Protests erupt as Haiti election goes to second round

[rabs]

By Joseph Guyler Delva and Allyn Gaestel

PORT-AU-PRINCE | Tue Dec 7, 2010 11:17pm EST

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Protests and sporadic gunfire erupted in Haiti's capital late on Tuesday after electoral authorities announced the country's inconclusive presidential election would go to a run-off vote.

Gunshots echoed in some parts of the sprawling capital of Port-au-Prince following the announcement that former first lady Mirlande Manigat and government technocrat Jude Celestin would face a deciding second round in January following a turbulent November 28 vote.

Protesting supporters of a third-placed candidate, popular musician Michel Martelly, lit burning barricades in the Petionville district, and in a crowded earthquake survivors' camp near the presidential palace, witnesses said.

The protesters yelled slogans backing Martelly and against outgoing President Rene Preval, and hurled bottles and stones. Heavily armed police patrolled the streets of the capital, most of which was in darkness without electricity. They forced some of the protesters at gunpoint to dismantle the barricades


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The electoral council announced the preliminary results on the basis of just over a million votes counted, out of a total of 4.7 million registered potential voters.

The second round has been provisionally set for January 16, but the date has to be confirmed by electoral authorities.



Reuters story:

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B70HJ20101208

[Judi Lynn]

1. The power structure is determined there won't be a democratically elected President.

They've got everything completely under their control now, with outside help.

[rabs]

2. Getting worse, ruling party's HQ burned

By JONATHAN M. KATZ, Associated Press Jonathan M. Katz, Associated Press – 1 hr 1 min ago


PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The headquarters of Haiti's ruling party was set ablaze Wednesday as riots grew over disputed presidential election results.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital, erecting barricades and setting fires, furious that government-backed candidate Jude Celestin, the protege of unpopular President Rene Preval, apparently will go on to a runoff vote while carnival singer Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly finished third in official results and is probably eliminated. Protests have also broken out in Les Cayes, Cap-Haitien and other cities.

Associated Press journalists saw flames leaping from the roof of the Unity party headquarters, the center of Celestin's campaign. Witnesses said the building in central Port-au-Prince was on fire for an hour.

Protesters say security guards shot demonstrators as they assaulted the building, but there were no confirmed injures in the fire or demonstration. Several fire trucks were trying to control the blaze — an unusual scene in a city with few reliable public services.

More:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101208/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_election