27150: Wharram (news) Top U.N. Official Vows Order in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

> From Bruce Wharram <bruce.wharram@sev.org)

Top U.N. Official Vows Order in Haiti

By BEN FOX, Associated Press WriterSun Jan 8, 8:52 PM ET

The top U.N. official in Haiti vowed Sunday to crack down on gangs behind a
kidnapping spree and other violence that threaten the latest attempt to hold
elections, as the peacekeeping mission grappled with the apparent suicide of
its military commander.

Haitian electoral authorities said they will propose a new election date of
Feb. 7, with a runoff if needed on March 19. The voting, repeatedly delayed
because of organizational and security problems, aims to restore democracy
to this Caribbean nation two years after a revolt ousted President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Juan Gabriel Valdes, the U.N. special envoy to Haiti, pledged a tough
response to a wave of kidnappings carried out by slum gangs allegedly loyal
to Aristide.

"We are planning other attacks on kidnappers and we are going to resist this
process of destabilization," he said. "We are not going to allow any attempt
to derail the electoral process."

U.N. police continued investigating the death of Lt. Gen. Urano Teixeira da
Matta Bacellar, a Brazilian who commanded 7,400 U.N. troops. His body was
found Saturday on the balcony of his hotel room at the upscale Hotel Montana
in the capital, Port-au-Prince.

A delegation of Brazilian officials arrived in Haiti to monitor the U.N.
police investigation into Bacellar's death.

A senior U.N. official confirmed to the AP that Bacellar suffered a
self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity because he was not authorized to disclose the information to the
press.

Valdes and other U.N. officials said they would not discuss details of the
case until the investigation is completed.

Meanwhile, Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council agreed to a first round of
voting on Feb. 7 and a possible second round on March 19, Rosemond Pradel,
secretary general of the council, told The Associated Press.

The council sent its recommendation to interim President Boniface Alexandre,
who must approve the new dates.

"The people and the candidates want to have the elections and we are ready,"
Pradel said.

But Patrick Fequiere, an electoral council member, said he still doubts
election materials can be distributed throughout this impoverished country
of 8 million people by Feb. 7, which could allow the results to be disputed.

"It is clear that this new date is in response to increasing international
pressure," Fequiere said. The U.N. Security Council and the Organization of
American States have urged Haiti's transitional government to hold elections
by Feb. 7, the date when the new government initially was to take office.

Difficulties in distributing voter registration cards and setting up polling
stations contributed to the balloting delays. There are 35 presidential
candidates and hundreds more for 129 legislative seats.

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press.