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Violence, Celebration and Demonstrations Follow Aristide’s Departure
Following this weekend’s violence, peace seems to have come to the Caribbean island nation of Haiti as top Haitian rebels promise to lay down their weapons and leave the capital. Embattled Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned at 6:45 a.m. local time Sunday, February 29 and left on an unmarked plane to temporary exile in the Central African Republic. The chief justice of the Supreme Court, Boniface Alexandre, was sworn in as transitional leader until elections in 2005.Meanwhile, on the streets of Haiti’s capital city, Port au Prince, Monday’s tense confusion was followed by celebrations on Tuesday morning, and demonstrations about the country's future leadership on Wednesday.
“I saw jubilant crowds passing World Vision’s office on their way downtown to join a crowd waving tree branches and shouting 'We're free’,” reports World Vision communications officer Kate Scannell Michel.
World Vision’s work has been largely curtailed by violence and insecurity for the past two weeks. Staff are returning to work this week and will distribute medical supplies to hospitals in the city of Hinche in the Central Plateau region. World Vision plans to resume development activities throughout the region soon.
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