Silence Greets The Branches

A nationwide strike ended last week, but Haitians continued to demonstrate against the government of Lieut. General Henri Namphy. Protesters marched on the National Palace, waving branches symbolizing the "uprooting" of the regime. Four days later 10,000 snaked through Port-au-Prince chanting "Namphy go!"

The crisis began last month, when the government, defying Haiti's three- month-old constitution, took control of the electoral process. Although Namphy reversed his action, the response did not quell public furor. The general has only made matters worse by retreating into silence. Says a Haitian historian: "Unless Namphy comes to his senses and opens a dialogue, there could be a bloodbath." Now it is up to Namphy to decide whether he will lead Haitians to the polls -- or to civil war.