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<font size=3><br><br>
</font><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=3><b>AHP News - January 8, 2004 -
English translation (Unofficial)<br><br>
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</font><h5><b>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 <br>
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</b></h5><font face="Trebuchet MS" size=2><b>Port-au-Prince, January 8,
2004 -(AHP)- </b>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.<br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
For many of the drivers, the biggest problem is the increase in the price
of fuel. <br><br>
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.<br><br>
"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. <br><br>
They also said that the country is in need of peace and reconciliation so
that it can advance on the road to development. <br><br>
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. <br>
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. <br><br>
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.<br><br>
"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. <br><br>
Several of them threatened to close their accounts in some private banks
and bank with public banks instead. <br><br>
The opposition strike was completely ignored in most provincial
cities. <br><br>
In Cap-Haïtien, the population took to the streets early to carry on
normal activities. <br><br>
Most people interviewed by the local AHP correspondent said that they did
not intend to follow the strike call by any sort of coalition. <br><br>
" Nobody is going to use us as a stepping stone to satisfy petty
interests", said the owner of a grocery warehouse. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
According to Myrtho Julien, the repeated strikes are not of a sort that
is likely to resolve the country's problems. <br><br>
In Jérémie, Port-de-Paix, Les Cayes, Jacmel and Petit-Goâve, the strike
by the group of 184 found no support. <br><br>
In Gonaïves, where opposition supporters burned down the residence of a
well-known Lavalas activist, Alina Sixto, there was a noticeable slowdown
in activities. <br><br>
The opposition coalition considered that the population responded
positively to the first day of the strike. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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. <br><br>
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.<br><br>
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. <br><br>
<br>
</font><h5><b>AHP January 8, 2004 12:00
PM</b></h5><font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
</font><font size=3><a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">www.freedomarchives.org</a></font></body>
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