by Berthony Dupont (Haiti Liberte)
Hooligans
attached to the regime of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Evans Paul
attacked about 30 militants from the Dessalines Coordination (KOD) party as
they loudly demonstrated at an official event for International Workers Day in
front of Haiti’s National Palace.
attached to the regime of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Evans Paul
attacked about 30 militants from the Dessalines Coordination (KOD) party as
they loudly demonstrated at an official event for International Workers Day in
front of Haiti’s National Palace.
The KOD militants had marched about
three miles from the Industrial Park with hundreds representing unions, popular
organizations, and student groups. The demonstrators loudly shouted their
demands for a 500 gourdes ($10.57) a day minimum wage. Many marchers affiliated
with KOD also called for an end to the United Nations military occupation of
Haiti and the resignation of President Martelly before the holding of
parliamentary and presidential elections, now scheduled for August, October,
and December 2015.
three miles from the Industrial Park with hundreds representing unions, popular
organizations, and student groups. The demonstrators loudly shouted their
demands for a 500 gourdes ($10.57) a day minimum wage. Many marchers affiliated
with KOD also called for an end to the United Nations military occupation of
Haiti and the resignation of President Martelly before the holding of
parliamentary and presidential elections, now scheduled for August, October,
and December 2015.
At the official ceremony on the
Champ de Mars, regime thugs assaulted the chanting KOD militants, who fought
back. A melee ensued in front of the stage where Martelly and Paul were
sitting.
Champ de Mars, regime thugs assaulted the chanting KOD militants, who fought
back. A melee ensued in front of the stage where Martelly and Paul were
sitting.
“We so panicked Martelly with our
action that it became clear that he did not know what to say,” stated KOD
leader Oxygène David after the struggle. “There was a security officer behind
Martelly who sent a guy to come take the sign I was holding high. When he came
to me, I gave him a shove. I received a lot of blows today, but I also gave a
lot of blows.”
action that it became clear that he did not know what to say,” stated KOD
leader Oxygène David after the struggle. “There was a security officer behind
Martelly who sent a guy to come take the sign I was holding high. When he came
to me, I gave him a shove. I received a lot of blows today, but I also gave a
lot of blows.”
Police of the Company for
Intervention and Maintenance of Order (CIMO) eventually dispersed the
demonstrators who came to protest at the Martelly government’s official
celebration, a Labor Fair.
Intervention and Maintenance of Order (CIMO) eventually dispersed the
demonstrators who came to protest at the Martelly government’s official
celebration, a Labor Fair.
Workers from some unions carried
signs saying “Down with Yellow Unions that Collaborate with the Bosses!”
signs saying “Down with Yellow Unions that Collaborate with the Bosses!”
KOD distributed a flyer explaining
how May 1st began as a day to remember the repression against
workers in the U.S. in 1886. “Today, this same American government, which
crushed its own working class, is carrying out the same repression in Haiti,”
the flyer read. “Since the 1970s, U.S. corporations have sent much of their
manufacturing to Haiti because workers here earn only $5 per day. In the U.S.,
the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
how May 1st began as a day to remember the repression against
workers in the U.S. in 1886. “Today, this same American government, which
crushed its own working class, is carrying out the same repression in Haiti,”
the flyer read. “Since the 1970s, U.S. corporations have sent much of their
manufacturing to Haiti because workers here earn only $5 per day. In the U.S.,
the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
“In 2011, the U.S. government
carried out an electoral coup d’état to put the Martelly regime in power in
Haiti so that it could continue to keep the working class in poverty, continue
to steal the land of peasants on Ile à Vache and the homes of residents in
downtown Port-au-Prince, to tax working people sending money and making calls
from the U.S., along with a lot of other theft, corruption, and repression.
carried out an electoral coup d’état to put the Martelly regime in power in
Haiti so that it could continue to keep the working class in poverty, continue
to steal the land of peasants on Ile à Vache and the homes of residents in
downtown Port-au-Prince, to tax working people sending money and making calls
from the U.S., along with a lot of other theft, corruption, and repression.
“Now, they need to do another
electoral mascarade for those who don’t understand the game. KOD says “NO,” the
Haitian people will not be ambushed again. KOD demands that Martelly and
MINUSTAH [UN Mission to Stabilize Haiti] leave so the country can have free,
fair, and sovereign elections. Having the MINUSTAH, OAS, and Washington decide
who wins elections in Haiti, that can’t happen again! This business of money
buying the election, the way the bourgeoisie does it in the U.S., that is not
good for Haiti, it is not good for democracy!”
electoral mascarade for those who don’t understand the game. KOD says “NO,” the
Haitian people will not be ambushed again. KOD demands that Martelly and
MINUSTAH [UN Mission to Stabilize Haiti] leave so the country can have free,
fair, and sovereign elections. Having the MINUSTAH, OAS, and Washington decide
who wins elections in Haiti, that can’t happen again! This business of money
buying the election, the way the bourgeoisie does it in the U.S., that is not
good for Haiti, it is not good for democracy!”
KOD has called for a massive
demonstration on May 18, beginning at Fort National in Port-au-Prince, to
demand the departure of Martelly and MINUSTAH before any elections are held.
The highly patriotic date marks the 212th anniversary of the
creation of the red and blue Haitian flag.
demonstration on May 18, beginning at Fort National in Port-au-Prince, to
demand the departure of Martelly and MINUSTAH before any elections are held.
The highly patriotic date marks the 212th anniversary of the
creation of the red and blue Haitian flag.
