16541: (Arthur) FWD: Haiti's Aristide promises "safe elections for all candidates" (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Tttnhm@aol.com

Haiti's Aristide promises "safe elections for all candidates"
25 August 2003 - Radio Metropole - transcript by BBC Monitoring Service

Announcer] President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is revealing little by little the
possibility of legislative elections being held at the end of this year.

In a visit to Leogane on 23 August, the head of State announced that
elections will soon be held in the country. He gave the guarantee that the elections
will take place in a secure environment in accordance with OAS Resolution 822
and the Haitian Constitution.

[Aristide - recording, in Creole] All the police authorities that are working
in Leogane together with the head of the police, who is with me now and all
the other policemen who are everywhere in the country, they all have a major
role to play in view of the elections.

They will accompany all of the candidates so that all of them will be able to
run in the elections after leading their electoral campaigns in complete
freedom. Are the Lavalas Family [FL] candidates the only ones who are allowed to
campaign for the election ? No.

[Crowd] No.

[Aristide] Do the opposition candidates have the right to hold electoral
campaigns everywhere ?

[Crowd] Yes.

[Aristide] Do journalists have the right to speak freely, to cover all
electoral campaigns ?

[Crowd] Yes

[Aristide] Does everybody have the right to prepare electoral campaigns and
organize the election ?

[Crowd] Yes.

[Aristide] That is what a civilized people should do. That is what we have
demonstrated. That is what a great nation should do. Congratulate yourselves.
Help me clap for a great nation, the great Haitian people. [crowd applause].

Help me clap for the Haitian people. The government as a whole starting with
the executive branch, the president, the prime minister, the ministers, we
have all promised to accompany all the political parties.

We are committed to accompanying all those who are not working for the state,
those who are in civil society, from the countryside to the cities.

We are committed to accompanying all organizations that are willing to join
us to create the conditions by respecting the Constitution of Haiti, the law of
the country, and Resolution 822 of the OAS.

All those who want to can join us to prepare the coming elections. Now,
elections will not help us have food, a home to live in, or to obtain justice, but
it is essential for strengthening democratic institutions so that later on we
can have more food, more houses to live in, more justice, and better health
conditions everywhere in the country.

Source : Radio Metropole, Port-au-Prince, in French 1145 gmt 25 August 03