Reel by Echos of the past

Echos of the past@past_essence

Download today available on AppStore and Playstore for free. This photograph was taken in the chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Haitian rebellion that forced President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power. The image won recognition in the 2005 World Press Photo contest and was captioned by Reuters photographer Daniel Aguilar as showing “a Haitian suspected of being a multiple assassin for President Aristide’s Lavalas party” being held captive by a vigilante in the town of Petit-Goâve or March 3, 2004, three days after Aristide’s departure. According to the contemporaneous caption, local armed citizens accused the man of belonging to the pro-Aristide militant groups commonly known as chimères, which opponents blamed for intimidation, political violence, and killings during the final years of Aristide’s rule. The broader context was a period of state collapse and vigilante justice. In February and March 2004, rebel forces seized large parts of Haiti, Aristide left the country, and security institutions largely ceased functioning. Across many towns, suspected regime loyalists, gang members, and political opponents were detained or attacked by armed civilians and rival factions. The Reuters/World Press Photo caption states that after his capture, the suspect was stoned and burned alive by the crowd-an example of the extrajudicial violence that accompanied the transition of power. #history #haiti #testosterone