Haitian President Rene Preval urged calm Tuesday after violent unrest between locals and UN peacekeepers, some of whom are feared to have been the source of a deadly cholera outbreak.
"Disorder and instability have never brought solutions to a country going through hard times," Preval said in a recorded message.
He denounced groups — without naming them — for taking advantage of the cholera epidemic and natural disasters to spark unrest and fan flames between national authorities and the stricken population, and between locals and the UN mission in Haiti, known as MINUSTAH.
"You must be even more watchful of those who exploit the country's misfortunes for for their own benefit," the president added.
"Gunshots, throwing bottles, barricades of burning tires will not help us eradicate cholera bacteria. On the contrary, it will prevent the sick from receiving care and to deliver medicine where it is needed."
On Tuesday, young protesters and UN peacekeepers clashed again in several cities across the country.
In the northern city of Cap-Haitien — the second largest in the country of 10 million — youths threw rocks and bottles at UN vehicles in several neighborhoods.
The toll from the latest violence was unknown after two Haitians died in riots on Monday, including one shot by a peacekeeper in an incident that raised fears of further unrest targeting the unpopular MINUSTAH.
Preval urged his compatriots to avoid getting dragged into violence that would only worsen Haiti's already dire situation.
"The only way to confront cholera is to keep our solidarity with national authorities and the international community," he said.
The president also urged candidates and political parties in the November 28 presidential and legislative elections to "join in the chain of solidarity to fight cholera while campaigning."
A Nepalese UN peacekeeping contingent accused of being the source of the cholera outbreak has taken steps to reinforce its protection, the Nepalese army said in Kathmandu. Nepal has about 1,000 troops serving in the UN mission in Haiti.
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