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<font face="Arial" size="2"><< <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.rnddh.org">www.rnddh.org</a>
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Declaration<br>
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align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b style=""><span
style="font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 0); font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"
lang="FR"><font color="#000000" face="Bookman Old Style" size="4">HUNGER
RIOTS:<br>
RNDDH's position on the latest developments that occurred in the country<br>
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align="center"><font face="Arial" size="2"><b style=""><span
style="font-size: 14pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 0); font-family: 'Century Schoolbook';"
lang="FR"><o:p><font color="#000000" face="Bookman Old Style" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></b></font></div>
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<font size="2"><span
style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-variant: small-caps;"
lang="FR"></span></font><font face="Bookman Old Style"><span
style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style';" lang="FR"></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">The
Préval/Alexis government, upon its arrival in power in 2006, pledged to
address
two major challenges: insecurity and the high cost of living. In terms
of
insecurity, even if a lot remains to be done, one need not exaggerate
to say
that the government has produced numerous efforts toward bringing calm
to areas
of risk</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">—</span><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">those
completely controlled by
armed gangs, most notably Cité Soleil, Bel’Air, Grand-Ravine,
Martissant,
Gonaives, etc. Several gang leaders have been arrested. Numerous
kidnappers
have been judged and convicted over the course of the 2006 and 2007
criminal
trials. This has fostered a climate of calm, and activities that were
previously paralyzed have been able to restart. However, no effort has
been
made to improve the population’s socioeconomic conditions, particularly
regarding food. In the space of two years, the Haitian population has
witnessed
a phenomenal rise in the price of basic necessities making the right to
food,
one aspect of the right to life, a violated right. An eruption of the
situation
was to be expected.<o:p></o:p></span><br>
<br>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">In
effect, April 3 to 11, 2008, a wave of protests against the high cost
of living
spread throughout the country. The demonstrations began in Cayes then
spread to
numerous different locations without any particular group claiming
responsibility. The demands, though, were similar: reduction of the
price for
products of basic necessity, access to the right to food, resignation
of the
government, departure of MINUSTAH, etc. These demonstrations gathered
hundreds
of thousands of people and were an occasion for the population to
present its
legitimate and justified demands through rhythmic chants and slogans.
At the
same time, as legitimate as these protest movements were, they were
blemished
by acts of violence, rape, theft, looting, arson, and resulted in
deaths.<br>
<o:p></o:p></span><br>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">The
governmental and law enforcement authorities, as their first step,
showed
complete indifference regarding their obligations to protect the lives
and
property of people. </span><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif";">Public
and private property were thus left to the mercy of ill-intentioned
people...</span></font>
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