PORT-AU-PRINCE — Champ-de-Mars, once a celebrated public space in Haiti that drew throngs of visitors – adults, teenagers and children alike – with its attractions and fun activities is now in a state. No longer are cycling, the movies, musical acts and other entertainment the norm. After years of crises, these have long become just memories.
These days, the sight of waste, putrid water, monuments falling apart, playground where children once played lies in ruin, and displaced residents seeking shelter are more likely to greet passersby. From the Rex movie theater at the plaza, the sound of gunshots reverberates loudest, a too-frequent signal of gang fights taking place in nearby Martissant and Village de Dieu.
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