Saturday, February 27, 2010

Protesters Demand Sarkozy Pay Up & Return Aristide to Haiti


by Kevin Pina

Port au Prince, Haiti - HIP — Thousands of supporters of ousted president Jean-Bertrand Aristide took to the streets on Wednesday as French president Nicolas Sarkozy toured the earthquake ravaged capital of Port au Prince. Holding pictures of the ousted president aloft they chanted for France to pay more then 21 billion dollars in restitution and reparations and to return Aristide as Sarkozy's helicopter landed near Haiti's quake damaged national palace. Their demands stem from a long held dispute over compensation a nascent Haiti was forced to pay French slave owners in exchange for recognition of their independence and France's role in ousting Aristide in 2004.

READ FULL ARTICLE: HaitiAction.net

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Protesters clash with police following rain in Haiti

by Kevin Pina

Port au Prince, Haiti - HIP — About one inch of rain fell on the capital of Port au Prince early this morning sparking angry protests that tied up traffic near the airport for nearly four hours.

At 4:30 am as the rain began to fall a collective wail could be heard rising from the makeshift camps of those left homeless due to a massive earthquake that rocked Haiti on January 12. Cries of helplessness and misery quickly turned into shouts of anger and invectives against Haitian president Rene Preval as thousands then took to the streets in several spontaneous street demonstrations.

READ FULL ARTICLE: HaitiAction.net


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3 comments:

thezenhaitian said...

Kevin Pina, who wrote the articles is an independent video journalist and activist. He's been covering Haiti on the ground since 1991. He reports on KPFA radio for Flashpoints. Kevin along with partners like Jean Ristil Jean Baptiste have braved being thrown in jail and being threatened with bodily harm to report on and show these sorts of images. Honestly though, Kevin's skin color does protect him to some extent-- Jean Ristil is just plain crazy (in a good way).

Kudos to the dedicated and courageous journalist who stay in Haiti after all the int'l press has gone home.

Chapeau bas, Kevin, Jean-Ristil, Ansel...

clnmike said...

It's about time someone called the Frech out for it. The three headed monster that is the United States, Canada and France love to keep a front of a benevolent benofactors when there 3/4 the reason why the country suffers.

thezenhaitian said...

Mike-- Thanks for raising your voice. Making the powers that be accountable is crucial. We must get the word out about what they did in Ayiti.