Large protest in Haiti focuses on role of U.S.

[seemslikeadream]

By Knight Ridder Newspapers and The Associated Press



WALTER ASTRADA / AP
Supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide protest yesterday in front of the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.


PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Several thousand supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide marched to the U.S.-guarded National Palace yesterday and shouted anti-Bush slogans, underlining their resentment over the United States' involvement in Aristide's departure to Africa.
At the palace, a crowd that at one point grew to an estimated 5,000 paraded past Marine guards. Many carried photographs of Aristide and chanted "Long live Aristide!" and "Down with George Bush!"


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001872817_haiti06.html

[enough]

1. And here's the Reuters story on Yahoo. "Bush Terrorist"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=7&u=/nm/20040305/ts_nm/haiti_dc_166

Thousands of Aristide Supporters Pour Into Streets

Fri Mar 5, 2:04 PM ET
By Ibon Villelabeitia and Jim Loney

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) - Thousands of outraged supporters of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide poured out of Haiti's slums and into the streets on Friday, marching on the U.S. Embassy to denounce the "occupation" of their homeland and demand Aristide's return.

Hurling slurs at U.S. Marines and calling President Bush (news - web sites) a "terrorist," a crowd estimated at more than 10,000 materialized in the capital, seething with anger at Aristide's flight to Africa five days ago after a bloody rebellion and U.S. pressure.

"Bush terrorist! Bush terrorist!," chanted the crowd, many of them waving Haitian flags and wearing T-shirts bearing photos of Aristide, as they passed a contingent of battle-equipped U.S. Marines guarding the embassy.

Hundreds held up their hands with five fingers extended, shouting "Aristide five years," the rallying cry of his supporters who wanted him to finish his five-year term in office. U.S. troops watched impassively from the rooftop.

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[saltpoint]

2. I bet those people know more about the coup than I do --

-- and I don't blame them for feeling resentment at U.S. foreign policy.

It's sucked for decades.