Carnival sparks tensions in Haiti, where protesting cops took to the streets — again
New tensions erupted in Haiti Wednesday as its U.S.-backed Haiti National Police force seem headed to an implosion after a spontaneous protest by police officers demanding the right to unionize led to blocked roads, burned Carnival floats and burning tires on the streets of Port-au-Prince.
Coming just three days before Carnival, the pre-Lenten three-day street party that includes masqueraders and performers on colorful floats, Wednesday’s protest was triggered by the firing of five Haiti National Police officers by the police high command. The officers are involved in the unionization effort and led a protest Monday that resulted in the burning of Carnival viewing stands on the Champ de Mars.
Accusing the officers of doing “a lot of damage,” acting Haiti Prime Minister Jean-Michel Lapin said the incident on the Champ de Mars by the officers “put the population in a difficult situation.”
“They fired shots, they burned government property,” he said of the officers.
Later, declaring that Kanaval is a tradition, Lapin said despite the burning of the stands, the street party would still take place Sunday through Tuesday as planned.
Lapin’s words, however, seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Outraged by the green light on Carnival and their own lack of security, a group of officers took to the streets. This time they were not only protesting their low pay, lack of healthcare and poor working conditions, but the firing of their fellow officers who were fighting to get their union officially recognized, despite being prohibited by internal regulations.
Clad in civilian clothing with police T-shirts underneath and their faces hidden, the officers fanned out across the capital on foot and on motorcycles, and used cars, SUVs, buses and burning tires to paralyze traffic.
Dubbed “Operation Block the Road,” it involved demonstrators stopping motorists and asking them to step out of their vehicles. The vehicles were then used to block major arteries. The keys to more than 50 vehicles were later dropped off at a local radio station, Radio Television Caraibes.
By sundown, the peaceful protest turned chaotic with police firing shots in the air. As the protesting cops, now joined by sympathetic civilians and anti-government militants, made their way to the Champ de Mars, the staging ground for Carnival and site of the presidential palace, the revived army and special tactic police units were called out.
Rather than risk a confrontation, the protesters took a detour and headed for Sylvio Cator Stadium, where the Carnival floats are kept. Soon, floats were set ablaze. When firefighters arrived, the crowd shouted, “We don’t need firefighters,” local radio reported.
This coming weekend’s Carnival has been a hot topic of debate both among Haitians in the country and abroad. At issue is whether Haiti, with its resurgence in kidnappings, disgruntled police, sinking economy and lack of a legitimate government, can afford to spend as much as $820,000 — the price tag Haiti’s cash-strapped government estimates it will need to spend on the festival.
Meanwhile, Haiti’s human rights and law communities are divided on the question about whether the police should be allowed to unionize. The Office of International Lawyers, in a statement, said rather than choosing confrontation, the police hierarchy should respect police officers demands for freedom of association.
Samuel Madistin, a lawyer and human rights advocate, says the organizing effort is a matter of public interest and Haiti, with its insecurity problems, cannot afford police officers going on strike. Haiti also does not have a law governing unions in the public sector, he said.
On Wednesday during the protest, unknown individuals attempted to burn down Madistin’s law offices by setting fire to a generator and cars in the parking lot. When firefighters, who are apart of the police, arrived, their truck had no water, Madistin told Magic 9 radio station.
This story was originally published February 19, 2020 at 8:19 PM.
