Cap-Haitien, Haiti: Haiti said Friday’s farewell for his president who was killed by Jovenel Moise under strict security at the country’s cemetery which was damaged by a gunshot outside the venue, highlighted the instability of the poor Caribbean countries.
More than two weeks after the 53-year-old Moise was shot dead at his home in Port-au-Prince in the early hours of July 7, he was buried in Cap-Haitien, the main city in his northern region.
In the open cemetery that lasts several hours, Moise’s coffin wrapped in a red, white and blue flag and president’s sling, and surrounded by flowers.
The military guard continued to watch, and the army did the national anthem and the President.
One by one, representatives from the government and foreign diplomats stopped to pay homage to Moise Martine’s widow – who was seriously injured in an attack that killed her husband, and needed treatment in the United States.
He has his arm in a sling and wears a black hat and a mask carrying a photo of her late husband on the one hand.
“What evil did you do to be the right to be like that?” He asked the emotional speech, referring to Haitian’s politics “rotten and unfair” and confirmed that her husband had tried to clean it before “cruelly killed.” “Last night, he found the whole system lined up against him,” said the widow, however, he was not looking for “revenge or violence.” Despite his praise, the president’s late was not a popular person – many people accused him of failing to make progress in many of the country’s misery.
And in a sign of a chronic Haitian security problem, despite a strong police presence on the streets of Cap-Haitien, gunfire was heard during the funeral, pushing some who were present to leave early.
US President Joe Biden has sent a high-level delegation to the funeral, including his ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and his new special envoy for Haiti, Daniel Foote.
“Members of the President’s delegation for President Moise’s funeral had arrived safely back to the United States,” Thomas-Greenfield said in a statement, underlining his country’s commitment “to support inclusive and peaceful dialogue in Haiti.” US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington remained “very concerned about the situation on the ground in Haiti.” “We strongly urge all parties to express themselves peacefully, and ask Haitian leaders to explain that their supporters must refrain from violence,” Sullivan said in a statement.
So far, more than 20 people have been arrested in connection with Moise’s murder, most of them Colombia, and the police said the plot was organized by Haiti with political ambition and abroad.
But the case remained gloomy, with many unanswered questions, such as how no members of the presidential security details were injured in the Brazilian attack.
Haitian residents have expressed shock that they were in charge of protecting the president and his house disappointed him very much.
Haiti was full of strong crimes and gangs – a problem that was exacerbated during the Moise Presidency earlier this week, clashes broke out in Cap-Haitien when police chief Leon Charles visited ahead of the ceremony.
He was liquor and heckled while checking security settings for the funeral by locals who blamed him for not protecting Moise.
In stamp Haitien on Friday, several roads were blocked by barricades and cars in the fire.
Some businesses are burned.
Local and foreign journalists are attacked by protesters.
Warning ceremony to honor Moise has been held this week in Port-au-Prince too.
Attending one of them was New Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was sworn on Tuesday and vowed to restore order and regulate the old elections sought by Haiti and the international community.
Haiti currently does not have a parliament working and only a handful of selected senators.
The temporary government mounted this week has no president.
Washington said the election must be held later this year.
Moise ruled Haiti, the poorest country in America, with a decree after legislative elections due in 2018 was postponed in following several disputes.
As well as the presidential, legislative and local election, Haiti had been caused by a constitutional referendum in September after being delayed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.