At least five dead in two-day Dominican Republic general strike

Friday, January 30, 2004

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP): President Hipolito Mejia on Thursday called on labour leaders to end a general strike to protest the peso's sharp devaluation, soaring inflation and persistent power outages, in which at least five protesters have died by official count.

"We all lose with a strike," Mejia said.

Unionists and leftists launched the 48-hour strike to protest Mejia's economic policies. They demanded a foreign debt moratorium, a two-year ban on imported luxury goods and relief from inflation.

Presidential spokesman Luis Gonzalez Fabra Wednesday called the protesters' conduct "excellent" on Wednesday. However, on Thursday, police spokesman Ramon Rodriguez said that three were killed in street clashes. Police in Nagua, 112 miles northwest of the capital, reported one death from a gunshot. Police in La Romana 70 miles to the east, said a protester died in a clash with police and soldiers.

"We are fulfilling our duties, as we have always done, assuring the people's security," army commander Jorge Zorrilla Ozuna said.

The grip of the general strike on Wednesday loosened Thursday as traffic began to circulate. Business was slower Thursday than on a normal weekday, but remained paralyzed downtown.

Mejia has insisted the country's agreement with the International Monetary Fund will improve the economy, but said the demonstrators' demands could not be met immediately.

The peso's exchange rate has slipped from 32 to 50 against the US dollar this month alone. Last year inflation hit 43 percent. 

  Back...

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version