16095: Karshan: Haiti's president confident of elections for this year (AP) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: MKarshan@aol.com


Haiti's president confident of elections for this year

2003-07-05 / Associated Press /
Haitian President Jean Bertrand-Aristide said he's confident his beleaguered
government can end a stalemate with the opposition and hold legislative
elections this year.

Speaking to reporters at a Caribbean summit Thursday, Aristide said his
government is "trying to feed that process of dialogue in order to go to
elections," though he wouldn't give an exact date.

"We want to have those elections this year. It's still possible," he said.
"We still wish soon the opposition will give the green light to make it happen."

The opposition and Aristide have been at loggerheads over holding a new vote
since flawed legislative elections in May 2000.

Two opposition blocs and five civil society groups have refused to
participate in an electoral council until the government creates a secure environment
for the elections.

In an effort to break the stalemate last year, the Organization of American
States passed two resolutions urging the government to disarm partisans and
reform the police force.

Aristide said he would continue trying to professionalize Haiti's police
force, which has been accused of criminal activity and human rights abuses.

He said observers should see improvements under Haiti's new police chief,
Jocelyne Pierre, who was appointed by Aristide last month after her predecessor
quit the post saying he feared for his life.

The political opposition, human rights groups and the U.S. State Department
have all accused the 4,000-member force of helping armed bands of Aristide
supporters break up opposition protests.

Pierre, dean of Port-au-Prince's civil court, is the third acting police
chief in the past month, and the first woman to hold the post since the police
force replaced the demobilized army in 1995.

"The OAS will see good actions from the chief of police," Aristide said. "The
rule of law is what we need."

Pierre's predecessor, Jean-Robert Faveur, resigned in June after two weeks in
office and fled with his family to Miami, saying he feared for his life.

In an open letter to Aristide on June 22, Faveur said the government had been
undermining his position. He alleged Friday in Washington that Aristide was
filling police ranks with people loyal to him regardless of their
qualifications.

The government denied the charges and said Faveur should be arrested and
extradited.

Some opposition politicians have accused Aristide of dictatorial tendencies
and have demanded he resign. But Aristide has said he is committed to democracy
and plans to serve out his term, which ends in 2006.

Aristide also said he is hopeful of paying off US$30 million in arrears owed
to the Inter-American Development Bank, in an effort to begin receiving part
of an estimated US$500 million in suspended loans and grants.

The international aid has been held up both by the electoral dispute and the
unpaid arrears. Meanwhile, poverty in Haiti has deepened as its currency has
lost value and the economy has foundered.

"We think that as soon as possible we will be receiving some of this money,"
he said.

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