17652: Lemieux: BBC: Haiti opposition calls for strike (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: JD Lemieux <lxhaiti@yahoo.com>

 Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/3371903.stm

Published: 2004/01/06 12:11:16 GMT


Haiti opposition calls for strike

Opposition groups in Haiti have called strikes and protests
aimed at toppling President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
A coalition of civic groups and political parties said they
would hold a rally on Wednesday and a two-day general
strike on Thursday and Friday.

The announcement came as a Caribbean delegation arrived to
help mediate in Haiti's political crisis.

Last week, President Aristide pledged to hold elections
this year as Haiti marked 200 years of independence.

However, the opposition has refused to take part in new
parliamentary elections unless the president resigns.

"Our principle is everyone together to save the nation,"
said one opposition leader, Charles Henry Baker, a local
businessman.

Bitter dispute

Haiti became the world's first black republic and the first
country in the western hemisphere to abolish slavery after
French rule ended in 1804.

But last week's anniversary celebrations were marred by
clashes between supporters and opponents of President
Aristide.

Mr Aristide has been locked in stalemate with the
opposition since 2000, when he returned to power in a
landslide election which his opponents say were rigged.

Despite opposition demands that he step down, Mr Astride
has vowed to serve out his term, which ends in 2006.


The 15-member Caribbean Community or Caricom, to which
Haiti has belonged since 2002, is attempting to mediate in
the bitter political dispute.
A team of four Caricom representatives arrived on Monday
for a three-day fact-finding trip.

The team is hoping to pave the way for a meeting between
the two sides later this month, possibly in Jamaica.

The mission has the backing of United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan, who pledged to work with Caricom to
resolve the Haitian crisis.

However, the team's arrival coincided with the opposition's
latest call for strike action.

Turbulent history

Caricom said its decision to send the team followed reports
of "a deteriorating political situation in Haiti, resulting
in widespread incidents of violence and loss of life".

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

For decades, Haiti's pride has been dented by 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 is now 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.




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