17611: Lemieux: BBC News: Haiti marks landmark date (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

 BBC News  0/1/04

Haiti marks landmark date

(Port-au-Prince)The Caribbean state of Haiti is marking the
200th anniversary of its independence from France.
It became the world's first black republic and the first
country in the western hemisphere to abolish slavery.

But the celebrations are being boycotted by the opposition
after months of clashes between supporters and opponents of
the president.

The opposition have also criticised a decision by South
African President, Thabo Mbeki to attend.

In a speech to mark the anniversary, Haiti's President Jean
Bertrand Aristide pledged to help the poor benefit from the
country's independence.

He said Haiti could be strong if her people were united.

Mr Mbeki said Haiti's independence should be celebrated
because it had dealt a deadly blow to the slave trade.

The country declared independence from France after a
successful slave rebellion.

Poverty and dictatorship

But fresh clashes marred the celebrations, with both
supporters and opponents of Mr Aristide holding
demonstrations.


More than 20 people have been killed in various
anti-government protests since September 2003.

For decades, Haiti's pride has been dented with poverty and
dictatorship which have left it the poorest country in the
Americas.

The US encouraged the leadership of President Aristide 10
years ago, but now the State Department is concerned that
he may not have enough control of the provincial cities
where most of the recent clashes have taken place.

During its 200 years of independence, Haiti has had 53
different leaders.

Twenty-one of them were overthrown and just eight survived
a full term in power.

The present crisis in Haiti still reflects a country in
turmoil.

In 2000 the Haitian leader claimed victory in a general
election, but it was disputed on the basis the vote was
unfair and undemocratic.


Story from BBC NEWS


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