Friday, March 2, 2012

Thousands of pro-Lavalas demonstrators in the streets of Port-au-Prince to mark the 8th anniversary of the forced departure of President Aristide

By: Agence Haitienne de Presse - Translation by Haiti Analysis
News February 29, 2012
     Port-au-Prince, February 29, 2012 - (AHP) - A large pro-Aristide demonstration was held Wednesday in Port-au-Prince called by several organizations close to the Lavalas political organization whose former president and national representative returned from exile nearly a year ago (18 March 2011). 
     The event began at the ruins of the Church of Saint John Bosco, the former parish of Father Aristide, and in a warm atmosphere skirted through several streets and neighborhoods of the metropolitan area of ​​the capital before arriving at the Haitian parliament.


The event organized under the eighth anniversary of the second coup against Aristide, was attended by around ten thousand Lavalas supporters to renew their "full support" to the former president who promised never to betray him because "our blood is the blood of Aristide."


They also used the event to demand that the current Head of State, Joseph Michel Martelly, work with the Senate Committee of Inquiry on the nationality of members of the executive.


"We do not want motorcycles, we prefer you give the passport, they sang among others, during the event.


The demonstrators also attacked the authorities they accuse of wanting to sue "their leader Aristide." This information, quickly denied by the Ministry of Justice.


"Yes to democracy and not to the reinstallation of a new dictatorship in the country".


The manifstants indicated that if those feeding and filtering such intentions, believe they can tackle Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the Haitian people will face them. They at once asserted their rights to participate in political affairs, particularly through free elections, democratic and inclusive, after being rejected two times under the chairmanship of Rene Preval.


Attack against demonstrators


Arriving at the intersection of the Rue du Champ de Mars and Harry Truman Boulevard, the bicentenary, someone pelted the event with stones. Several demonstrators were injured.


The protesters accused supporters of the current Head of State has holding responsibility for these incidents. "Intimidation will not make us fall, they then chanted, inviting the head of state rather to work with the Senate Committee of Inquiry on nationality.


Several parliamentarians such as Moses Jean-Charles, Jean-Baptiste Beloved, Saurel Jacinthe and Arnel Belizaire  joined the protest and promised to get the head of state to submit his travel documents.

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