Haitians Protest U.N. ‘Occupation’

A crowd of about 100 protesters has blocked the entrance to the U.N. military headquarters in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, spraying anti-U.N. slogans on vehicles and carrying banners saying “Down with the occupation!” while news comes that U.N. peacekeeping forces will remain in the beleaguered country for an additional year.

Protesters loudly criticized the U.N. peacekeeping operation, as well as the administration of Haitian President Rene Preval, for failure to protect ordinary people.

Additionally, critics have been egged on by an Associated Press investigation that determined that none of the $1.2 billion in reconstruction funding promised by the U.S. has arrived. —JCL

Al-Jazeera English:

Demonstrators have blocked the entrance to the UN military headquarters in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, spraying anti-UN slogans on vehicles trying to enter.

A crowd of roughly 100 protesters carrying banners saying “Down with the occupation” were forced back by UN soldiers, Sebastian Walker, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Port-au-Prince, said on Friday.

“Security personnel traded blows with demonstrators, and troops started firing in the air, with helicopters hovering above.”

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AP / Ramon Espinosa

A police officer chases a student during a protest last week in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Demonstrators clashed with U.N. peacekeepers and Haitian police during protests to demand improvements to a quake-damaged school building.