Political parties were gearing for another day of demonstration in Haiti on Friday as the Organization of American States (OAS) expressed concern at the ongoing violence and political climate there, saying it has “followed attentively” the situation in the French-speaking Caribbean country.
The demonstrators say they plan to leave Pétion-ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, and end in front of the National Palace where they will repeat calls for President Jovenel Moise to step down.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country has been paralysed by several demonstrations and despite an attempt to resume activities in the informal trade, the capital and other areas remained closed.
There were reports of looting taking place in several areas and the OAS said it had also sent its condolences to the families and friends of those killed during the demonstrations, as well as its solidarity and wishes for speedy recovery to the wounded.
“The General Secretariat of the OAS reaffirms the right to social manifestation and to free association and expression, while, at the same time, it absolutely rejects acts of violence that take place at the margins of citizen demonstrations,” the statement said.
“The right of demonstration and free association play an important role in the solidity of democratic progress and ensure a channel for citizen demands to be addressed.. However, there is no room for the use of violence for political purposes.”
The OAS said that democratic gains that have been made in the country should be preserved, urging the authorities to participate in “an inclusive dialogue on governance in institutional strengthening and in the exercise of democracy to ensure greater social peace and growth.”
It said it was willing to cooperate with Haiti in “all efforts at democratic and institutional strengthening.”
Earlier this week, six people were killed when a car crashed into a group of people and the Protestant Federation of Haiti (FPH) urged Moise to quickly convene a meeting of all stakeholders “to allow the country to recover its social cohesion and stability political and prevent once again, foreign intervention on the soil of Haiti”.
Protestors have been demanding that Moise resign for not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous government over Petrocaribe, an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment.
But in a radio and television broadcast earlier this week, Moise dismissed calls for his resignation.
“It is within the framework of the democracy that the Haitian people elected me president in elections free and honest as the wish the Constitution.
“During the five years of my presidency, no one, I mean nobody, whatever the pretext, cannot threaten the interests of the country or put the nation in danger.The strength of any democracy, it is the respect of the law.”
Moise said the opposition should wait for the next general election if they want to attain power, reminding them that the political battle must be about ideas and dialogue and not violence in the streets
“I asked the Prime Minister to meet people in all sectors and all tendencies…and to make all the arrangements to ensure security lives and goods,” he said.
At least nine people have to date died since protests began several days ago.
The Canadian government has told its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Haiti and the Bahamas has closed its embassy and suspended flights of its national airline into the country.
Tourism Minister Marie Christine Stephenson, has condemned a situation where two tourists were wounded by bullet after gunmen fired on a bus in which they were travelling.
She said these acts not only affect citizens and tourists “but also our investors who participate in economic growth and the creation of many direct and indirect jobs despite the particularly difficult socio-economic context of our country”.
She said she wanted to remind the protesters that in demanding their rights, they must at all times respect human lives and public property.
“As good citizens, they must be concerned about the image that Haiti projects internationally,” she said, urging the protesters to demonstrate peacefully “because it is imperative that this industry remains above the antagonisms for the collective well-being”.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Electricity of Haiti (EDH), in a statement said it “notes and deplores the acts of individuals who take advantage of demonstrations in the country to try to destroy and burn some offices and facilities of the company.
“The Directorate points out that these acts reduce the company’s ability to produce and distribute more electricity and asks all citizens to protect the institution, which is making great efforts to improve the services it provides to its subscribers.”
