| Conflict: | 2001 Haitian coup attempt |
| Date: | December 17, 2001 |
| Place: | Haiti |
| Result: | Coup attempt failed; government retains control
|
| Combatant1: | Government of Haiti |
| Combatant2: | Ex-soldiers |
| Commander1: | Jean-Bertrand Aristide |
| Commander2: | Guy Phillipe (allegedly) Lucien Gervais (allegedly) |
| Strength1: | Unknown |
| Strength2: | 30–80 gunmen |
| Casualties3: | 13 killed |
The 2001 Haitian coup attempt, involving around 30–80 armed gunmen part of the disbanded armed forces, was a foiled attempt at overthrowing President Jean Bertrand Aristide in Haiti. Following the coup attempt, partisans part of the ruling Fanmi Lavalas party and supporters of President Aristide reacted by engaging in widespread violence across the country, targeting opposition figures and journalists. The period of chaos was characterized by attacks, pillaging, and arson. Opposition parties accused the president of using the purported coup attempt as pretext to quell dissent. The violence against the press caused some 15 journalists to seek asylum abroad and as many as 40 to go into hiding. The coup attempt and ensuing chaos resulted in at least 13 deaths.[1]
At 3 am on December 17, 2001, local radio stations reported an attack on the National Palace, describing it as a commando-style assault. Three hours later, Jacques Maurice, a government spokesman, publicly announced an attempted coup, stating that 80 gunmen had infiltrated the National Palace. Maurice indicated the attackers were led by Guy Phillipe, a police commissioner in exile in the Dominican Republic. He also mentioned a simultaneous attack on the National Penitentiary before being rebuffed,[2] implicating Lucien Gervais, a former military figure, as another leader behind the coup. The local media provided continuous coverage, with journalists stationed at Champs de Mars Square reporting live.[3]
Jean Auriel, head of presidential security, informed the press the assailants had fled in pickup trucks, with elite police forces regaining control of the palace. By noon, Minister of Culture and Communication Guy Paul signaled the end of the coup attempt and urged the public to remain calm. In the afternoon, National Police spokesman Jean Dady Siméon confirmed the attempted coup involved about 30 assailants, reporting that the confrontation had left five dead, including two policemen, one assailant, and two civilians. At the time of the coup, President Aristide and his family were not present at the National Palace; instead, they were at their residence in suburban Tabarre located five kilometers away from the palace.[4] Ultimately, seven of the attackers were captured.[5]
At a press conference held by President Aristide following the coup attempt, he described it as a threat to democracy and praised the people's response in defending democracy, calling for peaceful mobilization to protect democracy. Following the press conference, the president delivered a "message of peace," praising the police and citizens for preventing the coup plotters from escaping and stressed the need for continued solidarity between the people and police.
Hours after the failed coup attempt, government supporters armed themselves with machetes and sticks, taking to the streets to harass members of the opposition, including figures from the Struggling People's Organization (OPL) and Democratic Convergence, as well as the media.[6] Local radio stations in the capital of Port-au-Prince were threatened with destruction and journalists faced violent reprisals while the homes of many opposition figures and offices were attacked, looted, and burned. The unrest spread into other cities:
Throughout the day, journalists were subjected to threats and acts of violence. Reporters and radio stations were also targeted.[7] As a result, many members of the press went into hiding for their own safety, with some even seeking refuge in foreign embassies. According to Reporters Without Borders, the systematic nature of the attacks suggests the deliberate targeting of the press by demonstrators, indicating a concerted effort to suppress freedom of the press and silence dissent. Journalists affected include:
Due to the grave threats of violence, multiple radio stations – Radio Quisqueya, Radio Metropole, Radio Vision 2000, Radio Signal FM, and Radio Caraïbes – were forced to halt broadcasts temporarily. Radio Caraïbes in particular halted its operations for days.
Initially, international observers condemned the coup attempt. Following the retaliatory attacks committed by government supporters however, reactions shifted to addressing the violence against opposition parties and media. The outpouring of reactions domestically and abroad is as follows:
In response the Minister of Culture and Communication Guy Paul expressed regret over the violence but justified it as the consequences of public outrage.
By December 18, everyday life in the capital had returned to normal. Shops and banks reopened, and the roadblocks that had been set up during the unrest were removed from the streets.