Aid organizations demand French giant amount to Haiti

The Network Coordination Europa-Haiti Asks France to make amends to historical debt under his former colony.

The French King Karl X. had requested compensation of 150 million gold francs in return for the recognition of the independence in 1804 after a slave revolution in 1804. For their payment, the island state then had to take out loans from French banks, according to the network in a communication that was spread on Friday. It says: « Haiti got into a debt spiral that weakened the country for over a century, skimmed up a large part of its income and undermine its ability to build up, institutions and infrastructures that are essential for every independent nation. »

According to the Ransom Project of the « New York Times » If the 150 million gold francs, if they had been invested in the Haitian economy, would have generated an income of over 20 billion euros. « The loss that the Haitian economy suffered far exceeds the original amount of the ‘debt paid’. »

The network calls on France to recognize the illegality of the debts raised by Paris on April 17, 1825. France should repay the amounts paid by Haiti and, as a reparation for the lack of development, « which Haiti suffered due to these shameful debts », significantly increased its support. In addition, the organizations merging in the network also call up the EU and its Member States to « meet their colonial responsibility », and Haiti, which is currently sinking into a spiral of poverty and gang crime.

Coordination Europa-Haiti was founded in 2004 and consists of civil society organizations and platforms from six European countries.