Aristide pledges progress while thousands protest

Friday, January 2, 2004

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Clashes between protesters and police marred celebrations Thursday marking Haiti's 200th anniversary of independence as embattled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide vowed to save his country from poverty and turmoil. Underscoring deepening political divisions, more than 15,000 government supporters rallied outside the National Palace in the capital while about 5,000 presidential opponents marched toward downtown, shouting "Down with Aristide!"

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