demonstration - Haiti Observer Blog

Public disturbance, protest and manifestation are totally unique in a country such as Haiti. Anyone can decide to start one at any time, in any place and that is for any reason what so ever.

In Haiti, there are two types of protest or manifestation that are the most successful. You can obtain success in a protest in Haiti by disturbing public services or by financing mass demonstration with Protest Brokers.

Public Service Disturbance:
Public Service disturbance in Haiti is usually obtained with just a few individuals determined to be involved in an act that will have an impact on many individuals, often people not involved in the cause they are protesting about. Imagine you want to start a protest in your neighborhood because you want water, electricity, paved road, etc. This can easily be accomplished by talking to a few friends and organize to block the roads. A road blockage is usually done with burning tires, stones, fire, and any heavy object found in the area.

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As this new wave of protest against Michel Martelly are getting stronger and stronger, it helps to do some analysis of the situation. Have you noticed that in Haiti there has always been a movement to get ride of the government? Based on my analysis, Haiti political landscape has three basic stages: a) The "Election of the New Leader" period, b) The "Honeymoon" Period, c) The "Rache Manyok" period.

Let's take the period of the "Election of New Leader". This is usually a tense period where the major players are using all kind of tricks to control the election. On the other side, since the population is aware of that, they pay close attention to detail and are ready at any moment to take to the street.

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The elections were fraudulent! Tens of thousands of demonstrating René Préval supporters took to the streets, or rather, took the streets with this cry after the results of the February 7, 2006 first-round of elections called for a run-off. What had started as a slightly run-of-the-mill election demonstration, complete with burning barricades and the thick, black smoke they create, took a much more direct approach to being heard by the people who count, as the crowd stormed the Petion-Ville gem, Hotel Montana, where the press headquarters of the electoral council was located.

Already deeply stung by the ousting of President Aristide, the demonstrators mobilized after the CEP released figures that made a run-off necessary, though the early count had shown Rene Préval with a lead clearly over the needed 50%. Claims of vote-rigging, incomplete or inaccurate voter lists, sudden relocations of polling stations, discarding of uncounted ballots and direct accusations against the CEP President of tampering abounded. Further fueling the ire of the protestors, communities traditionally for Préval saw an average 3-4 hours of delays in opening; a striking contrast to the noticeably smoother running of stations in areas supporting Préval's contenders. In those areas there were significantly fewer complaints, leading to the assumption that the difficulties experienced by Préval's demographic were artificially and intentionally created. Announcements of sudden changes were made at the last minute and were sometimes contrary to the actual situations met with by voters.

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On Monday, November 13, 2012 Haitian students continued their demonstration over the death of one of their owns. This was the third day of non stop protest, where students are demanding justice for the death of Damael d'Haiti, a student shot and killed by a police officer over the weekend at the School of Law and Social Sciences in Port-au-Prince.

"En Ayiti, Jistis Se moun Ki Ba Tet ou Sa..."

Haitian police and CIMO surrendering the protesters, blocked their exit from the law school, and fired tear gas. It has been reported that many people were affected by the gas. Children returning from school as well as other people going about their activities were affected.

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How do you deal with the Police during a Demonstration?

Guidelines for Dealing with Police During a Peaceful Demonstration

If you are a member of a protest group, informing yourself on the dos and don'ts of dealing with the police will ensure relations between your group and those officers assigned to monitor the event are kept non-violent. Use the following guidelines to keep peace between you and the police.

• always present your id card or driver's license when requested.

• don't put your hands in your pockets or otherwise conceal them; they may think you have a hidden weapon.

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To endure a mass demonstration, be well prepared. Since you can't predict how long a mass demonstration will last, get ready for the weather conditions. If there will be mass arrests, and other unknown contributing factors.

Apparel

Dress for comfort and the weather as you are ready to participate in a mass demonstration. Wear walking or running shoes for long hours spent on your feet marching. Protect your eyes from sun's glare and/or possible outbreaks of violence (you could get caught in cross-fire between police and agitators). Sweatshirts, hoodies, rain jackets, or other weather-appropriate gear will protect you against the elements during the long hours of demonstrating.

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