1986, February 7, 8 A.M.: (Après Nous, C’est Nous: Namphy’s Proclamation from the Palace, the CNG Introduced — Three Army Men, an Engineer, a Lawyer, and Avr…

1986, February 7, 8 A.M.: (Après Nous, C’est Nous: Namphy’s Proclamation from the Palace, the CNG Introduced — Three Army Men, an Engineer, a Lawyer, and Avril Almost Whispered, the Black-and-Red Flag Raised While the Musiciens du Palais National Play La Dessalinienne, Order Number One Is Superfluous, and I Have Already Had My Cocktail): The videotaped abdication aired at eight on Télé-Haïti was immediately followed by a live broadcast from the palace. A spokesman stepped to a lectern and intoned: Proclamation of the day — National Council of Government, Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy. Backing away, he bowed to the khaki-clad general to his right; the general and five others rose from their chairs and Namphy strode forward: for many months our country has known an exceptionally grave situation — in all the provinces, popular demonstrations have claimed innocent victims, the specter of civil war is raised — the Haitian Army reiterates that now more than ever it has no political ambitions and remains at the service of the country. The bulldog-faced general folded his paper and introduced Haiti to its new rulers: Henri Namphy, president of the Council; Colonel Williams Regala; Colonel Max Vallès; Engineer Alix Cinéas; Maître Gérard Gourgue; Colonel Prosper Avril, Counselor. Namphy’s verbal cues were telling — when introducing Cinéas he started to give him Haitian Army rank, only to stop mid-sentence; Avril’s name and title were almost whispered in a tone that seemed to say oh, by the way. The CNG members trooped out to the front steps to raise the colors — still black and red — while the musiciens du palais national played the national anthem. As the stirring tones of La Dessalinienne ended, an off-screen announcer gave order number one: all schools, businesses, and government offices were to be closed that day. On the streets, with crowds dancing and car horns honking, it was obvious that order number one was superfluous — I have already had my cocktail, one smiling Haitian announced to a reporter. Long used to reading between the lines, Haitians and foreigners began to remark that for a government of national liberation, the CNG was oddly composed — three of the five members were army.