TIMELINE: Brief history of Haiti crisis
1492 - Christopher Columbus lands on and names the island Hispaniola. 1697 - Spain cedes western part to France. This becomes Haiti. 1804 - Haiti becomes independent. 1915 - U.S. invades following black-mulatto friction, which it thought endangered its property and investments in Haiti. 1934 - U.S. withdraws its troops but maintains fiscal control until 1947. 1956 - Voodoo physician Francios "Papa Doc" Duvalier seizes power in a military coup and is elected president a year later. 1964 - Duvalier declares himself president for life. 1971 - Duvalier dies and is replaced by his son Jean-Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc). 1986 - Duvalier forced into exile by uprising. Army chief Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy is named to oversee two-year transition to democracy. 1987 - Gunmen linked to Duvalier government and army halt elections, killing at least 34. 1988 Jan - Political scientist Leslie Manigat elected president in army-run elections, but overthrown by Namphy shortly afterwards. Sept - Namphy overthrown. Replaced by former Duvalier aide Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril. 1990 March - Avril resigns. Supreme Court Justice Ertha Trouillot sworn in as acting president. Dec - Populist priest Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide is landslide winner in presidential elections, Haiti's first democratic poll. 1991 Feb - Aristide inaugurated. Rene Preval becomes prime minister, promising to uproot corruption. Sept - Military ousts Aristide in bloody coup. 1993 June - U.N. imposes oil and arms embargo. July - Aristide and coup leader, Lt. Gen. Raoul Cedras, sign U.N.-brokered pact which calls for Aristide's return. But Cedras later refuses to step down and U.N. tightens sanctions. 1994 Sept - A multinational force arrives to restore democracy. Oct - Aristide returns as president. 1995 March - U.N. peacekeeping force replaces multinational troops. Dec - Preval, from Aristide's Lavalas party, elected president to succeed Aristide. 1997 Nov - U.N. peacekeeping force ends armed mission. 2000 May - Parliamentary and local elections held after numerous postponements. Nov - Aristide wins presidential election which is boycotted by main opposition parties because of dispute over parliamentary polls. Opposition proclaims provisional government with a "parallel president". 2001 Feb - Aristide succeeds Preval. Dec - Gunmen storm Haiti's National Palace in apparent coup attempt. 2004 Jan/Feb - Thousands march against Aristide. Gunmen seize the city of Gonaives. Armed revolt spreads across Haiti. U.S. sends Marines to protect its facilities. Dozens killed in escalating violence. Foreigners flee the country. Rebels warn of imminent attack on capital. Feb 29 - U.S. flies Aristide out of the country. Aristide later says he was kidnapped. Washington says he resigned. March - An interim government is appointed with former U.N. official Gerard Latortue as prime minister. June - U.N. stabilisation force replaces the U.S.-led multinational force that moved in when Aristide left. July - Donors pledge over $1 billion in aid. Sept - Tropical Storm Jeanne hits northern Haiti, killing around 3,000 people. 2005 June - U.N. force's mandate extended as gang violence continues to escalate. 2006 Jan - U.N. force commander commits suicide and two U.N. peacekeepers killed in gang violence. Since their arrival in 2004, 13 peacekeepers have died. Feb 7 - Elections to replace interim government. Feb 16 - Preval declared winner of presidential poll. |
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