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Friday Nov 26, 2010

Riots in Cap Hatien

As some of you may have heard there were some very violent demonstrations and riots in Cap Haitien this week.  Elections are looming, but there is also heightened rage as people are blaming the Nepalise UN for bringing Cholera to Haiti.  This report describes what was happening at the start of this week.
 
Cacooned inside my downtown apartment I had a very acute awareness of what was going on.  By 10am the streets were crowded.  People running in hoards through the nearby square towards the MINUSTAH.  Shouting was constant, chanting and gunfire every few minutes throughout the day until about 10pm.
 
When the odd mob would pass my apartment  I would see my curious Haitien neighbours quickly close their doors and return inside for safety.

 
Vehicles would occasionally charge up the road, must have been about 40-50mph: very fast given the state of the roads and the amount of people on the streets.
 
There were many reports of rocks and other missiles being thrown with no specific target.  Barricades have been put up all over the town, with no access to enter or leave the town other than by foot up until recently.  I was also informed that the MINUSTAH eventually made the decision to evacuate themselves from town last night.
 
Reports by Al Jazeera and BBC Latin America say that at least one man was shot dead as an act of defense by the UN.  At least 10 others were injured and are being treated at Justinien Hospital, as was reported on the local news last night.
 
Today everything seems to be much quieter.  There was an eerie atmosphere driving around Cap Haitien this morning.  The streets were almost empty except for a few passersby.  A dead body half wrapped in a sheet had been abandoned near the town square.  Tires have been left burning in the middle of the roads and barricades are still in place all over the town.

 
As the day draws on the streets seems a little busier.  I can hear more gunfire every couple of minutes, but nothing too violent has passed close to me.
 
This situation is obviously having a detrimental effect to what can be provided to the Cholera victims.  MSF have been unable to receive their latest supplies or reach out to those clinics in the rest of the region so desperately needing support.  With one truck and a warehouse looted, many supplies are being wasted.  The network is still waiting on deliveries, but with the situation as it is, it poses many security concerns with regards to storing and distributing supplies.

Posted by Hannah ( 10:52 AM )
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