Haitians march for Aristide's return

[CHIMO]

Thousands of supporters of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the exiled Haitian president, have taken to the capital's streets for his return. They also demanded that political prisoners be freed.

The protest march in Port-au-Prince, which witnesses said had about 30,000 people, was largely peaceful barring a brief standoff with UN peacekeepers and riot police.

It was held on the 53rd birthday of Aristide, who lives in South Africa. Protesters danced to drums, chanted "Aristide is king" and sang happy birthday to the exiled leader.

Jean Woody Pierre-Paul, a spokesman for the marchers, said: "We want Aristide back, because he is Haitian, not South African."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/047C5AF8-3776-4AED-BA5D-28F7BC501C4C.htm

[maddezmom]

1. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2392144