20 000 rally for Aristide
22/01/2004 08:27  - (SA)  

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Port-Au-Prince - More than 20 000 people marched through the Haitian capital on Wednesday in a show of support for President Jean Bertrand Aristide, who is under mounting opposition pressure to resign.

The demonstration came hours after police used tear gas to prevent an attempted anti-government opposition by students at Port-au-Prince university.

Police also fired shots to break up a student demonstration against Aristide in the northern town of Gonaives. Three people were wounded, according to witnesses.

Several people have been killed or wounded in political rallies against Aristide in recent days.

The pro-Aristide rally headed for the presidential palace from different parties of the capital of the poorest nation in the hemisphere. Demonstrators held up outspread hands with their fingers signifying Aristide's five-year term.

Aristide is resisting opposition demands that he step down after just three years of his current term.

A Radio Vision 2000 broadcaster called the march a response to several opposition marches that have demanded Aristide's ouster.

Demonstrators also opposed opposition demands that parents bring their children out of schools in a boycott protest against Aristide.

Waving flags

Aristide's backers followed the crowds in automobiles waving flags.

Earlier, anti-riot police used tear gas to prevent an anti-Aristide protest at the School of Social Sciences of Port-au-Prince. Students and teachers demanded that Aristide resign and backed the school boycott.

The Gonaives protest was by law school students.

Aristide pledged a week ago to hold legislative elections within six months in a bid to defuse mounting unrest in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

But the opposition dismissed the offer.

The opposition has been demanding that Aristide step down since legislative elections in May 2000, which opponents said were fixed by his Lavalas party.

The Organisation of American States and Caribbean neighbours have tried to mediate, without success.

Aristide has been accused of corruption and mismanagement.

The Haitian church has proposed to set up a special council made up of representatives from political parties, religious organisations and human rights groups to help Aristide organise elections.

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