2 Americans locked up as Haiti gov’t cracks down on pro-army advocates
2 Americans locked up as Haiti gov’t cracks down on pro-army advocates
By Associated Press, Updated: Saturday, May 19, 8:05 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Haiti moved to crack down on a band of former and would-be soldiers who had been staging protests for more than a year, closing two old military bases they had occupied and locking up dozens of participants in a pro-army march including two Americans.
National police spokesman Gary Desrosiers said the Americans were jailed because they were acting as if they were part of Haiti’s military on Friday during a demonstration to demand that President Michel Martelly restore the country’s armed forces, which was abolished in 1995 because of its abusive record.
The march by hundreds of former soldiers and their young recruits in Haiti’s capital turned violent and 50 participants were detained.
On Saturday, authorities said Americans Zeke Petrie, 39, of Barberton, Ohio; and Steven Shaw, 57, of Massachusetts, were among those in jail. Police say they were driving vehicles with pro-army demonstrators in the march when they were picked up a few blocks from the National Palace.
More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/2-americans-locked-up-as-haiti-govt-cracks-down-on-pro-army-advocates/2012/05/19/gIQApR7mbU_story.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Sounds like a "kind spirited" macho type of person who believes force is necessary to control the country.
Like these fellows (source from Google images, don't care):
He says he's Haitian-American on his FaceBook page (where someone who has friended him has chastised him for being with that group): http://www.facebook.com/ZekeofHaiti
