Senator urges US to end funds to Haiti government

Patrick Leahy

PORT-AU-PRINCE, (Reuters) – An influential U.S.  senator today urged President Barack Obama’s administration  to suspend direct aid to Haiti’s government and visas for its  top officials until it ensures a fair and democratic outcome to  disputed national elections.
Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy made the call as  international pressure mounted on outgoing Haitian President  Rene Preval’s government and Haitian electoral authorities to  review the contested results of Nov. 28 elections that have  triggered violent protests across the poor Caribbean country.

Patrick Leahy
Patrick Leahy

“As if Haiti did not have enough problems, now, once again,  those in power there are trying to subvert the will of the  people,” Leahy said in a statement.
He chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee’s  Subcommittee on the State Department and Foreign Operations,  which handles the Senate’s work in funding U.S. foreign  assistance, including aid to Haiti.
The United States, the United Nations and the European  Union have publicly expressed concern over irregularities and  allegations of fraud in the presidential poll, which is due to  go to a deciding run-off in January. They have called for  disputes to be resolved through peaceful legal channels.
“The United States must come down squarely in support of  the Haitian people’s right to choose their leaders freely and  fairly,” Leahy said. He added that Haiti needs “a legitimate  government respected by the Haitian people and recognized by  the international community.”
“By suspending direct aid to the central government and  visas for top officials and their immediate family members, the  United States would be sending that message,” Leahy added.
Haiti’s presidential and legislative elections are being  funded and backed by the international community as a step  toward hoped-for stability for the Western Hemisphere’s poorest  state, which is struggling to rebuild after a devastating  January earthquake.
Preliminary results from the Nov. 28 vote released on  Tuesday by Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council put former  first lady Mirlande Manigat and government technocrat and  Preval protege Jude Celestin in the second round.
But popular musician Michel Martelly, whom the council  placed narrowly third, less than a percentage point behind  Celestin, has rejected the results and accused Preval, Celestin  and their ruling Inite (Unity) coalition of rigging the vote.
Since Tuesday, thousands of Martelly supporters and other  protesters have taken to the streets in violent unrest that  paralyzed the capital Port-au-Prince and several other cities.
At least four people have been killed in the turmoil.  Stone-throwing demonstrators have attacked public buildings,  police and U.N. peacekeepers in protests that also disrupted  humanitarian operations to fight a raging cholera epidemic.
Health experts called for intensive vaccination and more  use of antibiotics to step up the fight.
Although political tensions were still running high yesterday, the streets of Port-au-Prince were calmer. Many of the  barricades had been cleared, some vehicles reappeared, and  street vendors set out their wares. But the airport remained  closed and Haitians were fearful of more trouble.
“If there’s a good (election) result, things will calm  down. If not, this will continue. They need to respect the  voice of the people,” said Dieune Jorel, 39, an unemployed  father of four.
In an attempt to calm the protests, the beleaguered  Provisional Electoral Council on Thursday announced it was  forming a commission, including foreign observers, to recheck  vote tally sheets from the presidential elections.
The special commission was to verify tally sheets of votes  cast for the top three contenders.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, who co-chairs a  multinational recovery commission for quake-hit Haiti, said it  was important to keep internationally backed reconstruction  efforts on track despite the election turmoil.
“It was calmer today, it appears they are going to try to  have a (vote) recount procedure which they hope will acquire  more support from across the political spectrum,” Clinton told  reporters in Washington.
“We want the commission to keep working,” he added, saying  the body would meet on Tuesday in Haiti or Dominican Republic.
Despite a U.S. State Department travel warning urging U.S.  citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Haiti, former Alaska  governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin  announced a planned visit to the country this weekend with a  Christian charity group, Samaritan’s Purse.