The 48-hour protest strike that brought the country to a virtual standstill on Wednesday and Thursday came to an end at 6:00am today – not 6:00pm yesterday as was reported in Thursday’s DR1 news. Friday’s newspapers are reporting up to eight dead, dozens injured and 500 detained during the strike period. The dead range from innocent bystanders hit by stray bullets or flying objects to people shot in confrontations with security forces or “masked individuals” allegedly linked to the PPH (supporters of President Mejia). One of the injured was a young man who blew off his own hand with a home-made bomb he was planning to detonate. The support it received from the public, which was almost universal, means that the strike is being classified as a success, but the violence and resulting casualties are highlighted by the media as a regrettable toll. The deaths occurred in Nagua, Santiago, San Francisco de Macoris, La Romana and in the Santo Domingo slum districts of Capotillo and Los Alcarrizos. Some areas – like Navarrete and Licey al Medio near Santiago, traditional hotspots for violent protests – were patrolled by over-flying helicopters as well as an increased military presence. The strike organizers detained by the authorities earlier in the week were all released yesterday.
Jose Alfredo Rizek of the Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (Finjus) criticized the police actions, which had been described by the authorities as necessary for the leaders’ protection. Rizek said that in the absence of evidence that pointed to a specific criminal plot against the detainees, such arrests could not be justified. “The authorities’ duty would be to alert the police for them pursue the suspects,” said Rizek. The organizers called the two-day strike in protest of the IMF agreement and to demand price reductions and salary increases. In a statement yesterday they condemned the “brutal repression” which has taken place and announced that they would meet in early February to assess the impact of this strike and to plan further days of protest.