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Haiti: Reports of an attack on the offices of the Provisional Electoral Council (Conseil électoral provisoire, CEP) in Port-au-Prince on 28 February 2000

Information on an attack on the offices of the Provisional Electoral Council (Conseil électoral provisoire, CEP) on 28 February 2000 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, the information provided below could be of interest.

According to Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000 for Haiti:

The terms of office of the House of Deputies and most of the Senate expired on January 11, 1999; however, elections were not held until May 21, 2000. Parliament was not in session during that period. President Rene Preval, Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, and a cabinet governed during the year. The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), formed in March 1999, delayed the local and parliamentary elections five times. After first-round elections were held in May, the CEP adopted a methodology that gave outright victory to candidates from the ruling Fanmi Lavalas (FL) party. Opposition parties and the international community objected to the CEP's method for tabulating votes and refused to recognize the new Parliament, which was sworn in on August 28. After CEP president Leon Manus refused to certify the results, he received death threats and subsequently fled the country. Two other CEP members also resigned in protest over the tabulation method. In a highly controversial move, President Preval replaced the three CEP members with FL loyalists on July 2. This now controversial CEP, whose mandate was expanded in August to include presidential elections, held presidential elections on November 26. Opposition parties refused to participate and the international community refused to support or certify the presidential elections because the controversy over the May 21 elections was not resolved. The opposition demanded the formation of a new CEP, resolution of the May 21 elections disputes, and security guarantees for future elections. On November 30, the CEP announced that Jean-Bertrand Aristide had won 91.5 percent of the vote in the November 26 presidential elections and proclaimed him the winner. However, controversy continued over voter turnout claims. The CEP announced a nationwide voter turnout rate of 60.5 percent. Other observers, including the opposition and local and international media, estimated voter turnout between 5 percent and 20 percent. (23 Feb. 2001)

A 15 November 2000 Haiti Progrès news article also reported that explosions occurred on 10 November 2000 at three electoral offices and at the CEP headquarters, all in the greater Port-au-Prince area. The article noted that while no one was hurt in the explosions, the buildings sustained some minor damages (Haiti Progrès 15 Nov. 2000). Further and corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Haïti Progrès [Port-au-Prince]. 15 November 2000. "Violente offensive contre les élections du 26 novembre." <http://www.haiti-progres.com/2000/sm001115/XSABOTAG.htm> [Accessed 24 Nov. 2008]

United States (US). 23 February 2001. Department of State. "Haiti." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2000. <http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/wha/795.htm> [Accessed 24 Nov. 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Agence haïtienne de presse (AHP) [Port-au-Prince], Amnesty International (AI), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL), Center for International Policy, Develepment and Peace, Factiva, Freedom House, HaitiAction.net, Haïti Info, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refworld, Organization of American States (OAS), Radio Antilles internationale, Radio Caraïbes FM [Port-au-Prince], Radio Lumière [Port-au-Prince], Radio Soleil [Port-au-Prince], Radio Vision 2000 [Port-au-Prince], Union internationale de la presse francophone (UPF).