26868: (news) Chamberlain: Haiti students hurt in anti-Dominican protest (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     By Joseph Guyler Delva

     PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Several people were injured
on Monday when riot police in Haiti clashed with students protesting a
visit by the president of neighboring Dominican Republic, witnesses said.
     The demonstrators, who gathered outside the presidential palace,
called Dominican President Leonel Fernandez a criminal and demanded an end
to abuse of Haitian migrants.
     "You are not welcome! Go back home!," chanted the crowd of students,
who also burned tires.
     "The Haitian people cannot welcome Fernandez when Haitians are being
killed and treated like animals in the Dominican Republic because of
Fernandez's racist policy," said Jean Wilson Junior, a student leader.
     Human rights groups say Haitians who cross the border to the more
affluent Dominican Republic looking for work have been attacked and killed
by Dominican mobs and that Dominican authorities condone the behavior.
     Witnesses said several protesters were injured, including two who were
shot. They said police also hit the rock-throwing students with batons.
     Thousands of Haitians have been arrested, detained or returned to
Haiti from the Dominican Republic. The two countries share the Caribbean
island of Hispaniola.
     Fernandez acknowledged Haitians had been the victims of "extremists"
and promised his government would do all it could to end the abuses.
     "We have publicly expressed in the Dominican Republic that we deplore
that situation. We have said that in a civilized country only the justice
system has the authority to judge and punish crimes that are committed,"
said Fernandez as he stood next to Haitian President Boniface Alexandre at
the palace.