Haiti: Security Council calls for peaceful expression of electoral concerns

Stressing that post-election demonstrations have been hampering the vote count, United Nations Security Council members today called on Haitians to rely on legal processes to express any concerns about last week’s presidential poll.

“[Council members] urge all Haitians with concerns or questions about possible post-electoral irregularities to pursue these peacefully and legally with the Haitian electoral authorities immediately, and they call on those authorities to fully investigate those charges,” the president of the 15-member Council for February, Ambassador John Bolton, said in a statement to the press.

Recalling the peaceful conduct of the vote last Tuesday, the Council appealed to the Haitian people to uphold their commitment to democracy and the rule of law by refraining from violence as the results of the election were being tabulated and reviewed.

“The members of the Council reiterate their call for all Haitians to respect the results of the election when they are announced and to remain engaged in the political process,” the statement said.

Earlier in the day, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hédi Annabi gave the Council his daily closed-door briefing, which included developments in Haiti.

According to a UN spokesman, Mr. Annabi said vote tabulation had not resumed because tabulation centre employees have been reluctant to brave the protests. He also informed the Council that the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) would take steps to ensure that the centre resumed its work, depending on the security situation.

Meanwhile, UN engineering units have been clearing away the roadblocks set up by demonstrators in recent days.