5984: On Site in Haiti - Election Day (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: archim <archim@globelsud.net>


     
     Dear Readers:
        Here is an unsolicited "on site" report of election day happenings 
     in my area of Haiti. (Petion-Ville/Morne Calvaire).
        The day was bright and sunny...all day long. The local polling 
     place was on the field next to my house...our field. I provided the 
     tables and chairs, water, lunch and talked with the workers, all of 
     whom were quite polite and sincere. There were no incidents of any 
     kind. The polls closed thirty minutes ago. No one stole the ballot 
     boxes. No one threw the ballots away. There was a satisfactory 
     participation of voters. However, the number of persons voting was 
     nowhere near as large as that which took place in May...at the same 
     station. That's because the bourgeoise did not come to vote. This time 
     there were no lines of Mercedes-Benz and BMW's and Tet Boeuf's along 
     our road; no persons with cell phones in hand promenading up the hill; 
     no persons from elsewhere coming to vote in this neighborhood because 
     it was "safer". Our people (the ones who live in Maison Orthodoxe) 
     gave out free lemonade to those who passed-by!
        The intimidation by the opposition groups did not scare people 
     away. Almost everyone with whom I talked said that there is so much 
     insecurity in the country now, why should they be afraid to go and 
     vote? One woman said that she came to vote *for* security by voting 
     for Aristide.
        Aristide, who is *not* a "former Roman Catholic priest" as the news 
     media is wont to report, appears to have won hands-down; but we 
     expected that. Aristide is still a priest, and even recognized as such
     by the Pope of Rome himself; he was never deposed or defrocked. His 
     opponents delight in repeating the incorrect statement that he is a 
     "former" priest so that readers will think he was naughty and 
     therefore kicked out by the Pope.
        We look forward to peace and tranquility now and pray that the 
     results of the election will be accepted by all so that Haiti can move 
     forward.
      
                               A Local Observer