#4383: Carey comments on Pierre's comment on the elections (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Henry F. Chip Carey <polhfc@langate.gsu.edu>

H. Pierre wrote: "I think it's an interesting question. However, the answer is not in 
legalities. It is rather a political issue.

We all know what the precedent is here: that in 1990, 1995 and 1997, the 
procedure used now was not challenged by anyone. Many of us know as well that 
precedents in English common law, take the force of law. The United States 
legal system is based on British common law. So if it was truly a legal 
issue, the U.S would not for instance, be alongside of those other European 
nations questionning the validity of the election results, based on the 
accounting of the votes. "

The answer is certain ONLY in "the legalities."  Otherwise, let us give up the 
pretense of rule of law or democracy in Haiti.

The counting procedure was NOT used in 1990-1991.  What was done was 
to ignore the 300,000 to 500,000 ballots and tally sheets that were lost.  That 
is why there was supposedly only a 50% turnout in the first round in 1990 when 
99% of the population voted.   Similar efforts were done in 1995 and 1997 and 
virtually the entire opposition in both elections boycotted the second rounds.  
OPL was the only party participating in the second round in 1995.  
Then, the rump OPL boycotted with the remaining others and the second round 
was never held in 1997.  Look what happened as a result of not following the electoral law.  
In 2000, the opposition has said again, count all the balllots according to the 1999 
electoral law  come clean about what were lost.  The electoral commission did not 
come clean in the past and tried to keep it quiet again, only this time, instead of 
incompetence, there is unambiguous evidence of ineptitude and fraud. 

The fraud this time seeks to eliminate a loyal opposition.  In democracy, the winners 
do not win everything and the losers do not lose anything. 
There is no Haitian version of democracy that says the opposite; there is only Aristide's 
and Duvalier's and most other leaders of Haiti.  Those who want to castigate the international
community for interference do not accept universal human rights and human rights monitoring.



******************
Assistant Professor of Political Science
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA 30303
tel: 404-651-4845
fax: 404-651-1434
POLHFC@langate.gsu.edu