Strike Paralyzes Second-Largest City

A general strike organized by the political opposition shut down much of Haiti’s second-largest city, while slum dwellers in the capital set up barricades to protest the lack of government services.

In the northern coastal city of Cap-Haitien, the two-day general strike closed schools, government offices and most businesses. Banks remained open.

Late in the afternoon, a small group of pro-government demonstrators and politicians was chased off the streets by rock-throwing opposition supporters. But no one was injured during the first day of the strike, which the 15-party opposition alliance Convergence organized to protest the policies of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.