(Haitian protester holds sign that reads: "Clinton + Preval = Corruption)
Over at News Junkie Post, Gilbert Mercier reports:
"In March, an international donors conference, under the hospice of the United Nations, pledged $10 Billion over the next 10 years to help Haiti’s rebuilding efforts. Projects have to be reviewed and approved by a committee co-chaired by Haiti’s Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and former US President and UN special envoy Bill Clinton. The [Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission] is composed of an equal number of Haitians and foreign members [including Canada, having anted up the required $100 million]. A lot of Haitians view the creation of the committee as a violation of Haiti’s constitution and national sovereignty. Monday’s protesters shouted that “Preval should leave power and be arrested” and that “Preval is a traitor because he wants to sell Haiti to foreigners"...Considering the troubled history of Haiti, nobody can blame Monday’s demonstrators for being concerned by a leader wanting to hold on to power and by foreign meddling. Haiti is one of the clearest example of the disastrous consequences of colonialism, neo-colonialism and of continued interventionism."
The AP called it " the largest political protest since the Jan. 12 earthquake," adding:
"Many demonstrators identified themselves as supporters of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was exiled to Africa aboard a U.S. plane during a 2004 rebellion. Protesters marched to the national mall following speaker trucks that trumpeted calls for Aristide's return." (Note: in newspeak, "rebellion" really means "bloody foreign-backed coup d'etat")
The AP also noted that some of the protester's anger was aimed directly at the US Agency for International Development (USAID):
"Other groups mixed in with the protesters, including government hires in yellow T-shirts who clutched the pickaxes and shovels they use to clear some of the quake rubble in a program overseen by the U.S. Agency for International Development. They were protesting the agency's decision to stop providing them with food as part of their compensation.
USAID dropped the free-lunch program as part of a broader effort to reduce food aid and increase local production but is continuing to pay the workers, legislative and public affairs special assistant Anna Gohmann said in an e-mail. She said discussions with site supervisors over the issue were held Monday."
And, elsewhere, The Independent quoted a protester who expressed disdain for Haiti's elites:
"Claudy Louis, told reporters: "... Instead of looking out for the people, [Preval] quickly hatched a plan to benefit the small group of people around him."
Unlike the AP, The Independent avoided newspeak, referring to "Mr Aristide, who had a more robust policy towards Washington but who was exiled to Africa following a US-sponsored coup in 2004."