e slaves, especially the creoles. As is one of the major problems today with Caribbean unity, island solidarity was a factor preventing slaves from unifying to obtain more rights.The slaves themselves were not the only obstacle preventing wide spread revolution. The slave owners enacted many tactics to prevent revolution. One example, although it is under debate if this method was really used or effective, was slave owners tried to get slaves from different regions in Africa, so that they could not communicate or congregate because of ethnic clashes. Another example is the inhumane punishments handed out to revolution supporters. By severely punishing the rebels and parading their carcasses or limbs, the slave owners intimidated and instilled fear in the slaves. Historian Michael Craton gives examples of the types of torture and parading that went on. He writes that many revolting slaves were “tortured into making confessions”, and “ringleaders were publicly executed in barbaric fashion.” He continues, that some of the bodies of the rebels “were dismembered and left to rot in public places.” Thirdly, rewards were given to informers who warned the slave owners of planned uprisings. Many times the informers were captured rebels who informed to save their life or to stop torture. Unfortunately, many times there were slaves that simply informed their owner because of the increased food rations or other rewards they would get. In a few cases, they actually felt an obligation to their master. There were also tensions between the free coloured and the blacks preventing a unified effort against slavery and black oppression. This was especially prevalent in Haiti. One of the largerst obstacles to freedom in Haiti, were the free coloureds and some free blacks (known as the anciens libre). They were free and had land and turned their back on the slaves. Many of the coloured, under the leadership of Rigaud, ne...
