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Election

Vote Pre Pou Loin ka vini by - Election slogan by Rene Preval

Vote Pre Pou Loin ka vini by - Election slogan by Rene Preval

This is one of the classics in Haiti Election. The famous slogan "Vote Pre Pou Loin ka vini" by Rene Preval.

When Jean-Bertrand Aristide became the President in 1991, hundreds of thousand Haitians believed him as a prophet. The former leftist priest made promise for a radical shake up of the political and judicial systems. He also promised that he would stop the U.S from sucking blood of the Haitian people. However, very soon his malpractices and corruptions came into light. Even the public treasury was pillaged. The Haitian people were shocked to learn that the former priest was an alleged father of six illegitimate children, with five different women. Aristide was Haiti's first democratically elected president and three times he held the President's office (7 February 1991 - 29 September 1991, 12 October 1994 - 7 February 1996 and 7 February 2001 - 29 February 2004) until he was ousted in a 2004 coup d'état for the second time after September 1991 and was forced into a seven-year exile to Central African Republic. René Garcia Préval is a Haitian politician and agronomist who was twice President of the Republic of Haiti (February 7, 1996 - February 7, 2001 and May 14, 2006 - May 14, 2011). In 1991, when Aristide was elected president, Préval became prime minister. Following the 1991 military coup, he fled into exile with Aristide. However, he later succeeded Aristide in 1996. As a President, Preval managed very modest achievements during his first term. His welfare projects targeting poor earned him the prefix "Ti" (Little) René. In 2001, Preval became Haiti's first elected president to leave office after a full term. During his second term as President, his most efforts were hampered by the rising cost of basic foodstuffs, deadlock in the legislature, and the deteriorating condition of law and order. As a President, he also encountered the devastating 2010 earthquake.

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Leopold Berlanger back at the CEP, representing Media sector

Leopold Berlanger back at the CEP, representing Media sector

Here is a picture of Leopold Berlanger who is back at the CEP, representing Media sector.

On February 24, 2016, Leopold Berlanger (born 1955), the Director of Radio Vision 2000 and a former electoral adviser has been selected as a member of the 9-member Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), representing the media sector. Leopold, a brilliant student in his studies, completed his graduation in Earth Sciences (Netherland), Doctorate in Social Sciences, and Regional Planning and Development planning (both from Sorbonne, Paris). He has a varied and diverse experience in activities of civic and social characters. One of the several organizations that supported his nomination was Association of National Haitian Media (ANMH) headed by Mr. Herold Jean Francois. In April 2013, he was designated by the CEPJ (Superior Council of the Judiciary) to be a part of the CTCEP (Permanent Electoral Council). Leopold is an active member in many international election observation missions with the OAS.

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Administrative Complex with BEC in Verrettes burned down

Administrative Complex with BEC in Verrettes burned down

Here is a picture of thr Administrative Complex in Verrettes that burned down.

On January 27, 2016, a group of protesters set fire to the Administrative complex of Verrettes. It is a complex where along with several other government offices, the office of BEC (Communal Electoral Offices), a wing of the BED (Bureau Electoral Départemental) is located. BED is a decentralized body of the CEP (Provisional Electoral Council). BED executes the operational plan of CEP through the actions of BEC under its dependence. Verrettes is a commune in the Saint-Marc Arrondissement, in the Artibonite Department. It is an uneventful, peaceful city which had remained unaffected so far by Haiti's political turmoil. The fire was deliberately set by some unknown assailants on the night of January 27th.

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Haiti Election Run-Off, January 24, 2016

Haiti Election Run-Off, January 24, 2016

The Presidential election run-off scheduled for January 24, 2016 between Jovenel Moise and Jude Celestin

In the afternoon of Friday, January 22nd, the Haitian electoral officials made an abrupt cancellation of the Sunday's (January 24, 2016) scheduled presidential and partial legislative runoffs, because as per Pierre-Louis Opont, the president of the country's beleaguered election commission, it is no longer opportune for having elections considering the threats against electoral infrastructure and the voters. Minutes earlier to this announcement in a press conference called by Opont at the electoral council's headquarters in Petionville, officers were busy in distributing ballots and other voting materials. Following the announcement, they immediately began to recover them. Opont said, more than a dozen infrastructures, including some private residence of election officials had either been set on fire, or such attempts were made. Violent acts and verbal threats against elections officials became a regular affair. As the chief of CEP, he could no longer guarantee the security of poll workers or the country's 5.8 million registered voters. Less than 30 minutes earlier, following a campaign rally in the city of Ouanaminthe, the government-backed candidate Jovenel Moïse was looking victorious while appearing for an interview in the restaurant of a nearby hotel. Opont's decision has put Haiti on the road of a very complicated process about what is to come, who will take charge of the country after February 7th.

On November 29, 2015, Celestin and other seven presidential candidates, representing 49.81% of the vote, gave an ultimatum that no honest, transparent and credible election is possible by the Joseph Michel Martelly administration in conjunction with the present corrupt CEP along with the support of present Police Nationale d'Haïti (PNH). They demanded a transitional government, which would be empowered to make necessary revisions in the constitution to hold credible free and fair election within next 24 months. The result in no way reflects the support of the common people. Jovenel Moise, handpicked by Martelly as his successor, came to the top with 32.8% of the votes as per published result, while an exit poll on the Election Day (October 25) placed him on the fourth place with a meager 6% vote.

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Electoral adviser at the CEP, Vijonet Déméro

Electoral adviser at the CEP, Vijonet Déméro

Here a picture of the Electoral adviser Vijonet Déméro.

The representative of the Protestant Federation of Haiti (FPH), Vijonet Demero, calls it quit. He resigned from the CEP on Friday, 1/15/16. Vijonet Demero was also the Secretary General of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP)

In a letter dated January 15, 2016 addressing President Michel Martelly, Mr. Vijonet Déméro, the Secretary General of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) and an electoral adviser, representing the Protestant Federation of Haiti (FPH) has submitted his resignation from the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) for reasons beyond his control and has disclosed his plan to return to his earlier role at the Protestant Church. We might recall that in the last December Senator Desras had broadcast on several radio stations that Demero took $ 30,000 for favoring a candidate for deputy. An investigation was initiated by the Federation Ethics Committee, together with other bodies, including the National Defense Network of Human Rights (RNDDH). However, they found no evidence supporting the allegation. His resignation came within a week of the resignation (January 7, 2016), of another adviser Ricardo Augustin, a Representative of the Catholic Church. Ricardo was forced to resign on that day.

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Haiti Postponed Election

Haiti Postponed Election

Haiti Postponed Election

On Wednesday, January 6th, after receiving confirmation from the Provisional Electoral Commission (CEP) President Martelly has announced that a new election day for the presidential and legislative runoffs has been scheduled on January 24, 2016. Earlier on January 1, 2016, on the Haitian Independence Day, President Martelly had announced that as per CEP's information to him such election has to be held latest by January 17th, 2016, if not, there will be no time left to fulfill the constitutional mandate of inaugurating a new president within February 7, 2016. On January 4th, Pierre-Louis Opont, the chief of CEP, informed President Martelly that 12 days of preparation for a postponed runoff will not be sufficient. Then on the next day, on Tuesday evening, he (Opont) informed that he could "guarantee" that the council would be able to organize the final election round one week later. In the last month, on December 16, 2015, the country has celebrated its 25th anniversary of the first democratic election held back in 1990.

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Member of the Presidential Election Evaluation, Me Gedeon Jean

Member of the Presidential Election Evaluation, Me Gedeon Jean

Here is a picture of Me Gedeon Jean, Member of the Presidential Election Evaluation.

Although the Electoral Commission of Evaluation has reported gross irregularity in the October 25, 2015 election, its conclusions and recommendations were well accepted and welcomed by President Martelly's Haitian Têt Kalé Party (PHTK). However, Gédéon Jean, the Secretary of the Independent Electoral Commission of Evaluation (CEEI) is not happy with its simple conclusions and recommendations. He has denounced them and did not sign the report of the said commission, although his name was printed at the bottom of the document. He has criticized the recommendation because he has found the percentage of fraud was alarmingly noticed over 15% of the minutes. He has demanded a thorough investigation of the minutes to purify the whole process from massive frauds. Gédéon Jean is also a representative of the National Defense of Human Rights Network (RNDDH).

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The G8 and Fanmi Lavalas

The G8 and Fanmi Lavalas

Here is The G8 and Fanmi Lavalas

The G8, Fanmi Lavalas and other opposition parties are not satisfied with the announcement of 'Commission of Electoral Evaluation' by the Martelly administration. They, along with other independent observers and U.S media like 'The New York Times', are of opinion that the October election in Haiti, to choose a successor to President Michel Martelly, has been marred by so much ballot tampering, illegal voting and other abuses that it could be denounced as 'illegitimate'. Some of the observers are of opinion that if G8 could find a consensus and form an alliance with Fanmi Lavalas, and all the opposition can stand up as one man against Martelly's handpicked successor Jovenel Moses in the December 27th election, they would be able to prevent the forceful imposition of Jovenel Moses as Martelly's successor.

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Evans Paul Press Release for creation of electoral commission

Evans Paul Press Release for creation of electoral commission

Here is a copy of the press release issued by Evans Paul for the creation of the electoral commission

On Thursday, December 17, President Martelly ordered to create a special commission to assess the condition of the country's upcoming electoral process scheduled on December 27, 2015. A 'Commission of Electoral Evaluation' has been created under section 136 of the Constitution and the Decree of 17 May 2005. He has named five members of the commission who will evaluate the election process over the next 72 hours and will be accountable to report and make necessary recommendations to the CEP and his government. Prime Minister Evans Paul has released a Press Note in this regard. The election process will be observed by the experts and representatives of the European Union and Organization of American States (OAS). However, the G8 and other opposition parties have said this Commission on Electoral Evaluation does not meet their main demand of a Commission, empowered for independent verification. However, the process of selecting its members and their scopes were not disclosed.

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New York Times has spoken on Haiti Election

New York Times has spoken on Haiti Election

Finally a major American Newspaper has called for legitimate election in Haiti, following the October 2015 election in Haiti. New York Times has spoken on Haiti Election, calling it a failure and that Haitians deserve better.

The New York Times (NYT), the New York City based U.S newspaper is of opinion that the October election in Haiti, to choose a successor to President Michel Martelly, has been marred by so much ballot tampering, illegal voting and other abuses that it could be denounced as 'illegitimate'. The sentiments of the 53 of the 54 contesting candidates together with the reactions of the independent election observers, human-rights groups, ordinary citizens, Haitian diaspora organizations and the religious leaders were demonstrated through the continued angry, often violent protests on the Haitian streets. As per the report, the second place winner Jude Celestin has said, the October election and its consequential results were "ridiculous farce". The country is again scheduled to go for a final runoff election on December 27th, 2015.

A credible election, as per internationally agreed normative base is an election, which would give every citizen an equal opportunity to vote, compete and be elected , without any discrimination with the participation of all qualified political parties. It must reflect the will of the people. The entire process should be transparent and each step should be open to security and trusted by the citizens. The principle of transparency is linked to the fundamental right of citizens.

As per the NYT news report, the Provisional Electoral Council, issued 900,000 accreditation cards to the representatives of political parties to oversee and ensure transparency in the electoral process, but in reality, those cards gave access to enter the polling centers and cast false votes.

On December 17, 2015, a signed petition of over 100,000 protesters has been posted on the website of the White House requesting President Obama to stop supporting Martelly and issue a statement in support of the petitioners demanding the formation of an inquiry committee to inquire about the alleged frauds affecting the integrity of the October 25, 2015 election.

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