NEWS: Heavy Gunfire Erupts in Haitian Capital, page 1

The unrest in Haiti has flared up again as gunfire erupted in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Supporters of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide have fired on police on the tenth anniversary of his return to Haiti. The new violence is interfering with the distribution of aid to those in need after the recent flood caused by Hurricane Jeanne.

story.news.yahoo.com
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Heavy gunfire erupted Friday when police streamed into a slum stronghold of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide as his loyalists blocked streets with flaming debris to mark the 10th anniversary of Aristide"s return from his first exile.

Tensions surged in the capital, where two weeks of shootouts and beheadings have killed at least 48 people. Former Haitian soldiers, who hold sway over much of the countryside, are threatening to deploy into Port-au-Prince over the objections of the interim government, which is backed by an overextended and beleaguered U.N. peacekeeping force.

The U.S. State Department urged all nonessential embassy personnel and family members to leave the country. The department also upgraded its travel warning for Haiti, saying moving in and outside the capital can be hazardous because police are ineffective and peacekeepers are not fully deployed.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

As Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and racked by natural disasters, civil unrest couldn"t come at a worse time. Aristide"s supporters are demanding his return to Haiti, and a return to power.

The ex-soldiers who were instrumental in his ouster earlier this year have threatened to return to Port-Au-Prince in an effort to quell the uprising.

Related News Links:
news.bbc.co.uk
www.msnbc.com

[edit on 10/16/2004 by phreak_of_nature]