Invite a dictator to tea - Work in progress

1985. My mother told me once that I was born under Jean-Claude. I had never thought to place myself in Haitian history quite this way before. Luckily, he went into exile five months after my birth and I never had to live with the same fear that plagued my parents and their parents before them. 

The departure of Duvalier did not mean the end of violence and oppression in Haiti. Since then we've feared for other reasons and happenings, but it still meant the end of an era and the birth of a time of free speech. A time when journalists, writers, musicians could write and sing freely without fearing consequences so much, when victims could say that they were victims and point the oppressor. 

Of the dictatorship itself, what I was left with, was the stories from my parents and my parents parents. Although none of my family lost their lives, there are still tales of children's mandatory witnessing of public executions, tales of whole families disappearing or with luck gone into exile, of Tonton macoutes* and fiyèt lalos**. I read books, saw old worn pictures. And while I knew that Jean-Claude Duvalier was alive somewhere in France living the good life with his wife and kid, never had I imagined that one day  he would come back through the big door tankou se nan jaden papa l ***. 

Never had I imagined that he would have access to a diplomatic passport and a government car and government appointed bodyguards. Never had I imagined that he could have founded a new political party, the Party for National Unity - PUN (hmm).

What a surprise to see how much support he got, from people reminiscing about the good old days and other opportunistic souls. The most shocking though was to see how many young people were happy about that return and the possibility of a Duvalier back in Power. Where are their parents and their parents parents? Where were their books and their old worn pictures? 

I feel like I see Duvalier often enough on T.V now or in the newspapers. After the public outcry from the beginning, the situation has normalized. People still protest, but quietly, inside. Around the same time period, Aristide came back too, from South Africa. Same old, same old. Nothing much to see. Situation Normal: All Fucked Up! 

And because I am one of those silent protestors.

I felt like inviting a dictator to tea.

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While preparing my tea set I found this image  and discovered Christa Maiwald works completely by accident. Look it up.

*    François Duvalier's militia

**   Female  Macoutes

*** Like he was walking in his daddy's backyard

En français:

1985.  Comme ma mère me l’a souligné un jour au détour d’une conversation, je suis née sous Jean-Claude.

Fort heureusement, 5 mois plus tard il prenait l’exil avec femme et enfants. De la dictature je ne garde que les histoires que m’ont racontées mes parents et leurs parents. Des histoires d’écoliers assistants aux exécutions publiques, de familles entières disparaissant sans bruit, de tontons macoutes et de fiyèt lalo. Des histoires lues dans des livres-témoignages, devinées dans de vieilles photos jaunies.

La fin de la dictature n’a pas signifié l’arrêt  de la violence, de l’oppression et de la peur en Haïti, parce qu’il y a toujours de nouvelles raisons d’avoir peur. Mais le départ de Duvalier a marqué le début d’une ère de libre-parole et les journalistes, écrivains, musiciens peuvent écrire et chanter librement sans craindre autant la répression venue d’en-haut. Une ère durant laquelle les victimes peuvent s’identifier et pointer du droit leurs bourreaux.

Je savais bien que Jean-Claude Duvalier vivait la dolce Vita en France , mais jamais je n’aurai imginé un jour  le voir revenir au pays comme l’enfant prodigue, acceuilli à l’aéroport et conduit à son hôtel par une foule bigarrée. Jamais je n’aurais imaginé qu’il aurait accès à un passeport diplomatique, un véhicule blindé et une sécurité rapprochée courtoisie du gouvernement haïtien. Quelle ne fut pas ma surpise de constater tout le support qu’il continue de recevoir de gargoteurs  nostalgiques et autres opportunistes bien pensants. De nombreux jeunes aussi sont de la partie. Où sont passés leurs livres ? leurs histoires ? leurs parents et grand-parents ?

J’e n'entend pas assez parler de Duvalier ces derniers temps. Après le tollé des remiers jours, la situation s’est normalisée, les gens protestent en silence. Même Titid est tranquillement rentré d’Afrique du sud.  Plus on est de fous…

...plus on rit  et comme je fais partie de ceux qui protestent en silence,

J’invite les dictateurs à boire le thé.