A group of Haitians left homeless by a January 2010 earthquake demonstrated in Port-au-Prince on June 10 to demand action on the housing situation and an end to forced evictions from the displaced persons camps. "We've had enough of living in tents, we want decent housing" was one of the slogans. The protest followed violent evictions from camps in the Delmas section of Port-au-Prince carried out on May 23 and May 25 by Delmas municipal authorities and agents of the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

The protesters read a letter calling for Parliament to enact a program and a budget for the creation of new housing. Signed by representatives of more than 70 camps, the letter noted that evictions of displaced persons violate Article 22 of the 1987 Constitution, which requires the government to assure respect for each person's right to housing. "The forced expulsions fit in with a broad plan being implemented by the current administration" of rightwing president Michel Martelly, said Sanon Reyneld, who is a member of the Force for Reflection and Action on Housing (FRAKKA), an alliance of grassroots organizations and committees from the camps. (AlterPresse, Haiti, June 10; Radio Kiskeya, Haiti, June 10)

From Weekly News Update on the Americas, June 12.

See our last post on Haiti.