Dieuseul Prédélus, Rector of the State University of Haiti (UEH) and President of the Haitian National Committee for Restitution and Reparation (CNHRR), participated in a conference held at the Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris on the theme "Haiti-France, 1825-2025 : Post-Colonial Indemnities, Assessment and Prospects".

At the outset, Prédélus, addressing academics, students, members of the Haitian diaspora, and distinguished guests, made a deeply symbolic statement on the issue of the "double debt" imposed on Haiti in 1825 and advocated for an act of historical justice based on restitution and reparation.

"It is with profound emotion that I stand today in this prestigious hall of the Sorbonne [...] to deliver to you a message that has resonated for two centuries in the hearts of the Haitian people. A message of justice and restitution, of dignity and historical reparation."

Returning to the historical facts, Dieuseul Prédélus recalled that, under the threat of French gunboats, Haiti was forced to pay a colossal indemnity to the former colonizers. "A people who had won their freedom at the cost of their blood had to pay to avoid being returned to slavery," he stated, denouncing the "moral absurdity" of this transaction.

This debt, contracted with French banks at what he described as "usurious" interest rates, "trapped Haiti in a spiral of debt for over a century," permanently hindering its development.

At the heart of his address, the President of the CNHRR clarified that Haiti's demand was neither charity nor revenge : "The restitution we are demanding is not a favor; it is an act of basic justice."

Drawing on contemporary international law and the United Nations principles relating to crimes against humanity, he recalled that transatlantic slavery constitutes the very foundation of the 1825 debt. "How can one demand that a people pay for their liberation from a crime against humanity ?" he asked, citing estimates placing the present value of this debt between 21 and 115 billion US dollars.

He also welcomed the evolution of the debate in France, recognizing the emergence of "a new generation of French people" ready to confront historical truth, citing in particular the creation of a joint commission of Franco-Haitian historians and the resolution of the French National Assembly of June 5, 2025, inviting the government to consider avenues for restitution. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44717-haiti-price-of-independence-macron-takes-a-small-step-toward-recognizing-a-moral-debt-statement.html

"The CNHRR has not remained passive, but intends to take up this fight head-on," stated Prédélus, who detailed the roadmap adopted for 2026. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46237-haiti-justice-2026-roadmap-of-the-haitian-national-committee-for-restitution-and-reparation.html

The President of the National Committee for Restitution and Reparation (CNHRR) issued a passionate appeal for unity, emphasizing that this struggle transcends internal divisions : "This struggle transcends political, regional, social, and generational divides. All Haitians have inherited the consequences of this dispossession." He also addressed a specific message to the diaspora, urging them to play an active role in international mobilization : "The union between Haiti and its diaspora multiplies our ability to make our legitimate cause heard."

For Rector Prédélus, restitution and reparation are not about settling scores with the past, but an opportunity to build a more just future : "For Haiti, it is a matter of regained dignity and finally making development possible." For the international community, this is an opportunity to redress this injustice.

His remarks concluded with a solemn appeal for solidarity and mobilization around a cause that, in his words, "touches upon the very idea of ​​historical justice and human dignity."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44717-haiti-price-of-independence-macron-takes-a-small-step-toward-recognizing-a-moral-debt-statement.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-46237-haiti-justice-2026-roadmap-of-the-haitian-national-committee-for-restitution-and-reparation.html

HL/ HaitiLibre