The Miami Herald newspaper is reporting that thousands of persons demonstrated in Haiti on the weekend to protest against Jamaica’s treatment of the country's under-17 soccer team during a World Cup qualifying tournament in Montego Bay.

The team was sent home late last week after three members were diagnosed with malaria.

According to the Miami Herald, the marchers, who gathered for three hours on Saturday, expressed outrage that the Haitian players were treated poorly after being placed in quarantine.

Former Haitian Government Minister Alix Jean-Baptiste, who was among the protesters, called for a boycott of all Jamaican products in the country and elsewhere.

The newspaper reported President of the Haitian Football Federation, Dr. Yves Jean-Bart, as saying that the team was forced to withdraw from the competition after the Jamaican authorities were pressured to send team members home because several became ill.

Dr. Jean-Bart, a medical doctor, said the problems began as soon as the delegation of 28 arrived in Montego Bay on February 3.

It is reported that the players were immediately subjected to medical screenings at the airport.

Days later, two of the players came down with malaria.

Read full article at the RJR Online here:
http://rjrnewsonline.com/news/local/haitians-stage-anti-jamaican-protests

and the Miami Herald here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/19/v-fullstory/2076053/haitians-decry...