Friday April 7, 2023 in Paris, as part of the 220th anniversary of the death of Toussaint Louverture, several personalities including French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, Pap Ndiaye, Minister of National Education, Isabelle Rome, Minister of Equality and Diversity, Roger Karoutchi, Vice-President of the Senate, Anne-Louise Mesadieu, Regional Councilor of Île-de-France and Jean Josué Pierre Dahomey, Ambassador of Haiti in France, laid a wreath near the inscription in honor of General Louverture, in the crypt of the Pantheon.

Friday evening, the majestic setting of the Pantheon gave a very solemn tone to the speeches delivered in tribute to Toussaint Louverture, precursor of the independence of the first black Republic in the world.

Dressed in period costume, internationally renowned Haitian actor Jimmy Jean-Louis, who played the role of Toussaint Louverture in the eponymous film, read a letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron

Referring to the dramatic and frightening situation in Haiti today against a background of indifference from the international community "[...] Today, in Haiti, everything is being done to destroy the roots of the tree of Liberty that Toussaint was talking about [...] The state has collapsed with all the international projects that have accompanied it for the last 40 years. Today, it is terrorist groups of unparalleled ferocity that are holding the country hostage [...] while a macabre ping-pong is being played out internationally around the fate of children, women and men of Haiti, raped, kidnapped and massacred in full view of the whole world daily for at least two years [...]"

Reminding President Macron "[...] France cannot forget the historical ties that unite our two countries and its responsibility in our tragedy, were it only for the ransom of Independence [estimated at more than 30 billion euros today's euros] which has burdened all the economic development of Haiti [...] I think like many of my compatriots, that France has a duty of concrete assistance to a people in danger of death [...]" urging Macron and his Government "[...] It is at this stage that we have to think about aid, of the Marshall Plan type, which is no longer alms but substantial and massive investments in infrastructure, health, education, justice, environment; which will create jobs. This is all that the hardworking people of Haiti are asking [...]" concluding "Let's act when there is still time in the case of Haiti, today."

In his speech Josué Dahomey, the Ambassador of Haiti in France, also evoked the Haitian cause and the urgency to act, launching an appeal for the solidarity of France "[...] I call the memory of Toussaint to witness Louverture to enjoin Republican France to a more active solidarity in favor of the Haitian cause. At this time, the Haitian cause is that of the protection and security of a dignified people, but prey to the blind violence of organized crime [...] My country is hostage to a long series of murderous circumstances. The leaden screed of insecurity that is befalling Haitian society today should not leave us indifferent. Let's ensure that this ordeal does not lead to the agony of this country, Haiti, which has seen all freedoms flourish [...]"

TB/ HaitiLibre