By Hervé Noel, Rezo Nodwes, July 24, 2024
At the initiative of the Commission de dialogue, réconciliation et conscientisation pour sauver l'Artibonite (Commission for dialogue, reconciliation and awareness-raising to save Artibonite), citizens are preparing to take to the streets on July 29 to protest against insecurity, the recklessness of the members of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), as well as that Prime Minister Dr Garry Conille. The march will start at the intersection of Pont-Sondé and Route Nationale No. 1, and end in front of the headquarters of l’Organisation de développement de la vallée de l’Artibonite )Organization for the Development of the Artibonite Valley - ODVA).
At the end of the demonstration, a final message will be sent to the transitional authorities on the unacceptable situation experienced by farmers in Artibonite. The initiators are calling for the mobilization of Haitian National Police (PNH) and Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) equipment to serve the population, which is fed up with the terror of armed gangs.
For the past four years, rice production in the Artibonite valley has been at half-mast, due to the persistence of gang violence. In the face of indifference on the part of the relevant authorities, two armed groups ("Kokorat san ras" and "Gran-Grif") kill, kidnap and hold farmers to ransom on a daily basis. According to the call for participation and the awareness-raising spot launched on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, this movement is part of an effort to force the authorities to take action.
Translated by CHIP editors
Posted July 26, 2024