The first time Haiti had free and fair democratic elections was 1990, when I was elected. Jean-Bertrand Aristide More Quotes by Jean-Bertrand Aristide More Quotes From Jean-Bertrand Aristide We must all make peace so that we can all live in peace. Jean-Bertrand Aristide making-peace The spirit of Ubuntu, that once led Haiti to emerge as the first independent black nation in 1804, helped Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador attain liberty, and inspired our forefathers to shed their blood for the United States' independence, cannot die. Today, this spirit of solidarity must and will empower all of us to rebuild Haiti. Jean-Bertrand Aristide independent ubuntu blood If one suffers we all suffer. Togetherness is strength. Courage. Jean-Bertrand Aristide courage-strength togetherness suffering The structure of apartheid is still rooted in the Haitian society. When you have apartheid, you don't see those behind the walls. That is the reality of Haiti. Jean-Bertrand Aristide haiti wall reality When you care about human beings, you do your best to not repress and to not let people to repress and to not arm people to repress. Jean-Bertrand Aristide arms care people Of course, learning is strengthened and solidified when it occurs in a safe, secure and normal environment. Jean-Bertrand Aristide environment normal safe Haiti, Haiti, the further I am from you, the less I breathe. Haiti, I love you, and I will love you always. Always. Jean-Bertrand Aristide haiti i-love-you breathe As far as we are concerned, we are ready to leave today, tomorrow, at any time, to join the people of Haiti, to share in their suffering, help rebuild the country, moving from misery to poverty with dignity. Jean-Bertrand Aristide country people moving Love is the air that I breathe, like oxygen. When I lack it, I feel atrophied, asphyxiated. When I have it, I feel I am growing. And so this growth is linked to others, or to a collective other. If I realize that I do not love you, my faith diminishes, and I breathe less and less of the oxygen of life. When I feel linked to you, in communion with you, there is a current of love that passes between us, and the intensity can multiply. And the more this love grows, the more the faith becomes luminous, the more I feel linked to the collective other. I am speaking of God. Jean-Bertrand Aristide oxygen air love Chopped down the tree of peace, but it will grow again. Jean-Bertrand Aristide grows tree I am confident that I can serve my country without being involved as the president of the country now. Jean-Bertrand Aristide involved president country I will work to bring peace to everyone - whatever economic level - as long as you are Haitian. Jean-Bertrand Aristide economic levels long Pa gen lape nan tet, si pa gen lape nan vant (there is no peace in the head if there is no peace in the stomach). Jean-Bertrand Aristide stomach nans ifs Peace in the head, peace in the stomach. Jean-Bertrand Aristide stomach When we say democracy we have to mean what we say. Jean-Bertrand Aristide democracy mean I am still the only elected president of the country. Jean-Bertrand Aristide stills president country Thirty-two coups d'etat are enough. Jean-Bertrand Aristide thirty enough two Sometimes people who want to understand Haiti from a political perspective may be missing part of the picture. They also need to look at Haiti from a psychological perspective. Jean-Bertrand Aristide perspective political people The future of Haiti must be linked to the respect of the rights of every single citizen. Jean-Bertrand Aristide haiti citizens rights As we all know, many people remain buried under tons of rubble and debris, waiting to be rescued. When we think of their suffering, we feel deeply and profoundly that we should be there, in Haiti, with them, trying our best to prevent death. Jean-Bertrand Aristide waiting people thinking
