25895: Wharram - news - Haiti 'not ready for elections' (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: bruce.wharram@sev.org

  BBC NEWS  Published: 2005/08/04 10:31:33 GMT

Haiti 'not ready for elections'
Haiti might have to postpone elections in two months' time because it is
ill-prepared, according to a new report.

Brussels-based think tank International Crisis Group (ICG) says only a fifth
of Haitians have registered to vote and the process is due to end next week.

Local and municipal elections are planned for October with parliamentary and
presidential elections in November.

The report says insecurity is partly to blame for the pace of the
registration.

Criminal gangs

The group says there is "no quick fix" for Haiti's problems and that if the
international community pulls out before the situation has been rectified
the country could collapse again.

"Empty elections that produce a government with little legitimacy could
drive Haiti into permanent failed state status, run by drug and criminal
networks," said Mark L Schneider, Crisis Group's Senior Vice President.

The report places much of the blame for the slow pace of the registration on
a lack of security in the capital Port-au-Prince - home to almost a third of
voters.

"Adequate security, public understanding of the elections, and a broad
participation by those who want to register and vote are essential if there
are to be fair and free elections," it said.

But, it warned "Grave doubts exist that such conditions can be established
in the next few months without extraordinary efforts by Haitians, the UN,
the OAS and the major donors.

Recent UN attempts to confront armed criminal gangs in the city's slums need
to be increased and carried out in a "targeted fashion", the report says.

The report also stated the need to rebuild public confidence in democracy
after the elections.

"Elections are part of a long process of recovering from state failure, not
the final step in that process," said Mr Schneider.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/4744497.stm

Published: 2005/08/04 10:31:33 GMT

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