including killings, jailed and tortures. During his regime all political activities and groups are banned except those of the president, in 1986 he will flew in France with his wife and what he leaves behind is a torn and ruined country: half of the Haiti's workers are unemployed, over 80% of the population is illiterate and almost a third of Haitian children die before their fifth birthday, also the life expectancy is 53 years.
Jean-Claude will flight many times outside of Haiti but he came back after the earthquake in 2010 because he wanted to help his people. The government prosecuted him many times but only for financial corruption, he attendes an appeal court on 28 February 2013 and it was the first time that he has been questioned in court about his crimes.
His Victims won't forget (Baby Doc Duvalier)
The leader of my country should make me feel safe.
Hi my name is Leila, I'm from Les Cayes and I'm 17 years old. I wanted to write to you for a long time and now I finally have the opportunity to do it. I have a question first of all, how is your family? How are your children? Your father? Can you tell me something about your childhood? An happy memory maybe, something that you love think about, I really wanted to know how many memories do you have, because I, I don't have memories, I can't remember one time that I hugged my father or that I was laughing with my brothers, you know, my family doesn't exist anymore, you killed them long time ago, I never had the chance to do with them what normal family do, you took them away from me, now is that right? Do you realize what you did? Because it's easy close your easy and pretend that nothing happened, but luckily I had the chance to travel, and to learn what most people in Haiti still ignore. You killed millions of people, you tortured them without a reason, you ruined so many families and you ruined this country. You were our leader, but I can't trust you, I don't feel safe with you so that means that something is wrong. I will never have my family back, and probably I would never have justice either but I hope you know, I hope that every time you look your kids in the eyes you will realize how many kids you hurts and how many lives your ruined. Don't come back, this earthquake may have destroyed our land, but you destroyed the hearts of your own people and we will never forget that.
Hope you will enjoy the rest of your life,
Leila