17597: Lemieux: News24.com/AP: Marches Increase (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

Haiti: Marches increase
26/12/2003 21:51  - (SA)



Port-Au-Prince, Haiti - Hundreds turned out for the latest
protest against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's
government on Friday as the country prepared for its
bicentennial celebrations.

Organised by university students the day after Christmas -
what is normally a quiet day in the Caribbean country - the
march drew both workers and unemployed. Most of Haiti's 8
million are jobless.

"I'm tired of the misery," said Pierre Donique, 20, who is
unemployed and sharing a small apartment with his 11 family
members. "When Aristide goes I don't know what will happen,
but it has to be better than this."

The Caribbean nation has been in turmoil since Aristide's
Lavalas Family party swept 2000 elections, which some
observers said were flawed. Since mid-September, at least
31 people have been killed during anti-government
demonstrations and scores have been injured.

Aristide supporters allegedly opened fire on Monday on
anti-government protesters in the town of Gonaives, killing
eight.

The rising tensions and protests have come as the
government prepares for celebrations marking Haiti's 200th
anniversary of independence from slave-holding France on
January 1.

Government supporters say the steady protests are meant to
spoil government-sanctioned festivities.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, who comes from the
world's youngest black republic, was scheduled to attend
the bicentennial. Haiti is the world oldest black republic.


Wladimir Gassant, a Haitian who graduated from the
University of Miami, said he moved back to Haiti in 2001
with hopes of rebuilding the country alongside Aristide's
government.

"But Aristide fooled me and everybody," said Gassant, 32, a
high school math teacher in Port-Au-Prince. "We have people
starving while he buys sport utility vehicles for US$80 000
a piece."

Aristide, Haiti's first freely elected leader, was deposed
in a 1991 military coup and restored in a 1994 US invasion.
He stepped down in 1996 due to a term limit and was
re-elected in 2000.

He has refused opposition calls to step down, saying he
will serve out his term until 2006.









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