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Haiti Police Protest, Threaten Rebellion if Demands Are Not Met

Sandra Lemaire

   Hundreds of Haiti's national police officers (PNH) were in the streets
   of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and the northern city of Cape Haitian
   Sunday, demanding better work conditions and a union to represent and
   defend their rights. This is the second time in a month police have
   protested.

   "We need a union that can represent us when things aren't good," a
   member of POLIFRONT, Haiti's Border Police unit of the National Police,
   told VOA Creole. He was in uniform and wearing a black face mask. "I'm
   talking about abuse, our meager 19,000 (Haitian gourdes) salary (about
   $208), which is not enough."

     This policeman from the POLIFRONT unit of [1]@pnh_officiel says they
     need a union to defend and protect their rights. ð¹Matiado Vilme
     [2]@VOAKreyol [3]#Haiti [4]pic.twitter.com/6AoAu70fBO
     -- Sandra Lemaire (@SandraDVOA) [5]November 17, 2019

   The officer said the police are suffering because they don't enjoy the
   same benefits reserved for their leaders, and they don't have anyone to
   represent and defend them when they need it most.

   "If we remain strong, we'll get everything we need," another police
   protester, dressed in civilian clothing, from the Mobilized
   Intervention Unit (BMI) of the national police told VOA.

     This policeman of the Mobilized Intervention unit of
     [6]@pnh_officiel says an 8 hour workday limit is essential to the
     officers. He believes the constitution will prevail and their
     demands will become a reality. ð¹Matiado Vilme [7]#Haiti
     [8]pic.twitter.com/FErnXQDzt6
     -- Sandra Lemaire (@SandraDVOA) [9]November 17, 2019

   "The police is a legal force, recognized by the constitution, which
   also gives us the right to form a union. So if the constitution allows
   us to form a union, that means we will have it one way or another. And
   we should only be working eight hours a day, according to the law," he
   added.

   According to the officer, although a law was passed and signed by the
   director of the national police force, it has not gone into effect, and
   police officers often are subjected to long work days.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/pnh_officiel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://twitter.com/VOAKreyol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   3. https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   4. https://t.co/6AoAu70fBO
   5. https://twitter.com/SandraDVOA/status/1196194885310799872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   6. https://twitter.com/pnh_officiel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   7. https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   8. https://t.co/FErnXQDzt6
   9. https://twitter.com/SandraDVOA/status/1196205161674412032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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