Macron acknowledges France's financial 'ransom' on Haiti after independence

On the 200th anniversary of Haiti's official independence, French President Emmanuel Macron

says the ransom France demanded after Haiti won its freedom was wrong. His comment comes as calls

for France to pay reparations grow louder. April 17th, 1825, that's the day France officially

recognized Haiti's freedom from French colonial rule and years of slavery. But that freedom came

at a cost, a hefty debt of 150 million gold francs demanded by France in exchange for

recognizing Haiti's independence. Haiti won its independence in 1804 after the Haitian Revolution

but critics say France, unwilling to accept defeat, waited nearly 20 years to rewrite the

narrative on their own terms. The Caribbean nation was forced to pay compensation for France's loss

of its colony and enslaved labor force. Years later, the debt was reduced to $90 million

a burden Haiti carried until 1947. Macron has launched a joint commission with Haiti to explore

the two nations' shared history, but he's stopped short of promising reparations, even as some

experts argue that these centuries debt shaped Haiti struggles to this day Historians say to pay France Haiti took out large loans from French banks creating a double debt that left the nation in long poverty Contributing to the unrest

Haiti faces today, with violence surging in the capital where gangs now control 85 percent of the

city, forcing families to flee and leaving many without access to food or essential supplies

The Haiti Action Committee says true repair starts from within, that healing the nation

requires more than just financial reimbursement. It calls for a deeper commitment to restore a

country that has endured generations of loss. Caribbean Community CARICOM is also pushing

France to pay reparations through a 10-point plan. The political union found France and other

European nations justified African enslavement and the genocide of native peoples as part of

their national interests. When enslavement ended, they denied compensation to the freed individuals

Instead, they compensated slave owners for the loss of their property and enslaved people

According to Macron, the commission will create proposals for both governments to

create a peaceful future that benefits France and Haiti. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kayleigh Carey

For more fact-based, unbiased coverage, download the Straight Arrow News mobile app today