[News] Haiti - Strike report

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AHP News - January 8, 2004 - English translation (Unofficial)





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The population largely ignores the strike call by the opposition at the 
national level: most of the entities that closed their doors in 
port-au-Prince are those controlled by the group of 184
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Port-au-Prince, January 8, 2004  -(AHP)- The majority of activities 
functioned quasi-normally this Thursday in Port-au-Prince during the first 
day of the strike launched by the opposition coalition in its attempt to 
bring about the ouster of the elected authorities.

Only the larger shops controlled almost entirely by the instigators of the 
strike kept their iron awnings lowered. However, some shops, automobile 
dealers and some super markets opened their doors, notably in the Delmas 
district.

Mass transport, the informal trade sector and the public markets functioned 
at about 80% of their normal level. Some service stations provided 
gasoline. Some commercial bank branches such as SOGEBANK in Turgeau were 
open until 10 in the morning.

Many tap-tap drivers serving the different routes in the capital, as well 
as taxi drivers and drivers in provincial cities stated that there is no 
question of their charging ahead under the logic of the repeated strikes 
called by the group of 184.

For many of the drivers, the biggest problem is the increase in the price 
of fuel.

The small shopkeepers who were open for business in the public markets and 
on the sidewalks of the central business district said they were unaware of 
the objectives of the two days of strikes called by the coalition of André 
Apaid.

"It is here that we earn our daily bread and find the minimum to send our 
children to school", said several of them, who also asked the opposition to 
give  the disadvantaged sectors of the population a chance.

They also said that the country is in need of peace and reconciliation so 
that it can advance on the road to development.

Schools were for the most part closed this Thursday, one day after classes 
resumed, due notably to the lethal violence that took place in connection 
with the clashes that broke out during the anti-government demonstration 
the day before.
However several parents were seen taking their children to class in annexes 
of foreign schools that are functioning in the capital, notably the Union 
School and the Lycée Français which held classes until 1:00 P.M.

Some customers of private commercial banks complained Thursday about the 
fact that in closing their doors due to the strike by the opposition, the 
bank managers' decision was denying them access to their accounts.

"Each time the opposition wishes to settle scores with Lavalas, we all pay 
the price", said several bank customers, who added that their savings 
should not be held hostage to politics.

Several of them threatened to close their accounts in some private banks 
and bank with public banks instead.

The opposition strike was completely ignored in most provincial cities.

In Cap-Haïtien, the population took to the streets early to carry on normal 
activities.

Most people interviewed by the local AHP correspondent said that they did 
not intend to follow the strike call by any sort of coalition.

" Nobody is going to use us as a stepping stone to satisfy petty 
interests", said the owner of a grocery warehouse.

The government Delegate in the North department, Myrtho Julien, said that 
the people in the North never go out on strikes that have nothing to do 
with the interests of the majority.

According to Myrtho Julien, the repeated strikes are not of a sort that is 
likely to resolve the country's problems.

In Jérémie, Port-de-Paix, Les Cayes, Jacmel and Petit-Goâve, the strike by 
the group of 184 found no support.

In Gonaïves, where opposition supporters burned down the residence of a 
well-known Lavalas activist, Alina Sixto, there was a noticeable slowdown 
in activities.

The opposition coalition considered that the population responded 
positively to the first day of the strike.

Hubert De Ronceray said he hopes that the strike will be more widely 
followed on Friday by the population which, he says, refuses to accept the 
unacceptable.

For his part, the Secretary of state for Communication was pleased that the 
population did not widely follow the opposition strike at the national level.

This is an act of insurrection and an act punishing the population which 
ignored, he said, the opposition coalition's calls for déchoukage of the 
governmental authorities.

Mario Dupuy called on the leaders of the group of 184 to now take the path 
of concerted action and not that of violence, in the wake of what he called 
this burning setback.



AHP January 8, 2004   12:00 PM

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