27985: Haiti-Progres (News) This Week In Haiti 23:50 2/22/2006 (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Haïti Progrès <editor@haiti-progres.com>

"This Week in Haiti" is the English section of HAITI PROGRES
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                  HAITI PROGRES
        "Le journal qui offre une alternative"

               * THIS WEEK IN HAITI *

             February 22 - 28, 2006
                 Vol. 23, No. 50



POPULAR UPRISING THWARTS ELECTORAL THEFT:
PRÉVAL WINS PRESIDENCY IN FIRST-ROUND

"SELECTIONS" AND SHENANIGANS STILL ABOUND IN LEGISLATIVE RACES, PPN
WARNS

In the early morning hours of Feb. 16, under pressure from foreign
diplomats and vast throngs of Haitian demonstrators, Haiti's Provisional
Electoral Council (CEP) announced that former president and prime
minister René Préval won Haiti's presidential election in the
first-round with 51.15% of the vote. The announcement came after the CEP
attempted to tell the world that Préval's percentage had slipped below
the 50% necessary for a first-round sweep (see HaVti ProgrPs, Vol. 23,
No. 49, 2/15/2006).

In response, hundreds of thousands of enraged Haitian voters took to the
streets to protest the patent manipulation of electoral results, which
even two CEP members denounced.

Because the CEP recalibrated Préval's percentage after discarding
thousands of suspiciously "blank" ballots, the U.S. government and
mainstream press have tried to portray Préval's victory as the result of
a "deal," thereby casting doubt on his huge margin of victory. His
nearest contender, Leslie Manigat, received only 12% of the vote, even
after the vote manipulation.

For example, an Associated Press dispatch characterized Préval's victory
as "disputed."

"Tim Carney, the acting U.S. ambassador in Haiti, said Préval clearly
would have won the election but acknowledged the disputed outcome could
hurt his government if he fails in office," the AP's Stevenson Jacobs
wrote.

"If he doesn't perform, yes it could weaken him," Carney told the AP.
Translation: if Préval doesn't "perform" according to U.S. dictates,
Washington will challenge his legitimacy.

On Feb. 21, the National Popular Party (PPN) held a press conference to
set forth their position on Préval's victory and to warn the incoming
government not to bow to Washington's pressure.

The following is the English translation of the PPN's statement.

The National Popular Party notes that on February 7, 2006, the Haitian
people once again made history.

They thwarted, at least for the moment, all the traps and chicanery that
the kidnappers of February 29, 2004 - that is the United States, France
and Canada - placed in their path in an attempt to remove them from the
political scene once and for all. Let us not forget to include the
ruling classes' politicians and the de facto government of [Boniface]
Alexandre/[Gérard] Latortue, who spent the two last years stealing,
threatening, and repressing the popular masses - both physically and
economically - in concert with the occupation's armed wing, the
MINUSTAH.

The PPN also reminds the people that, on February 7, 2006, they have
thwarted their enemies' macabre plan only temporarily and with respect
to the presidency. There remains the elections of senators, deputies and
local authorities.

Immediately after the people imposed René Préval as the country's
president, the occupiers raised the question of run-offs for senators
and deputies, although the results for these races were not even
published yet. One remembers, during the first mandate of President
Préval [1996-2001], that the Parliament, at the time dominated by the
OPL [the Organization of Struggling People party], had blocked the
disbursement of loans approved for Haiti. The kidnappers of February 29
2004 had approved the blockage of these funds, which came to more than
$500 million. Today, these same kidnappers, who constitute a minority
within the international community, hypocritically applaud the people
for taking part, despite the miseries inflicted on them, in the February
7, 2006 elections. As the proverb says: "the enemy embraces you to
better smother you." The battle for national liberation has just begun.
Nothing has changed yet. We remind all that the PPN had warned the
people: "It is a selection that the occupiers are preparing for you, do
not take part in it." Because it was a way to validate the coup d'état
and kidnapping of February 29, 2004 and to legitimate the occupation of
Haiti.

Today, we in the PPN hear that the U.S. government is demanding that
President René Préval work with the MINUSTAH. Beware! The people do not
forget! The victims always remember!

The PPN also notes that Washington has already begun to impose its will
by demanding that President Préval pursue a policy of "national
reconciliation." National reconciliation with whom? Moreover, everyone
heard the arrogant response of presidential candidate Leslie Manigat,
who represents the most reactionary uncompromising sector. From the
start, he said that he would have nothing to do with the incoming
government. Manigat declared loudly what other ruling class politicians,
who pretend to accept Rene Préval's victory, whisper. It is time to
finish with the policy of duplicitous dealing (marronnage) with the
people's enemies. Whether you say good morning to the devil or not, he
is still going to eat you!

The PPN recognizes that, on February 7, 2006, the masses imposed René
Préval so as to put an end to the repression they have endured and to
bring an end to the foreign occupation. They imposed Préval to punish
the representatives of the Macouto-bourgeois ruling class, that is the
traditional politicians, who took part in the elections. They imposed
René Préval so that the country can take a new economic direction, so
that they might escape the high cost of living which has afflicted them,
begin to have good schools which all children can attend, begin to have
health-care and clinics throughout the country, begin to have jobs for
young men and women so they aren't out under a hot sun humiliated into
begging or doing prostitution.

All these legitimate demands run counter to the plans of the IMF and the
World Bank - that is the neoliberal death plan which the affluent
countries have concocted for Haiti and all the world's small countries
striving for political and economic independence.

Another legitimate economic demand is: stop selling the nation's state
enterprises! On the contrary, it would be best to invest in these
enterprises so they can provide better services to the people and
produce more revenue so that a progressive government can begin to lead
the people out of the utter poverty caused by the gradual application of
this plan over the 20 years since the dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier
left. The masses imposed René Préval so that all the Lavalas-affiliated
political prisoners could be freed, and this should be the first measure
that René Préval's government should adopt. This is how the people will
know if they voted correctly or not.

The masses voted in René Préval so that all the Lavalas political exiles
can return to the country, including President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
The Haitian people have identified their enemies and are asking René
Préval to change the foreign policy of the country, so that we stop
counting on countries like the United States, France and Canada which
occupy the country and spill the blood of the Haitian people and begin
to count on the support of friendly countries like Venezuela, Cuba,
Bolivia, and others, in order to establish real and equal relations.
This is the mandate that the people have given President René Préval.

Any government which respects itself and which shows it wants to satisfy
the peoples' demands will find the support of the National Popular
Party. However, any government which has benefitted from the masses'
mandate but which tramples on these demands, will naturally meet with
opposition from the National Popular Party.

The National Popular Party (PPN) once again recognizes and respects the
people's victory. The battle has just begun.

Let us fight, in 2006, the Year of Dessalines, for another 1804. Freedom
or death!

For the political Office of the PPN
George Honorat
Port-au-Prince
February 21, 2006

All articles copyrighted Haiti Progres, Inc. REPRINTS ENCOURAGED.
Please credit Haiti Progres.

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