Cops crack down on Haiti demo

2003-12-29 17:15

Port-Au-Prince - Police arrested a leading spokesperson for the opposition in Haiti's second-largest city during a protest march calling for the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the private Radio Vision 2000 reported on Monday.

Dozens shouted "Down with Aristide!" in northcoast Cap-Haitien on Sunday as police swooped and arrested Eliscar Charles, allegedly for organising an illegal demonstration.

Demonstration leaders claimed they had conformed to regulations that required them to notify the police 48 hours before staging the demonstration.

"This is another step in the government's systematic repression of protest in Cap-Haitien and elsewhere in the country," said Frandley Denis Julien, leader of Citizens Initiative, a civil society group that belongs to the North District Front.

Charles, a member of the opposition People's Struggle party, is co-leader of the North District Front, a coalition that includes civil society groups and several opposition parties.

Aristide partisans have accused the Front of attempting to destabilise the government, and the groups' leaders have either been arrested or are in hiding.

Smashed studio broadcasting equipment

Earlier this month, police arrested Front co-leader Jackson Noel and 10 other people, charging them with shooting at a police vehicle.

Witnesses said Noel's eye was injured while he was being beaten by police. He was later transferred to the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The same day, police stormed an opposition station, Radio Maxima, smashed studio broadcasting equipment, and shut the station down. They found several weapons on the roof.

Police were not available for comment on Monday.

Radio Maxima, whose owner, Jean-Robert Lalane, was shot and wounded in the shoulder when he narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on November 25, had been the voice of the opposition in Cap-Haitien.

Lalane, who has since gone into hiding, is a co-leader of the North District Front.

Haiti has been in turmoil since flawed May 2000 elections that the opposition claims were rigged.

Opposition political parties refuse to take part in legislative elections unless Aristide steps down.

Meanwhile, with at least 41 killed and scores wounded during anti-government demonstrations since mid-September, violence is on the rise across this Caribbean nation.

The Organisation of American States and the United States have exhorted the government to respect the rights of assembly and deplored the excessive use of force by the police.

- AP