Celebrations as ex-president of Haiti heads for election victory

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Celebrations as ex-president of Haiti heads for election victory

By Andrew Buncombe
Published: 11 February 2006
Former president René Préval appeared last night to be heading for victory in Haiti's election, as early results showed him sweeping ahead of his rivals. The news was celebrated by the country's poor, while one gang leader even suggested his victory could lead to a handover of weapons.

Officials said that with 283,000 votes, support for Mr Préval - who was president between 1996 and 2001 - stood at 61 per cent. His closest rival, Leslie Manigat - also an ex-president - stood at around 13 per cent. "I am happy that I measure up to the weight of the expectations of the people," Mr Préval told reporters in his home town of Marmalade. "There is a lot of poverty. We will have to work hard."

Haiti's election last Tuesday, its first in six years, was chaotic and up to four people were killed as hundreds of thousands of people voted. In some of the poorer areas there were claims that voters were turned away. But officials kept the polls open until late and, despite the initial problems, most observers believe that the election was a success. Certainly, the violence that many had anticipated did not emerge.

"These were better than anything they've done in Haiti in the past," said Jean-Pierre Kingsley, chairman of the International Mission for Monitoring Haitian Elections. "The Haitian people have pronounced themselves freely and massively. They have put their hope in democracy."

But even in a country where democracy has often been undermined - most recently in 2004 by the US-backed coup that ousted the elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide - the election is only a start. In addition to releasing the hundreds of political prisoners, the most pressing challenge will be addressing the shameful poverty that exists in a country just one hour and 40 minutes flying time from Miami.


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article344725.ece