=?x-unknown?q?29917=3A__Potemaksonje_=28News=29_Cit=E9_Soleil?==?x-unknown?q?_Under_Constant_Attack_=28fwd=29?=

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From Potemaksonje

http://www.haitianalysis.com/2007/1/26/cite-soleil-under-constant-attack
January 26th, 2007Cite Soleil Under Constant Attack

By: Wadner Pierre - haitianalysis.com


At least six people were wounded Wednesday, January 24, 2006 following an 
operation by the U.N. peace-keeping force (MINUSTAH). One victim, attended to 
immediately by Doctors Without Borders, says she was hit by stray bullets 
according to the daily newspaper the Short Story Writer.

It was 2:00 pm, hours after the assault, when I arrived on the scene. MINUSTAH 
soldiers, primarily Brazilians, occupy an old school at the entry to the Boston 
district - their principal target that morning. In the tap taps, people were 
visibly afraid.

When asked to explain their fear, they answered: “We are afraid, because we do 
not know when the soldiers of the occupying force will fire and in which 
direction.” A resident of New Wood Road by the name of Frantz E., member of the 
Committee of Notables for the Development of Cite Soleil (CONODES), told 
journalists

“The soldiers want to kill us. We do not have anything against them. We only 
want that they leave the country. Boston we already counted more than 5 wounded 
this morning, I believe that there were also deaths, because it is at the 
population of Boston that the soldiers fired their weapons. We thank President 
Preval for this reward, because it is the benefit of our votes of February 7, 
2006. Whether it is taken care or not President Aristide must return to the 
country. He alone knows our pain and he can help us to leave this mud pit. ”

A public building in Cite Soleil is a large base for MINUSTAH soldiers, mainly 
Brazilians. Only pedestrains, MINUSTAH's armoured vehicles, and the jeeps of 
the NGOs [Non Governmnetal Organizations] are allowed near the base. Other 
vehilces are prohibited. I showed a MINUSTAH soldier my press badge but, with a 
gesture that involved pointing his weapon at me, I was refused permission to 
photograph armoured vehilces.

“Rout Nèf” is the principal road that leads in and out of the New Bois 
district. It is used exclusively By MINUSTAH (and MINUSTAH authorized NGOs) for 
access to the northern districts of Cite Soleil. The people are clearly tired 
of running for their lives every time MINUSTAH's vehicles approach. One often 
hears people remark "When will our misery end?"

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