Article and Photos by Wadner Pierre for Freehaiti.net

A huge protest took place on Friday November 17, 2006, one day before the celebration of the 203rd anniversary of the Battle of “Vertieres,” the battle which freed Haiti from slavery on November 18, 1803. The inhabitants of the largest popular district of the capital (Cité Soleil) organized and demonstrated to show their dissatisfaction with regard to the foreign soldiers on their territory under the the UN banner.

They demanded the departure of the UN troops, the release of all political prisoners, the rehabilitation of all employees illegally dismissed by the de facto Latortue/Boniface regime and the physical return of President Aristide to Haiti.

Although no satisfaction for these demands have been reached in spite of continued demonstrations, a participant answered, "We will stop when our claims are heard by the authorities in place." The participant continued, saying that MINUSTAH must leave the country. "We do not need it, we, in Cité Soleil, we cannot live with the daily shootings of these soldiers, may the whole country unite in one voice to ask for the unconditional departure of MINUSTAH."

By Wadner Pierre
Port-au-Prince