UCDP

General information

Part of Conflict: Haiti: Government

Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 2004-09-28
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: The OP Lavalas required that the current government stepped down and that Aristide return to power.

Date of first use of armed force: 2004-09-29
Comment on date of first use of armed force: Supporters of the departed president and his Famni Lavalas party launched “Operation Baghdad” on 29 September, the day before the anniversary of the coup that overthrew Aristide in 1991. The rebellions, inspired by tactics used by Iraqi insurgents, demanded that the interim government step down and that Aristide return to power.
First Battle Related Death: 2004-08-31
Comment on First Battle Related Death: One policeman was killed in the capital, on the 13th anniversary of a military coup against Aristide, by supporters of ousted President Aristide

At least a dozen people were reported killed when armed demonstrators attacked police partols between 29 September and 2 October.

Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2004-10-26
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: "Operation Bhagdad" had resulted in the killing of at least 45 people, including several policemen, in the six days of violence which started on 29 September.

Conflict issues

Conflict Goal Issues: Organisation Populaires Lavalas, Popular Organisations Lavalas, (OP Lavalas) was a rebel group comprised of several smaller groups and street gangs which supported previous Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and fought for his reinstatement after his ousting in the 2004 coup. OP Lavalas is effectively an umbrella term which is used to describe militant groups in Haiti who claimed to fight for the Fanmi Lavalas party, although a smaller level of cohesion and organization did exist. The group emerged in 2004, during which it stated several conflict goal issues. OP Lavalas stated its intentions to oust the government of President Boniface Alexandre and Prime Minister Gérard Latortue and place ex-President Aristide back on the throne. The group also called for “the return of democracy and peace in the country” and for constitutional order to be reinstated. OP Lavalas also called for economic and electoral reforms to reduce the living costs and to promote democratic integrity, also calling for elections to be held in the near future through the establishment of a Provisional Electoral Council. Finally, OP Lavalas called for reforms to the police forces and the disbandment and disarmament of illegal armed groups and paramilitaries in the country.

Whilst the conflict was only coded as active by the UCDP during 2004, OP Lavalas restated many conflict goal issues in 2005 as well. During 2005, the group reemphasized the need for Haiti to return to its constitution, called for the ousting of President Alexandre, and restated its intentions to reestablish Haitian democracy through electoral reform and facilitating elections. OP Lavalas also introduced two new issues in 2005, calling for freedom of the media and for Haitian law to be respected.

The main conflict goal issues of OP Lavalas were the ousting of President Alexandre and the reinstatement of Jean-Bertand Aristide to power as well as for electoral reform to promote Haitian democracy in line with the constitution. These issues were raised by the group in both 2004 and 2005 and heavily emphasized as central to the group’s existence.

Conflict Dynamics Issues: OP Lavalas raised several conflict dynamics issues in 2004, calling for the removal of foreign influence and forces, accusing the US and French government of organizing the coup that ousted Aristide and called for the removal of US and UN forces in the country. The group also accused government forces of massacring its members on two occasions, both during and before the conflict, and called for international organizations, particularly the UN secretary-general, to investigate these instances. OP Lavalas also accused the government of military misconduct through “Operation Baghdad”, which was a military campaign carried out by the government against rebel groups in the country, called for political prisoners to be released, and for international organizations to facilitate negotiations with the government.

In 2005, accusations of atrocities were stated again, as government forces had allegedly murdered demobilized soldiers, policemen, and citizens. OP Lavalas also reemphasized its calls for foreign influence to be removed and for prisoners to be released during this year. Whilst these issues were stated with a level of continuity, they were not as heavily emphasized as its conflict goal issues, which is why they are not considered central to the group.

Conflict Resolution Issues: In 2004, OP Lavalas stated several conflict resolution issues, calling for national dialogue to be promoted and for negotiations to be held with the government under international supervision which would also include a general amnesty for the group’s members. The group also called for investigations to be carried out into a massacre that occurred in 2001. As no issues were stated with continuity, no central conflict resolution issue was interpreted for OP Lavalas.

Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Constitutional issues, CPS: Democracy, Disband para-military forces, Economic reforms, Electoral reform, Freedom of expression, Hold elections, Oust full executive, Oust head of the executive, Restructure police forces, Rule of law

Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, DFI: Removal of foreign influence, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, IFI: Foreign mediator, IFI: International court/tribunal/investigation, Military conduct, Release of prisoners

Conflict Resolution Issues: Accountability/prosecution/investigation, Amnesties, National dialogue, Structure of negotiations

Annual information

This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.