17816: (Chamberlain) Haiti hit by anti-government strike (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Amy Bracken

    PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Most banks, schools, gas
stations and large businesses in Haiti were closed on Friday on a second
day of a strike called to demand the ouster of President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide.
     A spokesman for the former priest once widely hailed as a hero of
democracy but now accused by critics of trampling on rights said a strike
was not indicative of public opinion in the poorest country of the
Americas, where 70 percent of people are unemployed.
     The stoppage, which did not affect state enterprises or small
businesses, came on the heels of escalating confrontations between Aristide
supporters and his foes.
     At least two people were killed on Wednesday before the strike in
clashes between armed Aristide backers and thousands of protesters in
Port-au-Prince. Washington on Friday condemned the authorities for allowing
"government-sponsored gangs" to rampage.
     Strike organizer Jean Henold Buteau, a doctor, said all 20 doctors in
his clinic were observing the strike, as were non-emergency physicians at
Port-au-Prince hospitals.
     "The strike is not 100 percent because small merchants cannot afford
to strike," he said. But he called the demonstration a success.
     Government spokesman Mario Dupuy condemned the strike and called for
dialogue.
     "This action represents a menace to the right to an education,
economic liberty of each citizen (and) the right to free movement of each
citizen," Dupuy said in a statement.
     Thousands of government opponents, led by students, businessmen and
civil associations, have been marching for the past several months,
accusing Aristide of corruption and human rights violations and calling for
his departure.
     They are frequently met by government supporters armed with guns or
machetes, or police. The authorities accuse the opposition of instigating
much of the violence.
     Aristide became Haiti's first democratically leader in 1991. Since
being reelected in 2000, he has been at odds with opponents over the
tainted results of parliamentary elections that year. The dispute has
prevented new parliamentary elections from taking place as required by the
constitution.
     On Sunday, the terms of most Haitian legislators will expire, and the
opposition has called a demonstration for that day to protest what some see
as an increase in the concentration of power in the president's hands.