13768: (Chamberlain) Haiti-Protests (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By MICHAEL NORTON

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Nov 22 (AP) -- Hundreds demonstrated outside the
National Palace on Friday, saying they stand behind President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide and against a rash of recent opposition protests.
   Since Nov. 14, tens of thousands of protesters have held seven
demonstrations calling for Aristide to step down and calling his government
corrupt and inefficient.
   "Aristide, stay your course!" they chanted in the peaceful
demonstration, in which they accused Haiti's opposition of trying to unseat
the elected government.
   On Friday, smoke billowed from flaming tire barricades in Port-au-Prince
as sporadic gunfire rang out and some people threw rocks at passing
vehicles. No one was reported seriously injured, but the disturbances
blocked buses and closed schools, businesses and government buildings.
   Many people stayed away from work, and traffic was light on the
capital's streets. There was no visible police presence in many parts of
the city.
   Some government supporters littered the ground with fliers accusing the
international community of plotting against Haiti's sovereignty.
   "We have tried to restrain our troops, but they are unable to refrain
from expressing their frustration at the way the opposition is blocking the
country," said Jonas Petit, acting head of Aristide's governing Lavalas
Family party.
   Petit said the opposition risks driving the country to a violent
confrontation.
   "We've risen to say no" to calls for Aristide's resignation, said Rene
Civil, a chief of grass-roots Aristide backers. He denied, however, that
his partisans were shooting and throwing rocks.
   The disturbances came days after tens of thousands protested in
Cap-Haitien, the second largest city, to call for an alternative to
Aristide's government. The demonstration on Sunday was the largest since
Aristide was elected to a second five-year term in November 2000.
   The government and opposition have been locked in a stalemate since May
2000 elections that observers said were flawed. The elections gave most
victories to governing party candidates.
   A dispute over the holding of new elections has held up hundreds of
millions of dollars in foreign aid, and poverty has since deepened in
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere's poorest country.