27570: (news) Chamberlain: Haiti-Elections-Wyclef Jean (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

   By ANDREW SELSKY

   PORT-AU-PRINCE, Feb 8 (AP) -- A redeye flight from California to Miami.
A plane to the Dominican Republic. A helicopter to Haiti's capital, and
then straight into a polling station.
   Wyclef Jean, the hip-hop musician and founding member of the
Grammy-winning The Fugees, traveled far to join millions of fellow Haitians
voting in elections considered crucial to saving this battered nation.
   "It was a historical day yesterday," Jean said in an interview with The
Associated Press as he relaxed Wednesday in a leafy hotel courtyard. "No
matter what happens today, yesterday was historical. The only thing that
erupted was the thirst to vote."
   International observers had the same opinion, marveling at the huge
turnout in elections that, unlike previous ones in Haiti, were almost
devoid of violence. Election workers were still tallying ballots Wednesday.
   Jean arrived on a helicopter because commercial flights to
Port-au-Prince were suspended on election day. He went straight from the
airport to a voting center. He was upset that the electoral commission
hadn't made better preparations for voters. Haitians had to wait in lines,
some snaking more than a mile long, to vote. Some polling stations opened
late.
   "What was sad was just the condition the people were put in to vote," he
said. "Where I was sent to vote ... I mean, I'm walking and there's piss on
the floor. I was, like, how is all these people going to get into this
little corridor? It was the most insane thing."
   The son of a minister, Jean was born in Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti. When
he was 10, his family moved to a housing project in Brooklyn. He has met
with huge success as a member of The Fugees, as a solo artist and has
worked with singers and musicians including Tom Jones, Kenny Roger, Mary J.
Blige and Israeli violinist Miri Ben-Ari.
   But he has never forgotten Haiti.
   Inspired by his own bitter memories of poverty, he founded Yele Haiti, a
charity, a year ago. It has distributed about $1 million in grants and aid
and provides scholarships to children. Last month, he brought Hollywood
couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Haiti to support his group's work.
   Now that Haitians have endured long lines and voted peacefully to elect
a government to replace that of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was
ousted in a bloody rebellion two years ago, the world should take notice,
Jean said.
   "People showed incredible patience, and that should send out a signal
internationally that the Haitian people are not violent people," Jean said.
"I think in the situation that we're in, the international community must
not let us down."
   Donor nations, which have been worried that corrupt officials in Haiti
might siphon off aid, should monitor the new government's actions, he said.
If after six months there is evidence things have changed, they should come
forward with billions of dollars in promised aid.
   Jean wouldn't say whom he voted for ("I voted for myself," he joked),
but then pointed out he was wearing a green shirt. "See, that should let
you know everything."
   Green symbolizes hope in Haiti -- and Hope is the name of candidate Rene
Preval's party. Preval, the front-runner, is highly popular among the poor
and has pledged to do all he can to relieve their plight.