A broad group of Haitian organizations sent an open letter to French President Emmanuel Macron, demanding full restitution of the independence debt imposed on Haiti by France in 1825.

Port-au-Prince.- The signatories described the act as a compounded historical injustice and called on France to confront its colonial past by repairing this centuries-old wrong.

They asked Paris to respect its stated principles of universal human rights by paying the debt it extorted from Haiti.

Haitian organizations and their international allies in this cause recalled that in 1825, under threat of military invasion, Haiti was forced to pay 150 million gold francs (later reduced to 90 million) to compensate former slave owners.

This embezzlement resulted in a crushing debt that hampered Haiti’s development for several generations.

Hence, its effects, translated into poverty, dependence on foreign aid, fragile infrastructure, and the Caribbean country’s climate vulnerability, are notable.

On the bicentennial of the extortion, France’s persistent silence is a denial of justice, the open letter published by the RHI News website notes.

Restitution could break the cycle of poverty and allow for crucial investments in the country, as Haiti paid twice for its freedom, the letter concludes. (PL)