Photos

Here is a picture of a large protest against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, August 2001.

Gunfire and rock throwing were needed to disperse a protest of an anti-Lavalas demonstration, against the Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's government. The riot had sent several supporters of two opposition parties to the hospital. The incident was started when the Lavalas supporters, most of whom were armed with guns, threw stones at the Haitian Democratic Party (PADMEH, opposition and anti-Lavalas) demonstrators who were getting ready to hold a peaceful march to protest against the Lavalas regime. PADMEH demonstrators had also retaliated in kind. PADMEH leader had accused the Mayor for a planned attack on the demonstrators.

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Here is a picture of a supporter of former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide carrying a picture of his leader.

While celebrating the eighth anniversary of ouster on February 29, 2012, several thousand supporters of Jean-Bertrand Aristide accused the Martelly administration for doing nothing enough to improve people's lives. They pointed out the mounting political conflicts between the President and his critics on issues of rebuilding the nation since the 2010 earthquake. The volume of the crowd hinted the level of support for the former President. Protesters accused Martelly of holding dual citizenship that could bar him from the President's office. However, the government had firmly denied such allegation. Recently, in the last August, 2014, Aristide was summoned to testify in court before a magistrate conducting an investigation into corruption and money laundering. His supporters have warned that major protests would erupt, if any politically motivated arrest is carried out on Aristide.

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Here is a picture of the young Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former Roman Catholic priest who was born July 15, 1953. Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born July 15, 1953) became a priest and a favorite of the poor. After the collapse of 'Tyrant Duvalier family', he was chosen as the 40th Haitian President in 1991 with 67% vote in Haiti's first democratic election. However, his first term as President was very brief and that ended with a military coup; but he became President again from 1994 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, an American coup forced him to seek asylum in Jamaica and later, he was forced into exile in the Central African Republic and South Africa. After seven years of exile, he returned to Haiti on March 18, 2011 with his wife and two daughters. Before he became a politician, Aristide was a Catholic priest of Salesian order. Presently, Jean Bertrand Aristide has an estimated net worth of $800 million.

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One individual uses urinate on a picture of Haitian President Michel Martelly to express his anger against the Government.

If there aren't any public conveniences (toilets) available, and nature is calling, it may not amount to an offense to 'relieve yourself' in public. If one is drunk, it could be classed as drunken disorderly; however, the walls, doors and windowsills should never be used as urinals, because it causes untold misery to the residents. Many culprits blame their behavior on a lack of public toilets, but that should never be an excuse. Although, urinating in public is illegal in every state, currently, it is not a big offense to urinate in the street, but cops can still bust you for indecent exposure, anytime. A fixed fine is a simpler and effective deterrent unless it is a big public order offense. Recently, on December 2nd, the Russian president Vladimir Putin, who is despised so much, that boys in a Ukrainian city created a picture of him melded with Hitler's distinctive mustache, and allowed locals to urinate and wipe their bottoms on his face. Such similar incident occurred earlier in Haiti on March 25, 2013 when Aristide went to court; one individual publicly urinated on a picture of Haitian President Martelly

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"Operation Uphold Democracy" was an intervention authorized by the UN Security Council to restore democracy by removing a military regime that overthrew the fairly elected government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide in Haiti, on 30 September, 1991. Under the leadership of Lieutenant General Raoul Cedras, a military coup overthrew President Aristide, a charismatic Roman Catholic priest and the popularly elected president in the Haitian history who won 67% of the vote in a presidential election. The Operation Uphold Democracy involved a peacekeeping force of around 20,000 armed personnel from all five branches of the U.S armed forces, 5,000 Non-U.S forces and assistance of 24 nations. It had a mission to restore a legitimate government and a secure environment for the people in Haiti. The operation successfully assisted the exiled President to return and remain in power till the transitioning of power to the newly elected President Rene Preval on February 7, 1996. Operation Uphold Democracy officially ended with its replacement with the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) on March 31 1995.

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Here is a sign that shows the government of Martelli is facing its biggest challenge. Former Haitian Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis demands the resignation of the current government

On December 3rd, while visiting Jacmel, the former Haitian Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis has said, the resignation of Michel Martelly could pave the way for an early election in the country. He has also said that he never had an optimistic view to the efficiency of Martelly's Advisory Committee that floored the synthesis of political consultation between 22 September and 24 November 2014 to hold the overdue election. He denounced the method of collecting tax on the population. Alexis said he was dismissed because of inflation and high cost of living. The socioeconomic situation in the country is practically worse compared to his days.

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Here is a picture of the Binational market of Dajabon.

Binational Market Of Dajabon Disrupted By Demonstration In Ouanaminthe

Recently on December 5th, the business in the Binational market at Dajabón in Dominican Republic was severely disrupted when a widespread protest was staged in nearby Ouanaminthe and other Haitian towns. Heated clashes between the police and residents took place. The inhabitants were demanding better services, lower taxes on merchandise, supply of electricity to the homes of Caracol by Caracol Electrification Project and the resignation of President Martelly. In the early hour of the day, some hooded individuals closed the gate on the Haitian border side and started throwing stones and bottles towards the Dominican side. Although, the door was reopened later, but very few buyers and sellers ventured to take risks. The traders from both sides of the border were affected. The big buyers and sellers could not cross the border due to road blocks at the junction of Fort-Liberté and Marfetí.

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Like many countries in the world, people in Haiti have their own tradition during Christmas season

How People In Haiti Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is known in Haiti as 'Jwaye Nowe' (in Creole) or 'Joyeux Noël' (in French). It is the happiest time of the year when all sections of the society get involved in the festival, fix and redecorate their homes ready for Christmas. It is celebrated in a big way with great pomp and show. It is a day when everybody seems to be in a happy mood and celebrate with a lot of eating and drinking, singing and playing. Christmas songs and carols float everywhere in the air. Fireworks, firecrackers and gunshots can be heard all hours of the day and night and houses remain open with the lights till midnight. There are organizations like "Haiti with Love" and "Compassion International" who mobilize their resources to make Christmases special for impoverished children who do not receive any gifts or live in an environment where the joys of Christmas never reach. They also explain and teach them the meaning of Christmas and how it is worth celebrating.

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Haitian protest against the Government of Michel Martelly has taken a new phase. The opposition wants it to become an international matter. On Saturday, December 6, 2014 protesters called on Russian President Vladimir Putin for help as they accused the US of supporting the Government of Michel Martelly

Haitian Protesters Called On Russian President Vladimir Putin For Help

On December 6, 2014, thousands of anti-government protesters, hit the streets and had clashes with the police in the Haitian capital. They were demanding President Martelly and Prime Minister Lamothe to resign and long-overdue elections to be held. Opposition politicians regularly accuse that Martelly is deliberately postponing the election as he prefers to rule the country by order of decree. Haiti is a protectorate of US with all its 'free trade zones'. Some of the protesters were blaming the US for supporting Haiti's leadership. They were carrying pictures of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the placards and called on for his help. Many of them succeeded in reaching the National Palace. For the last two years citizens were not allowed to cross in front of the National Palace. One protester, who identified himself as Reginald, had said, this is a victory against President Martelly who is destroying our country.

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Here is a picture of former Jean-Bertrand Aristide's security, Oriel Jean, who was charged on cocaine smuggling.

Oriel Jean, 39, a former security chief for the ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was arrested on charges of cocaine smuggling; he appeared in a Miami Federal Court on March 22, 2004. This arrest, in some way, supported the U.S complaints that the Aristide government was soft in narcotics trafficking. Jean was a high level officer even in the middle 1990s when the country was run by anti-Aristide military and police officers. A week before his arrest, Oriel Jean was extradited from Canada on a conspiracy charge of cocaine trafficking. He had served as the chief of presidential palace security from the beginning of 2001 until June 2003, well after U.S cancelled his visa on trafficking allegation. Different sources reveal that Jean used to charge $50,000 for each plane-load of cocaine that landed in Haiti during the period between 2000 and 2003. Furthermore, he used to collect a percentage of profit from the drug traffickers. Prosecutors were able to convict Oriel Jean, the former official closest to Aristide. It is no secret that even former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide had been under investigation for drug trafficking and money laundering.

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