The Group of 184 was a group of

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

an individuals and organizations in a variety of sectors, ranging from business and the economy to media and education, that was united in opposition to

Jean-Bertrand Aristide Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian former Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in ...

and his

Fanmi Lavalas Fanmi Lavalas ( en, Lavalas Family, Lavalas is Haitian Creole for ''flood''), is a social-democratic political party in Haiti. Its leader is former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It has been a powerful force in Haitian politics since 1 ...

party. The name derives from the number of organizations in the group, and is frequently shortened to G184. It was formed specifically to oppose Aristide's government and was led by

André Apaid André Apaid, Jr. is a businessman in Haiti known for leading the Group of 184, a coalition which forced Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power in 2004 through a coup d'état in collaboration with the United States. According to Guy Philippe Guy Phi ...

, a Haitian businessman.Sanders, Richard
The G184’s Powerbrokers — Apaid and Boulos: Owners of the Fourth Estate; Leaders of the Fifth Column
''Press for Conversion''. Sept 2007. Issue #61. Retrieved Feb 6, 2011.

Origins

The

Haiti Democracy Project Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and s ...

(HDP) is a Washington, D.C. based

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

think tank created by Haitian-Americans to create a "more proactive and effective U.S. policy toward Haiti." It viewed Aristide's government as corrupt and ineffective. This view led to allegations that the HDP created G184, which have been refuted by the HDP director, James R. Morrell. It has also been alleged repeatedly that G184 was formed by the U.S.

International Republican Institute The International Republican Institute (IRI) is an American nonprofit organization. Most of its board is drawn from the Republican Party. It is committed to advancing freedom and democracy worldwide by helping political parties to become more iss ...

to engineer an anti-Aristide coup.

Associated groups

All members of Haiti's

Initiative de la Societe Civile In political science, an initiative (also known as a popular initiative or citizens' initiative) is a means by which a petition signed by a certain number of registered voters can force a government to choose either to enact a law or hold a pu ...

(ISC) group are members of the Group of 184. The

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

worked with the ISC from 2001 to 2003 on a Human Rights and Democracy project, and donated 773,000 Euros annually during that period. The EC donation was dispersed among ISC-designated "human rights groups" in Haiti. Of the 14 groups that received grants, 7 were members of G184.

Actions

*2002 ** December - creation of G184, allegedly by HDP.Kevin Pina
"The Bush Administration's Endgame for Haiti, Part Three"
December 14, 2003. *2003 ** January 23 - Port-au-Prince - G184 calls a general strike; however, only upper and middle class businesses participate in the strike. ** November 14 - Port-au-Prince - G184 led an anti-Aristide demonstration outside the national palace but were outnumbered by Aristide supporters. Tear gas was used by Haitian police to disperse the groups, and two G184 members were arrested for weapons possession. The actions of the Haitian police caused the event to be portrayed internationally as evidence of Aristide's tyrannical rule. ** December 11 - Port-au-Prince - G184 and the Democratic Convergence opposition front led a march to the capital. Aristide supporters feared a coup attempt and gathered at the palace. The marchers did try to break through the palace barriers but were repulsed by teargas. This was also viewed in the US as repression of the right to protest in Haiti, and on December 12 the US Embassy withdrew from Haiti. *2004 ** January 16 - Port-au-Prince - G184 led a demonstration outside the UN headquarters, urging the UN to increase security measures in the capital. ** February 29 - Port-au-Prince -

coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...

removed Aristide from power in Haiti, accomplishing G184's primary objective. *2005 ** July 6 - Port-au-Prince - due to continued G184 pressure on the UN to increase its police actions, a raid is carried out on the neighborhood of

Cité Soleil Cité Soleil ( ht, Site Solèy; English: ) is an extremely impoverished and densely populated commune located in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area in Haiti. Cité Soleil originally developed as a shanty town and grew to an estimated 200,000 t ...

in which 23 civilians were killed.

References

{{reflist

External links

*U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Resource Information Center. Subject
Haiti: Information on Members of the Group of 184
February 13, 2004. Politics of Haiti