re: "According to the OAS, the U.S. and all international observers, the elections held in May 2000 were free, fair and democratic...I'm sorry the facts don't fit with your preconceived notions."
Wrong. In fact, plenty of people questioned the Hatian Elections. The OAS did NOT say that the Hatian Elections held in May 2000 were free, fair, or democratic (you quoted a preliminary report). Here's what the OAS and the U.S. actually said about Haiti's 2000 elections.
"The OAS Mission observed the electoral process in Haiti from February through July 7, 2000, when it suspended its activities two days before the second round of elections, citing serious irregularities in the calculation of senatorial results."-OAS CHIEF OF MISSION REPORTS TO PERMANENT COUNCIL ON
oas.org
OAS WILL NOT OBSERVE HAITI'S JULY 9 SECOND ROUND ELECTIONS
"As announced previously, the OAS Electoral Observation Mission has determined that, according to the provisions of Haiti's own electoral legislation, the final results for the senate elections as proclaimed by the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) are incorrect, and the Mission cannot consider them either accurate or fair. As a result, the Mission announces that it will not observe the second round of the electoral process scheduled to take place on Sunday, July 9th - July 7, 2000 "
oas.org
"Yesterday’s elections in Haiti for President and nine senators took place in accord with the timetable established by the Constitution of Haiti but without any correction of critical deficiencies in earlier local and legislative elections. Following the previous elections, which took place May 21, 2000, the OAS Electoral Observation Mission had reported that the computation of results by the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (CEP) followed neither the provisions of the Constitution of Haiti nor the Electoral Law. " -OAS Statement on Haitian Presidental Election.
oas.org
"The Clinton administration vowed Tuesday to impose economic sanctions against Haiti unless it strengthens democratic procedures in advance of presidential and legislative elections set for Nov. 26...
...Lauredo (U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States) accused Haitian authorities of an unwillingness to address the "serious irregularities and deficiencies" that he said were evident during parliamentary runoff elections in May."
cnn.com
I just noticed that the OAS links to not automatically link. You have to specify English, this takes you to "News on Democracy" then go to the bottom and then doubleclick at "more". This puts you in a calendar press July 2000 (July 13, 2000 and July 7, 2000), and November 2000(November 22, 2000). |
