RECENTLY the Caribbean island nation of Haiti celebrated 200 years of Independence. In 1804 Haiti became only the second Independent nation in the Western Hemisphere. A slave colony of France, it required 13 years of bloody fighting between a slave army led by Haitian hero and leader Toussaint L'Ouverture and the French army before Napoleon's troops were driven from the Island.

But before Haiti's freedom was assured, Toussaint was betrayed and captured by the French in 1802. He died in exile, still a prisoner of the French, in 1803.

The end of the 18th century and the early years of the 19th century were the so-called Age of Revolution. France had overthrown its monarchy in 1789 and, following several years of chaos and bloodshed, the military genius Napoleon Bonaparte installed himself as Emperor of France ? and master of continental Europe.

Toussaint had mistakenly thought his Haitian Revolution would find common cause with Napoleon's French Revolution. But the French leader, conqueror of most of Europe, hated the idea that a black slave ragtag army had defeated highly trained French forces in what was at the time the most wealthy of Paris' colonies in the Caribbean.

Napoleon was determined to avenge this French dishonour and restore French control ? and slavery ? to the island.

However, his plans for a return of French rule to Haiti were to meet with dismal failure: Yellow-fever epidemics on the island and guerrilla as well as more formal forms of warfare defeated weary French troops. Toussaint also fought off half-hearted military interventions in Haiti by the British and the Spanish who, with slave colonies of their own in the Caribbean, considered that a successful slave revolt in Haiti would destabilise their own interests in the region.

The Haitian revolution ended up changing the course of world history. Napoleon, with French control of huge tracts of North America extending from what is now Canada to Louisiana in the south, envisaged creating a continent-spanning New World empire.

But his side-show in Haiti proved to be highly costly in terms of both men and money.

At one time the French leader committed a 55,000-man army to the effort to subdue the Haitian revolt and untold millions of francs.

New Orleans, where the French flag had long flown, had been intended to be the beachhead for Napoleon's excursions into North American hinterland. Instead, as a result of the losses Napoleon incurred in Haiti, the French were forced to liquidate the areas of North America it controlled, selling these vast territories to the United States of America in the sale that became known as the famous Louisiana Purchase (1803).

Given Haiti played such a pivotal role in world history at that time, what happened subsequently that resulted in Haiti becoming the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere? Its people continue to live in the depths of despair, unable to form stable governments that are able to come to grips with that nation's many pressing problems.

it must be remembered that at the time of its birth as an Independent nation Haiti was viewed as something of an aberration. The leading nations of the time, with their slave-holding interests and belief in colonial empires, could not accept the prospect of an Independent black country in the Western Hemisphere. Only the African countries of Ethiopia and the American-created enclave of Liberia ? settled by former slaves ? enjoyed some form of nominal Independence throughout the 19th century.

Haiti was forced to endure the cruellest form of isolations. Cut off from normal relations with the nations of the day, perhaps it was inevitable that a newly-minted country confronted with such a set of circumstances was bound to implode on itself.

Haiti would remain for many years an international pariah, its leaders forever preoccupied about being invaded by one of the Great Powers and slavery being re-imposed. That was the reason the Haitians built a massive fortress, La Citadelle, that commanded all approaches ? whether by land or sea ? to the capital city, Port-au-Prince.

For 100 years no white nation dared to think of imposing its control over Haiti. But in the early 20th century Haiti would assume a new strategic importance. Before the widespread use of aircraft, an area of Haiti called the Mole St. Nicolas ? which faces the eastern tip of Cuba on Haiti's north-western coast ? attracted considerable interest among those nations with economic, military and colonial interests in the region because this remote spit of land guarded the windward passage to the Caribbean.

In 1915 the Great Powers were already engaged in World War One and the still-neutral Americans ? concerned about threats to their own strategic interests ? landed a force of Marines near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. The ensuing American occupation of Haiti would last some 20 years during which the Americans assumed direct control over the country's politics and finances.

Both before and following the US occupation, Haiti has never had a real tradition of democratic rule. It has never enjoyed administrations that govern on behalf of the people. More often than not the country has been ruled by despots ? often acting at the behest of an outside power. In the 19th century France, Spain and Britain attempted to influence Haiti's internal affairs.

But ever since the Marines landed in Haiti in 1915, the United States has essentially exerted once-removed influence over the country's politics and Washington has been the patron of its rulers.

But the people have always resisted such foreign incursions into their affairs, manifesting a proud patriotic nationalism. They have no reason to trust any foreign power given that throughout the benighted country's history, foreign interlopers have never brought any long-term good to the people of Haiti.

Haiti's modern history continues to be tragic, an unfolding drama written in the blood of the innocent. Although nominally a Roman Catholic country, Haiti's real religion is voodoo. West African in origins, Hollywood perhaps is responsible for adding sinister connotations to this folk practice. But the reality is that voodoo has been consistently exploited by the worst of Haiti's dictators as a means of controlling the downtrodden people.

notorious Francois (Papa Doc) Duvalier and his infamous paramilitary terror police, the tontons macoute (the Creole word for "bogeymen"), adroitly employed the black magic aspects of voodoo to strike fear into the hearts of Haitians. The tontons macoutewith their trademark dark glasses, were intended to remind Haitians of the ? the living dead of voodoo legend.

Today Haiti is once again convulsed, with revolt breaking out in the streets of its cities.

Ironically, the country's present leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is a former Catholic priest and was once viewed as the saviour of the country's poor. But his police and military are shooting protesters down in the streets. There is talk that America may again send troops into Haiti to end his despotic rule. And there are real fears that continuing unrest in Haiti ? which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic ? will result in thousands of refugees attempting to flee the country in boats.

But Haiti does not need military intervention. It needs economic help and an administration that will uphold the interests of the people. America would be better advised not to use mailed-fist tactics in this Caribbean country but to offer the extended hand of friendship and help Haiti to create a truly democratic society.