Haitian president promises elections within six months

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

MONTERREY, Mexico (AFP): Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide pledged Tuesday to hold legislative elections within six months in a bid to defuse mounting unrest in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

"The exact date has not been established. It will be necessary to speak with the opposition to find the best time," said Aristide, who made his announcement at the Summit of the Americas in the Mexican city of Monterrey.

But the opposition dismissed the offer in Haiti which has seen months of opposition protests that have claimed several dead and dozens of wounded.

In Port-au-Prince, Serge Gilles, one of the opposition spokesmen, said "these are statements for external use. Everyone knows he cannot organise elections in six months except elections for the ruling Lavalas party."

Gilles, a leading socialist activist, said the opposition wanted an agreement between political parties under which Aristide leaves office.

Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, attended the summit as Haiti's legislative process ground to a halt. The mandate of 83 deputies and two thirds of the 27 senators ended Monday night because no new elections had been called.

Aristide had previously promised elections in 2004 but had not set a date.

But, he declared Tuesday: "I am very pleased to organize these elections so I propose the next semester for dialogue both with opposition entities, civil society and businessmen."

Aristide warned, however: "Haiti must respect the language of voting." And he refused several times to give a concrete date for an election.

"Let's now go to the elections to see what the percentage is of those who are going to vote for us, and what it is with the rest," he told reporters.

"This violence is unacceptable," he said. "The students aren't happy, I am also not happy. They have the right to express their position, but a distinction has to be made between (real) students and false students."

On Monday students staged new demonstrations, one day after between 20,000 and 30,000 people took part in one of the biggest rallies yet against Aristide in Port-au-Prince.

During protests in the past week, a number of opposition demonstrators have been wounded by shots fired by activists of the ruling Lavalas party.

The opposition has been demanding that Aristide step down since legislative elections in May 2000, which opponents said were fixed by Lavalas.

The Organisation of American States and Caribbean neighbours have tried to mediate, without success.

Aristide has been accused of corruption and mismanagement. He still has two years of his five-year term to serve but refuses to step down.

The Haitian church has proposed setting up a special council, made up of representatives from political parties, different religions and human rights groups, to help Aristide organise elections.

The president has said he welcomes the plan but the opposition maintains there can be no progress without Aristide's resignation. 

  Back...

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version