Student protests in Haiti

2003-12-18 08:08

Port-Au-Prince - Three people were injured on Wednesday during new student demonstrations against President Jean Bertrand Aristide in Haiti.

While police fired tear gas at the students, members of the People's Organisation (OP), aligned with Aristide, tried to disperse the demonstration with warning shots, local media reported.

Thousands of students blocked roads to the capital for the fifth day in a week and demanded the immediate resignation of Aristide.

It was the fourth large demonstration against Aristide in less than a week, and followed a huge demonstration last Thursday when clashes claimed up to five lives. A total of 15 people have been killed and scores wounded since unrest began in September.

Three high-level government officials have resigned and withdrawn to Santo Domingo in protest against the brutality of the police and the OP against the demonstrators.

On Tuesday and Wednesday a general strike paralysed businesses and traffic.

The civil opposition has been demanding the resignation of Aristide who marked the 13th anniversary of his first inauguration on Tuesday.

Aristide was overthrown by the Haitian military after seven months in power and forced into exile. He was reinstalled after a US invasion to finish his five-year term. Aristide later returned to power in a separate election and took office in 2001.

Aristide in turn is accusing the opposition of sabotaging planned celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the independence of the Caribbean republic on January 1. - Sapa-DPA

- SAPA