Prosper Avril
Encyclopedia
Prosper Avril is a Haiti
an political figure who was President of Haiti
from 1988 to 1990. A trusted member of François Duvalier
's Presidential Guard and adviser to Jean-Claude Duvalier
, Lt. Gen. Avril led the September 1988 Haitian coup d'état
against a transition military government installed after Jean-Claude Duvalier's 1986 overthrow. He was President until March 1990, in a period which according to Amnesty International
was "marred by serious human rights violations". He was arrested in 2001, but released in March 2004 after the 2004 Haitian rebellion overthrew Jean-Bertrand Aristide
.
, near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince
.
and from weapons procurement and other programs in the 70s (he was later offered asylum by the Israeli government) and was entrusted by the Duvaliers as their "bagman" with management of much of their overseas portfolio. He was "the only person other than the Duvaliers themselves with signature authority over their foreign accounts."
Avril was forced into retirement by Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1983, but reinstated and promoted to Colonel in 1986, in the face of the popular revolt which would ultimately see Duvalier overthrown. Avril's 1986 joining of Henri Namphy
's interim military junta saw protest demonstrations, and he was forced to resign; but he quickly returned, and assisted Namphy in the June 1988 Haitian coup d'état
which overthrew Leslie Manigat
, who had been elected in military-controlled elections
and took office in February 1988.
, Avril overthrew his former ally Namphy, and served as President of Haiti from September 17, 1988 to March 10, 1990. He was accused by human rights organizations of committing serious crimes and numerous human rights violations. Amnesty International states; "Prosper Avril, who had been head of security under former President Jean Claude Duvalier, led Haiti following a military coup in 1988 until March 1990, a period marred by serious human rights violations."
Paul Farmer
later wrote that
In December 1994 the Haitian police attempted to arrest Avril at his home, but were thwarted by the appearance of US soldiers, who caused sufficient delay that Avril was able to escape. "Police searching Avril's house found military uniforms, illegal police radios and a cache of weapons." He was finally arrested in 2001, shortly after Jean-Bertrand Aristide
was elected President, for allegedly plotting against the state. Amnesty International
said his arrest could be step forward for Haitian justice, and called for Avril to be tried for the grave human rights violations committed under his Presidency. Avril was freed on 2 March 2004, a few days after Aristide was ousted in the 2004 Haitian rebellion.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an political figure who was President of Haiti
President of Haiti
The President of the Republic of Haiti is the head of state of Haiti. Executive power in Haiti is divided between the president and the government headed by the Prime Minister of Haiti...
from 1988 to 1990. A trusted member of François Duvalier
François Duvalier
François Duvalier was the President of Haiti from 1957 until his death in 1971. Duvalier first won acclaim in fighting diseases, earning him the nickname "Papa Doc" . He opposed a military coup d'état in 1950, and was elected President in 1957 on a populist and black nationalist platform...
's Presidential Guard and adviser to Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed "Bébé Doc" or "Baby Doc" was the President of Haiti from 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986. He succeeded his father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier, as the ruler of Haiti upon his father's death in 1971...
, Lt. Gen. Avril led the September 1988 Haitian coup d'état
September 1988 Haitian coup d'état
The September 1988 Haitian coup d'état took place on 17 September 1988, when a group of non-commissioned officers in the Haitian Presidential Guard overthrew General Henri Namphy, and brought General Prosper Avril to power...
against a transition military government installed after Jean-Claude Duvalier's 1986 overthrow. He was President until March 1990, in a period which according to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
was "marred by serious human rights violations". He was arrested in 2001, but released in March 2004 after the 2004 Haitian rebellion overthrew Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
.
Background
Avril was born in the small town of ThomazeauThomazeau
Thomazeau is a municipality in the Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement, in the Ouest Department of Haiti.It has 52,017 inhabitants....
, near Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince
Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....
.
Career
The academic source Webster University states regarding General Prosper Avril; "Avril joined the Presidential Guard in 1969 and Papa Doc nicknamed Avril the "intelligent Prosper Avril." In 1971 Avril profited from the shift of power from François to Jean-Claude DuvalierJean-Claude Duvalier
Jean-Claude Duvalier, nicknamed "Bébé Doc" or "Baby Doc" was the President of Haiti from 1971 until his overthrow by a popular uprising in 1986. He succeeded his father, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier, as the ruler of Haiti upon his father's death in 1971...
and from weapons procurement and other programs in the 70s (he was later offered asylum by the Israeli government) and was entrusted by the Duvaliers as their "bagman" with management of much of their overseas portfolio. He was "the only person other than the Duvaliers themselves with signature authority over their foreign accounts."
Avril was forced into retirement by Jean-Claude Duvalier in 1983, but reinstated and promoted to Colonel in 1986, in the face of the popular revolt which would ultimately see Duvalier overthrown. Avril's 1986 joining of Henri Namphy
Henri Namphy
Henri Namphy was a Haitian general and political figure. He served as President of Haiti's interim ruling body, the National Council of Government, from 7 February 1986 to 7 February 1988...
's interim military junta saw protest demonstrations, and he was forced to resign; but he quickly returned, and assisted Namphy in the June 1988 Haitian coup d'état
June 1988 Haitian coup d'état
The June 1988 Haitian coup d'état took place on 20 June 1988, when Henri Namphy overthrew Leslie Manigat. Manigat, who won the military-controlled Haitian presidential election, 1988, had taken office on 7 February....
which overthrew Leslie Manigat
Leslie Manigat
Leslie François Saint Roc Manigat was elected president of Haiti by a tightly controlled military held election in January 1988.-In education:...
, who had been elected in military-controlled elections
Haitian presidential election, 1988
General elections were held in Haiti on 17 January 1988, after the Haitian presidential election, 1987 had been cancelled due to an election day massacre of voters either orchestrated or condoned by the Haitian military. The elections were boycotted by most candidates who had contested the previous...
and took office in February 1988.
Presidency
In September 1988, a week after the St Jean Bosco massacreSt Jean Bosco massacre
The St Jean Bosco massacre took place in Haiti on 11 September 1988. At least 13 people were killed and around 80 wounded in a three-hour assault on the Saint-Jean Bosco church in Port-au-Prince, which saw the church burned down...
, Avril overthrew his former ally Namphy, and served as President of Haiti from September 17, 1988 to March 10, 1990. He was accused by human rights organizations of committing serious crimes and numerous human rights violations. Amnesty International states; "Prosper Avril, who had been head of security under former President Jean Claude Duvalier, led Haiti following a military coup in 1988 until March 1990, a period marred by serious human rights violations."
Paul Farmer
Paul Farmer
Dr. Paul Edward Farmer is an American anthropologist and physician. He is currently the Kolokotrones University Professor at Harvard University, formerly the Presley Professor of Medical Anthropology in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician and Chief...
later wrote that
"A US District Court found that his regime engaged in a ‘systematic pattern of egregious human rights abuses’. It also found him personally responsible for enough ‘torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment’ to award six of his victims a total of $41 million in compensation. The victims included opposition politicians, union leaders, scholars, even a doctor trying to practise community medicine. Avril's repression was not subtle: three torture victims were paraded on national television with their faces grotesquely swollen, their limbs bruised and their clothing covered with blood. He suspended 37 articles of the constitution, and declared a state of siege."
In December 1994 the Haitian police attempted to arrest Avril at his home, but were thwarted by the appearance of US soldiers, who caused sufficient delay that Avril was able to escape. "Police searching Avril's house found military uniforms, illegal police radios and a cache of weapons." He was finally arrested in 2001, shortly after Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
was elected President, for allegedly plotting against the state. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
said his arrest could be step forward for Haitian justice, and called for Avril to be tried for the grave human rights violations committed under his Presidency. Avril was freed on 2 March 2004, a few days after Aristide was ousted in the 2004 Haitian rebellion.