Haiti’s Culture Ministry fires workers over citadel stampede that killed 25

At least nine people have been arrested following the stampede, including police officers and ministry employees.Haiti has begun three days of national mourning, following a deadly stampede at the Citadelle Laferriere in the northern part of the country.At least 25 people were killed in the crush that formed at the entrance of the popular tourist site on Saturday, with some visitors pressing to exit while others pushed to enter.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3At least 70 killed, 30 wounded in Haiti gang attack, rights group sayslist 2 of 3First troops from UN-backed Gang Suppression Force arrive in Haitilist 3 of 3At least 30 dead in stampede at Haiti’s historic Citadelle Laferriereend of listOn Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture and Communication announced that two government officials were fired in the aftermath of the stampede.One, a director with the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage, was accused of “serious negligence”. The other, who served in the Ministry of Culture and Communication, was criticised for “biased passivity”.“The Ministry of Culture and Communication, without going into the details of the criminal investigation, believes that the tragedy at La Citadelle is the result of administrative negligence,” it said in a statement.The government, it added, “will fully assume its responsibilities”, as the event “must outrage the public conscience”.The tragedy marks one of several crises the Haitian government is facing as it approaches its first round of general elections later this year.Already, nine suspects have been arrested in connection with the deadly stampede, including five police officers and two employees from the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage.The crush of people took place as a local DJ held an event at the citadel, a 19th-century fortress commissioned after the Haitian Revolution, when Haiti’s enslaved population overthrew French colonial rule.