Police protest in Haiti: government cancels carnival

Text by: RFI Follow

Clashes between police and soldiers left two dead and a dozen injured Sunday, February 23 in Port-au-Prince. The violence prompted the government to cancel the carnival that was to be held until Tuesday, in order to, he said in a statement, "to avoid a scheduled bloodshed." He calls on the population to remain calm.

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Last week, some police officers had already blocked roads and burned vehicles to demand better working conditions, including wage increases - they earn between $ 200 and $ 255 gross per month. They are also asking for the right to form a union. The measures announced on Saturday by President Jovenel Moïse were clearly not enough.

Still unsigned, this document was distributed directly via WhatsApp by the Secretary of State for Communication @Eddyjalexis. https://t.co/Jup29eIO4t

Sunday, early afternoon, police and their supporters attacked for more than two hours the headquarters of the Haitian army, in the heart of the capital, a few meters from the National Palace. This new army, recreated by President Moïse in 2017.

An assault led by " hooded individuals "

The assault was carried out, according to the military staff, by " hooded individuals ", equipped among other things with " automatic rifles ". Later, several people claiming to be part of the police movement also tried to set fire to the premises of Radio Télévision Caraïbes. This very popular media has suspended its broadcasts.

The Haitian national police are directly confronted with the serious crime that affects Haiti. The country has been paralyzed by a political crisis for over a year and hit by a deep economic crisis. In recent weeks, the country has notably seen an increase in kidnappings for ransom. This further restricts the mobility of Haitians, who already suffer from the struggle between armed bands over a large part of the territory.

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• Haiti
• Jovenel Moses

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