Gonaives, Haiti
Rebels seized 11 Haitian cities this week, torching police stations and demanding the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The uprising began in Gonaives, Haiti’s fourth-largest city, when a youth gang chased police out of town. A team of 150 officers tried to retake the city but retreated after a fierce gun battle. Forty people, including seven policemen, died over three days. Aristide’s spokesman said the opposition was trying to seize power it couldn’t win in elections. A rebel, Axel Philippe, said Aristide was corrupt and had brought the violence on himself. “After Aristide leaves,” he said, “the country will return to normal.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The Icelandic women’s strike 50 years onIn The Spotlight The nation is ‘still no paradise’ for women, say campaigners
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
-
Why scientists are attempting nuclear fusionThe Explainer Harnessing the reaction that powers the stars could offer a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free energy, and the race is hotting up
