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OFFICIALS IN HAITI SCRAMBLE TO MEET ELECTION DATES AS LAVALAS PARTICIPATION AND VOTER TURNOUT REMAIN IN DOUBT.

Article Excerpt
An influential group in Haiti, driven by the need to establish some semblance of government in the ravaged country, appears to have hit upon a concept that might be called democratization-without-representation. The seven-member Council of Sages, which, backed by the US government, picked the interim government now nominally ruling Haiti, has recommended that the Fanmi Lavalas party of ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (1991, 1994-1996, 2001-2004) be barred from planned elections. The rationale for the disenfranchisement of Haiti's largest political party is, in great part, that Lavalas encourages violence.

In defense of the rationale, the Council of Sages accused the party and a likely presidential candidate, Gerard Jean-Juste, of the murder of a well-known journalist. The body of the journalist was found July 18, bearing signs of torture. The Council released a statement saying, "Political groups that identify themselves with Fanmi Lavalas, and particularly with Mr. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, continue to promote and tolerate violence." With that as prelude, the Council's statement went on to recommend the interim government "make the bold political and beneficial decision to disqualify the Fanmi Lavalas party from the electoral process."

Electoral Council overrules Sages

In an atmosphere where both the legitimacy and the timetable of the elections remains in doubt, Haiti's provisional electoral council (Conseil...

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