With the launch of a new round of demonstrations, opponents of the government of Jovenel Moise are signaling that time has come for him to leave peacefully on February 7. With 20 days left in his mandate, President Moise is trying to extend his mandate, while most of the population is ready to boot him out by force, if necessary. In Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Gonaives, St Marc, Miragoane, Cap Haitien and other major towns militants led demonstrations that sometimes turned into fights with the police, especially in Port-au-Prince where burning tires blocked roads early in the day.
In Cap Haitien militants from grassroots organizations took the pavement in defiance of the rapacious and illegal government heading the country. With this show of angry rejection, the whole society was represented in their wanting Jovenel Moise to be gone from the palace on February 7. As most persons in the population say, it’s the end of his constitutional mandate and he must respect it. The people are supreme and their will must be respected. Jovenel is heading down the wrong path if he thinks he will prevail in his attempt to stay in power until 2022, and beyond if allowed. Judging from the resistance shown so far it will take the killing of many persons, some of them well known political figures, and the jailing of hundreds of militants in prisons already overflowing with political prisoners.
The new administration of President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris will not agree to murder en masse in Haiti, if it comes to that. There was a time when they could look the other way, but militants in the media and in the population of the USA will not allow this. Already some persons marched in Miami and New York to show support for the movement for a free society in Haiti. They will continue to support the ouster of President Moise and the PHTK come February 7, and it will be good riddance. This day of January 15 signals the start of a new mobilization to bring fresh air in Haiti, and remove the stench of theft and ineptitude.
The police themselves are planning demonstrations to get support for the syndicate they’re trying to make official. For awhile the rank and file has been trying to get the high command and the presidency to accept the incorporation of the syndicate they have organized. Since their efforts have not had success, wether peaceful or violent, they continue to look for support from the population. So the police, which is main support for the government, is far from dependable, and that is one of the reasons Jovenel uses the gangs to hold the population down. This can only get him so far, before too many people take to the streets and force the gangs to retreat. The Prime Minister seems to want action against the gangs as well, and word of the death of a major gang leader in Artibonite lead the news reports lately. But people are skeptical because too many in the government have direct contact with known gangsters.
The end is near for the nightmare Haiti has lived under the past ten years. The international club composed of “Friends of Haiti” needs to step back and take care of their own problems, like covid, unemployment, poverty, racism…… Let Haitians take care of their own problems, and stop interfering. This will be the best aid we get.
Dèyè Mon 