#5130: Fair elections: CEP president lashes opposition (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

I don't know how anyone could describe the Electoral Council (CEP) which is
organising the November presidential elections as impartial, which the
Constitution demands that it must be, after the following gratuitous
remarks made today by its president, Ernst Mirville, as reported by Reuters
news agency:

(...)

     During his news conference, Mirville criticised the opposition
parties, calling them "puppet opposition."
     "This is the most repugnant elite," he said.
     The Clinton administration said two weeks ago that it would not send
observers or $20 million in foreign aid to Haiti for the November elections
unless the Haitian government reexamined skewed results from the May 21
vote.
     The United States also condemned Haiti for using the same electoral
council that oversaw the flawed May poll to organise the fall vote.
     The Haitian government has given the electoral council $1 million to
organise the elections, according to Haitian government officials.
     "Despite the absence of international assistance, we're moving forward
with our own money and our own means," said Mirville, who became president
of the council after his predecessor Leon Manus fled into exile in June,
fearing that his life was in jeopardy.
     "Long live free, fair and transparent elections," Mirville said.