News / International
Haitian Elections: Candidates call for the vote to be annulled, alleging fraud.
29 Nov 2010 at 21:30hrs | Views
Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council has declared Sunday's presidential
and legislative elections a success, despite widespread complaints of
chaos and mismanagement at polling stations.
Twelve of the 19 presidential candidates have called for the vote to be annulled, alleging fraud. They accuse outgoing President Rene Preval of conspiring to hand the presidency to his party's candidate, Jude Celestin.
On Monday, a spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement saying the U.N. chief is concerned following the incidents that marked the first round of the elections. The spokesperson said Mr. Ban looks forward to a solution to the political crisis in the country and has called on the Haitian people and all political actors to remain calm.
Within hours of the election's start Sunday, chaos and confusion erupted in the streets and at the polling stations around the tiny Caribbean nation, ravaged this year by a massive earthquake and cholera outbreak. Officials say two deaths have been reported in election violence.
Allegations of irregularities nearly brought the election to a halt. They ranged from outright fraud to polling place disorganization that disenfranchised many Haitians.
Many voters had no idea where to vote, while others arrived at polling stations to find that their names were not on the rolls.
Thousands of people took to the streets around the country in protest against Sunday's elections.
Despite the protests and calls for the vote's cancellation, the electoral council said there were irregularities at only 56 of 1,500 voting centers.
Haitians also voted for a 99-member lower house and 11 members of the 30-seat Senate.
A runoff election would be held on January 16, if needed.
The January 12 earthquake in Haiti killed some 250,000 people and left about 1 million others homeless.
Twelve of the 19 presidential candidates have called for the vote to be annulled, alleging fraud. They accuse outgoing President Rene Preval of conspiring to hand the presidency to his party's candidate, Jude Celestin.
On Monday, a spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement saying the U.N. chief is concerned following the incidents that marked the first round of the elections. The spokesperson said Mr. Ban looks forward to a solution to the political crisis in the country and has called on the Haitian people and all political actors to remain calm.
Within hours of the election's start Sunday, chaos and confusion erupted in the streets and at the polling stations around the tiny Caribbean nation, ravaged this year by a massive earthquake and cholera outbreak. Officials say two deaths have been reported in election violence.
Allegations of irregularities nearly brought the election to a halt. They ranged from outright fraud to polling place disorganization that disenfranchised many Haitians.
Many voters had no idea where to vote, while others arrived at polling stations to find that their names were not on the rolls.
Despite the protests and calls for the vote's cancellation, the electoral council said there were irregularities at only 56 of 1,500 voting centers.
Haitians also voted for a 99-member lower house and 11 members of the 30-seat Senate.
A runoff election would be held on January 16, if needed.
The January 12 earthquake in Haiti killed some 250,000 people and left about 1 million others homeless.
Source - byo24
