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<font size=3>From: Mike Levy <mlhaiti@cornernet.com> <br><br>
</font><h5><b>Hundreds of thousands of Fanmi Lavalas supporters
demonstrate in support of peace, education and respect for the mandate of
President Aristide <br>
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<br><br>
</b></h5><font size=2><b>Port-au-Prince, January 21, 2004 -(AHP)-</b>
Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Fanmi Lavalas demonstrated this
Wednesday in Port-au-Prince to advocate respect for President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's constitutional prerogative to serve out his five
year term in office. <br><br>
This demonstration in support of peace and reconciliation also sought to
ask the leaders of the opposition political platform to put an end to the
opposition's campaign which the demonstrators described as anti-education
and anti-knowledge that was launched more than two weeks ago to prevent
schools from dispensing classes.<br><br>
The demonstrators, including many mothers who had come from many corners
of the capital, called on the opposition to participate in the next
legislative elections if it wishes to take power and to no longer utilize
violence. <br><br>
Opposition leaders such as Evans Paul called this week for the closing of
schools and hospitals until such time as the elected government has been
ousted. <br><br>
Four schools have been set on fire in Léogane and Cayes Jacmel. A strike
organized at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince by doctors and
residents in support of the opposition's campaign is said to have already
contributed to the deaths of some 30 patients.<br><br>
The hundreds of thousands of demonstrators who marched this Wednesday in
several streets of the capital called on the opposition to disassociate
the operation of schools from the practice of politics. <br><br>
They paused in front of several schools that chose to keep their doors
open despite the threats weighing against them.<br><br>
Parents then spoke out to denounce those who wish to punish the children
to satisfy what they called their petty interests.<br><br>
The demonstrators also paused at a public market in the Christ-Roi
neighborhood where demonstrators from the Group of 184 had smashed
vendors stalls and looted or damaged their goods.<br><br>
"All Haitians in general and all journalists recognize today that
when we demonstrate, all the stores, boutiques, banks and public markets
can continue to carry on their activities without worry", said some
of the demonstrators, explaining that their objective is peace and
reconciliation through dialogue. <br><br>
Indeed, no incident has been reported over the course of this long
peaceful march that started in Bel-Air and finished up in front of the
National Palace, after passing through Delmas, Bourdon, Canapé-Vert and
Lalue. <br><br>
All the way along the route of the march people were massed outside their
homes to greet the demonstrators. Some were perched in trees or on the
roofs of their home. <br><br>
Small shopkeepers, elderly people, women and children in uniform were
seen on television holding up five fingers or waving photos of President
Aristide while in front or on the balcony of their homes as the
demonstration passed by that drew Fanmi Lavalas supporters from every
social stratum.<br><br>
Two lower level officials of the opposition Democratic Convergence were
also seen enthusiastically greeting the demonstrators. <br><br>
Some foreign journalists including some from French media, said they were
astonished at the discipline displayed by the marchers, in stark contrast
they said, with some reports published in their countries. <br><br>
The leader of the organization named Jeunesse Pouvoir Populaire (Populist
Youth Power), René Civil, who participated in the demonstration, asked
opposition leaders to listen to the voice of the majority and to honor
the constitution and President Aristide's mandate for five years in
office.<br><br>
René Civil appealed to all sectors for unity and peace to bring the
country out of the impasse. He held what he described as a sort of
populist straw vote, asking all those in favor of the five year
presidential term to raise their hands.<br><br>
For his part, the spokesperson for APEL-Démocratique, André Fardeau, also
recalled that the objective of the march is to demand that schools be
able to function and that elections be held to resolve the political
crisis. <br><br>
"One can not construct a society through violence and in which
learning is banned", declared André Fardeau. He appealed for reason
to those who are going around with gallons of gasoline to be used to set
fire to schools that continue to hold classes. <br><br>
On that topic, several members of the opposition including Mr.
Vladimir Jeanty were arrested this Wednesday as they were reportedly
throwing stones at schools that were holding classes. <br><br>
In addition to members of populist organizations, many members of women's
organizations, socio-professional organizations, Fanmi Lavalas officials
and members of Parliament took part in the demonstration this January
21st that ended up in mid-afternoon in front of the National Palace where
the participants sang the national anthem. <br><br>
Reporters from media of every tendency recognized in their live reporting
that this January 21st demonstration was a sea of humanity.<br><br>
The demonstrators were prevented from passing in front of the offices of
the State-run TNH television station, which was pelted with rocks on
Sunday by demonstrators from the group of 184 who also attacked small
retailers at a public market located a few meters from TNH. <br><br>
A group called ACEH (Citizen Action of Haitian Students) announced plans
to hold a "peaceful march" this Thursday January 22 through the
streets of the capital to denounce "those who are holding the
university space hostage". <br><br>
<br>
</font><h5><b>AHP January 21, 2004 4:15 PM <br><br>
<br><br>
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A demonstration in Port-au-Prince planned by the opposition is blocked by
the police, who cited legal justification for their decision<br>
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<br><br>
</b></h5><font size=2><b>Port-au-Prince, January 21, 2004 -(AHP)- </b>The
demonstration announced by leaders of the opposition to call for the
departure of President Aristide and to prevent the resumption of classes
in schools was blocked, with officials claiming that not all the legal
requirements had been met. <br><br>
The demonstration was scheduled to start out from the Faculty of Social
Sciences. It was prevented from taking place by the police. <br><br>
According to a press release from the offices of the Haitian National
Police, the organizers of the demonstration had not only failed to inform
the police of their plans in a timely manner, but they had also failed to
provide contact information that would have enabled the police to get in
touch with them to work out details of the demonstration to guarantee
adequate protection for the demonstrators. <br><br>
Students and members of teachers' organizations who were very eager to go
ahead with their demonstration, threw stones at the police officers at
the scene, chanting slogans expressing hostility toward President
Aristide.. <br><br>
The sound of gunfire was also heard coming from the Faculty of Social
Sciences. . <br><br>
The police felt compelled to use tear gas to persuade the would-be
marchers inside the Faculty of Social Sciences, which is considered by
the opposition to be a key center in the struggle of the anti-government
sectors, to abandon their demonstration.<br><br>
On a related topic, the leader of the PARADIS party, Pastor Richard
Vladimir Jeanty, as well as several students, were arrested during a
police operation to disperse an anti-government demonstration on what the
police said were legal grounds. <br><br>
These individuals were reportedly witnessed throwing stones at schools
that were holding classes in the capital. <br><br>
They appeared Wednesday before Judge Gabriel Ambroise at the magistrate's
court for the southern section of Port-au-Prince. <br><br>
In Léogane, several dozen opposition supporters demonstrated Wednesday to
call for the departure of the elected government. <br><br>
In line with efforts by opposition leaders in Port-au-Prince, they
advocated for the closing of schools until the opposition is in power.
<br><br>
In Les Cayes, eight people were injured, including two who suffered
gunshot wounds, during an anti-government demonstration organized by
supporters of the opposition. <br><br>
The demonstration was held following a mass celebrated at the Cathedral
of Les Cayes in memory of the 12th anniversary of the killing of
Claudy Museau during the period of rule by the leaders of the military
coup d'état.<br><br>
<br>
</font><h5><b>AHP January 21, 2004 2:15 PM <br><br>
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