> home > News
Former dictator’s funds to be returned to the people of Haiti
17 February 2009
Former Haitian President Jean-Claude Duvaller, who ruled Haiti between 1971 and 1986, could not prove lawful origin of his 7.6 million Swiss francs (approximately 5.1 million euros), which have been frozen in Swiss accounts since 2002. He now has 30 days to appeal the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) before the Swiss Justice Ministry’s decision is enacted and the money is sent to Haiti to be spent on projects benefiting the Haitian people.
This is good news for Haiti, as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere the global food crisis led to rising food prices that caused rioting last year. In addition, the country was hit with numerous hurricanes and tropical storms in the past few years, including Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, causing destruction and injuries that added to the hardships for the people and the need for financial relief.
Eurodad members’ reactions to this ruling were generally positive, but there are a few concerns. Nick Dearden, director of Eurodad member Jubilee Debt Campaign said, “This is great news for the people of Haiti in their struggle to get back what is rightfully theirs. Other creditors must now follow the Swiss example and investigate and return any stolen assets that may be harboured in their countries. However, we are concerned that once paid back, this money will effectively be used up in only seven and a half weeks to pay off Haiti’s massive debts, many of which were contracted under Duvalier’s rule. While Haiti has been promised debt cancellation, it is completely unjust that as the country faces multiple crises its debt relief has now been put back six months by the World Bank and IMF.”
Sarah Wilson, the Caribbean specialist at Eurodad member Christian Aid, is also concerned that a majority of this money will go towards paying back Haitian debts to international financial institutions, debts created during Duvalier’s rule, and that very little of it will actually be spent helping the people. She said, “Haiti is currently facing the cost of emergency relief and rehabilitation following the recent storms and rising food prices. But the country is still forced to make massive payments towards the odious debt to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank built up during the Duvalier period.”
Camille Chalmers, Executive Director of PAPDA, a Haitian civil society organisation working on debt and development pointed out that this money is just the tip of a much larger iceberg. In a release following the Swiss announcement he said: "let's also remember that much money stolen from the people of Haiti by the Duvalier dictatorship still has not been found. We have information that important sums remain in France, Switzerland, the United States and Jersey, among other tax havens. It is estimated that by 1986 the Duvalier family had robbed the state of at least 900 million US dollars".
This ruling by the Swiss Justice Ministry was a step forward in reliving Haiti of some of its debt, but it is far from enough. The ruling is also a good precedent and Haitian, European and other campaigners will work to push other countries to follow suit and freeze money in their banks that has been acquired by unlawful means.
Links
Press Release: Storm-struck Haiti to get back ex-dictator’s millions
: 31 Kb