[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 41 (Monday, October 17, 1994)]
[Pages 2024-2025]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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Remarks on the Restoration of Haitian Democracy
October 14, 1994
President Aristide; distinguished Haitian guests; to the
distinguished Members of Congress who are here, Senator Dodd,
Congressman Rangel, Congressman Conyers, Congressman Oberstar,
Congressman Combest; to the members of the United States military and
their families who are here; to the friends of Haiti and the process of
peace and reconciliation:
Three years ago, the international community, led by the United
States, set out to restore Haiti's democratically elected government.
Today, on the eve of President Aristide's return to his beloved nation,
we mark the end of one stage of the long and difficult journey and the
beginning of a new era of hope for the people of Haiti.
Halfway around the world, America's armed forces are also bringing a
message of hope and confidence to the people of Kuwait. Our troops have
responded rapidly to the threat from Iraq, and I have ordered that the
deployment of personnel and equipment to the area continue. Let there be
no mistake: The United States will not allow Iraq to threaten its
neighbors.
In Haiti, the men and women of our Armed Forces have protected our
national interests and advanced the democratic values we Americans hold
so dear. We've helped to curb the violence that threatened tens of
thousands of Haitians, to secure our own borders, to bring
democratically elected government to the 34th of our hemisphere's 35
nations, to uphold the reliability of our own commitments and the
commitments others make to us. In so doing, we have helped to give the
people of Haiti a chance to remake the democracy they earned, they
deserve, and they so plainly wish. President Aristide's return to Haiti
is a victory for freedom throughout the world.
More than 3 years have passed since a bloody coup stole the Haitian
people's first elected government. But the road back to democracy, as we
all know, has been strewn with obstacles and dangers. Despite exhaustive
efforts, diplomatic condemnation, economic sanctions, United Nations
resolutions, the brutality of the military regime and its hired guns
increased day by day. Haiti sank deeper into poverty and chaos. Only the
combination of the imminent American-led invasion and the skillful
diplomacy by President Carter, General Powell, and Senator Nunn brought
this terrible chapter in Haitian history to a close. General Powell is
here today, and on behalf of the American people, sir, I thank you for
your mission and for what you did. Thank you.
Just one month later, today, the generals have stepped down from
power and left Haiti. The Haitian people have begun to move from fear to
freedom. American troops and those of our coalition partners are
restoring basic security and civil order. They have helped more than
3,700 refugees to go home from Guantanamo. The Haitian Parliament has
once again opened its doors. The mayor of Port-au-Prince is back in
office, and the lights are on in more ways than one.
In a few short weeks, these things have paved the way for President
Aristide's return. Haiti's voyage back to reclaim its democratically
elected government is surely a cause for celebration. But the days and
weeks ahead will be full of arduous work, and they will not be free of
danger.
Now more than ever, I urge the Haitian people to come together in a
spirit of reconciliation and peace, the spirit so eloquently advanced by
President Aristide himself. As he has said, there should be no
vengeance, no violence, no retribution. This is a time for peace. That
is what the United States and its coalition partners are working for,
and I am certain that that spirit will continue to prevail when the
multinational force turns its responsibilities over to the United
Nations.
President Aristide's return to Port-au-Prince sets the stage for the
Haitian people to take control of their future. The task is large: to
strengthen a young and fragile democracy, to build a new economy based
on opportunity, small enterprise, and steady development. The
international community has pledged to do all it can to help, starting
with a one-year, $550 million reconstruction and recovery program to
fund humanitarian relief, provide economic assistance, support the
institutions that must become a permanent foundation for Haitian
democracy.
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To help launch the economic recovery more immediately, I am pleased
to announce that today I will sign an Executive order lifting all
economic sanctions against Haiti after President Aristide returns. Now
that the coup leaders have departed, democracy is being restored, the
sanctions have clearly served their purpose; by lifting trade, banking,
and travel restrictions, we can help to give back to the Haitian people
the opportunities they need to grow and to prosper and to preserve their
freedom.
Ultimately, the task of rebuilding Haiti belongs to the people of
Haiti themselves. Theirs will be a long and hard road. Each and every
citizen must make a contribution. It will take a lot of patience, but it
will be a joyous effort if it is done in the right spirit and if the
rest of us do our part to help.
The progress will begin with reconciliation, as the President has
said. He will go home in that spirit, vowing to oppose all who seek
revenge and retribution. Tomorrow, when he resumes his duties, as he has
said, it will be just the beginning. But what a beginning it is.
President Aristide has also vowed to step down at the end of his
term, leaving his office to the next democratically elected President.
In one of the most insightful comments about democratic government I
have ever heard, he has said that when you start a democracy the most
important election is the second one. This is the kind of insight that
will serve Haiti so well in the years ahead.
Let me conclude by expressing my gratitude to all those who have
done their part to give Haiti a second chance, something we need more
for not only countries but people in this old world. I thank the 30
countries whose troops are in Haiti as part of the multinational
coalition and all the nations who joined our multilateral efforts in the
Caribbean community, the Organization of American States, and United
Nations. Your efforts have made our hemisphere safer and sent a message
of resolve around the world.
I thank the men and women of our Armed Forces who have answered the
call and performed a difficult job with skill, devotion, and humanity.
You are the steel in the sword of America's diplomacy. Thanks to your
efforts, the world knows that we will stand for democracy, honor our
commitments, and expect others to honor theirs.
I thank especially the families of our service members here at home,
those who make such great sacrifices. Some of them, including the
children, are here today, and I would like to ask them to stand and be
recognized, the families of the service people serving in Haiti.
[Applause]
And finally, to the American people, I say that although we are not,
we cannot, and we should not be the policemen of the world, we have
proved once again that America will stand up for others when the cause
is clear, the mission is achievable, and our interests are at stake. The
American people have done the right thing in Haiti. They have stood for
what is best about America. And because of the support of the American
people, democracy will be stronger tomorrow than it is today all around
the world.
Finally, to President Aristide and the people of Haiti, for 3 years
you have kept faith against all odds that one day a government of the
people would be restored to your native land. Tomorrow will be that day.
You have survived decades of violence, terror, poverty with dignity,
pride, and hope. Now you and your people will have the opportunity to
make democracy work for yourselves; to let all the children we are tired
of seeing in turmoil on our newscasts become a part of that vast mass of
humanity in free societies seeking their God-given potential. I say to
you, bonne chance, Haiti toma. Good luck, and long live Haiti.
Note: The President spoke at 10:20 a.m. at the North Portico of the West
Wing at the White House.