5499: Council Publishes List Of Haitian Election Candidates (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: "BriceWebb, Carline" <CBriceWebb@oas.org>

Dow Jones Newswires
Council Publishes List Of Haitian Election Candidates
Dow Jones Newswires (The Wall Street Journal)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)--Haiti's elections council Monday announced a
definitive list of candidates for the presidential election, amid doubts
that it will be held Nov. 26 as planned.
The list shows former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, 47, running against
six unknown candidates, so almost certainly guaranteed a landslide that may
raise questions about the legitimacy of the election.
The unequal contest became inevitable after the Organization of American
States failed in several attempts to get boycotting opposition parties to
provide some semblance of competition.
The electoral council did not announce the date for the opening of the
campaign, and last week President Rene Preval said technical difficulties
may force it to postpone the election until mid-December.
"We cannot condition the elections on a political agreement," said Preval,
Aristide's protege and hand-picked successor. But whatever the date, he
added, he had to step down as scheduled Feb. 7.
All Haiti's main opposition parties are boycotting to protest alleged fraud
in local and legislative balloting earlier this year that gave Aristide's
party more than 80% of offices.
The international community objected to the method used to calculate 10
Senate seats given to Aristide candidates. The United States and the
European Union have threatened to cut aid as a result, which could prove
detrimental to the impoverished Caribbean nation.
Preval has accused them of interfering in an internal matter.
The United States and the United Nations have refused to give funds and
technical assistance for the presidential elections.
Aristide's opponents are:
-Businessman Calixte Dorisca, 49, an independent candidate who shuttles
between homes in New York City and Port-au-Prince.
-Teacher and engineer Jacques Philippe Dorce, 54, whose great-grandfather
was president of Haiti 1878-79.
-Protestant pastor Arnold Dumas, 62, who won less than 1% of votes in 1995.
-Computer scientist Paul Arthur Fleurival, 43, whose father participated in
a foiled coup attempt against Aristide in 1991.
-Politician and former army officer Evans Nicolas, 46, from the small
right-wing Union for National Reconstruction.
-Sociologist and human rights militant Serge Sylvain, 48, an independent.