Uneasy calm in Haiti after food price protests

By Joseph Guyler Delva

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haitian President Rene Preval told demonstrators to "cool it" on Wednesday as he sought to end days of violent protests over soaring food prices in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

His appeal, in a national address, brought an uneasy calm to Haiti a day after protesters paralyzed the capital and tried to storm the presidential palace to demand government action over the cost of food.

Some in the poorest country in the Americas warned that unrest could erupt again at any moment.

"To those who are stirring up violence, I order you to stop because it is not going to solve the problem," Preval said.

"Poze," said Preval, telling protesters in Creole to "cool it" in a recorded message from the National Palace, which was protected by barbed wire and U.N. peacekeeping troops backed by trucks and armored personnel carriers.

Preval outlined possible subsidies to increase domestic production of staples like rice and other foodstuffs.

His speech came after at least five people were killed during a week of violence triggered by skyrocketing food prices in Haiti, where 80 percent of the population makes do on less than $2 a day and few have full-time jobs.

A combination of high fuel prices, rising demand for food in Asia, the use of farmland and crops for biofuels, bad weather and speculation on futures markets have pushed up food prices worldwide.

There have been violent outbursts in several poor countries as well as Haiti.

Small groups of protesters returned to the streets of Port-au-Prince early to rebuild barricades taken down by police overnight. Columns of thick black smoke rose from parts of the sprawling city as demonstrators set fire to piles of tires.

There were sporadic reports of looting in some areas and many roads were impassable due to the unrest.

The city's teeming Streets seemed to empty soon after Preval's address. Barricades were cleared and police and U.N. peacekeepers patrolled silently in many areas.

Small groups of defiant demonstrators, still idling about in some areas after Preval spoke, said he offered no immediate solution to the food crisis and people's gnawing hunger.

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"President Preval spoke like an observer," said Joasil Monfort, who took part in protests near the presidential palace. "What we want him to do is take action to lower the cost of living," he said.