HAITI: JEAN-BERTRAND ARISTIDE WINS ELECTIONS

Описание: (27 Nov 2000) French/Nat
Jean-Bertrand Aristide's victory in Sunday's presidential elections in Haiti has been shunned as a farce by opposition parties who boycotted the vote.
They claim Aristide has no mandate to govern because most Haitians chose not to vote.
Aristide, however, met the accusations with defiance, insisting he was the victor.
With an opposition intent on consolidating their efforts to build a credible alternative to Aristide, it seems Haiti's floundering democracy could remain locked in a fight for power that has stunted development and foreign aid.
The outcome of the elections has left a bad taste in the opposition's mouths.
A coalition of all major opposition parties had urged voters to shun the polls.
However, the electoral council disputed their claims of a low turnout and said that 60 and a half percent of more than four (M) million registered voters participated.
The opposition was quick to point out that the council is predominated by Aristide's supporters.
Former Port-au-Prince mayor Evans Paul was scathing about the election process.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"The U-S government is responsible for the situation in Haiti. We say that the U-S government is responsible because of its complacency towards Aristide. Aristide is not a democrat, he's a dictator."
SUPER CAPTION: Evans Paul, opposition figure
Paul also claimed ballot boxes had been filled up beforehand, which is why polling stations closed early.
Aristide confronts a mammoth task in keeping his election pledge of "Peace of mind, peace in the belly" in the Caribbean nation where most of the eight (M) million people are unemployed and illiterate.
Haiti's traditional aid donors - the U-S, France, Canada, Europe and the Organisation of American States - have warned that a disputed presidential election could raise questions about the legitimacy of Aristide's government.
But despite increasing pressure, Aristide remained defiant.
SOUNDBITE: (French Creole)
"The world can see this event two ways: either as a glass half empty or, as we see it, a glass half full."
SUPER CAPTION: Jean-Bertrand Aristide, President of Haiti
Independent observer groups watched Haiti's dubious democratic process with the hope that an opposition would emerge.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I agree with you that we need to have an opposition to have a democratic process with integrity and it's our hope that with the help of people here who understand what it means that we can see that coming from the political class as well."
SUPER CAPTION: Melinda Myers, Global Exchange, NGO observer group
In a possible sign that the international community was prepared to give Aristide a chance, U-N spokesman Fred Eckhard welcomed the fact the elections went ahead as planned and that there was relatively little violence.
Many say Aristide's victory was a foregone conclusion after the opposition parties boycotted the process since May and as he ran against six unknowns who were too afraid to campaign.
Several AP reporters were unable to find any voters Sunday who said they had voted for any of Aristide's opponents.
Aristide, Haiti's first freely elected president, was toppled in a 1991 military coup and restored to power after a U-S-led invasion in 1994.
Forced out in 1996 by a constitutional ban on consecutive terms, he handed power to his handpicked successor, Rene Preval.

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