Information AboutTonton Macoute |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT TONTON MACOUTE | |
| history of haiti | |
| irregular military | |
| law enforcement agencies of haiti | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
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The militia was created in 1959, modelled on the Italian fascist Blackshirts . The militia was renamed officially in 1971 the ''Milice de Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale'' (MVSN). It was notorious for its widespread and brutal oppression of political dissidents. ORIGIN OF NAME In Haiti, like other nations, at Christmas, good children are visited by ". DUVALIER Duvalier (better known as "Papa Doc") came to power in 1957, as a democratically-elected leader on a Populist platform. He had previously served as Minister of Health, and was noted due to his particular involvement in the fight against Typhus . After an attempted coup against him in 1958, Duvalier rewrote the Haitian constitution, making himself a Dictator . In 1959, he created the Tonton Macoute, which was granted automatic amnesty through his powers for any crime they committed. REPUTATION The ''Tonton macoutes'' were known for wearing dark glasses, wielding Machete s, and leaving their victims hanging in a public place as a warning to others. They cultivated the image of being Vodun demons or zombies. It is alleged that the death squad continues to operate in Haiti, through 2000. SEE ALSO |