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<h1 id="reader-title">New Report: Biased international observers
failed Haiti in 2015, neutrality and independence essential
for upcoming October elections<br>
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<p>Contact: Nicole Phillips, Esq., National
Lawyers Guild Haiti Committee, <a
href="mailto:Nicole@ijdh.org">Nicole@ijdh.org</a>,
+001 510 715 2855 (in U.S., speaks English and French)</p>
<p><strong>New Report: Biased international observers
failed Haiti in 2015, </strong><strong>neutrality and
independence essential for upcoming October elections</strong></p>
<p>(NEW YORK, September 19, 2016) – As Haiti prepares for
presidential and legislative elections on October 9,
2016, a new <a
href="http://www.ijdh.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Democracy-Discouraged-NLG-Report-091916.pdf">report</a>
by voting rights advocates charges that international
observation efforts in previous rounds were a
“monumental failure.” Despite clear evidence of fraud,
violence and other irregularities during the August 9
and October 25, 2015 elections, international observers
hailed the two rounds of voting as a successful exercise
of democracy, the report shows. “The failure to uphold
international standards for free and fair elections
raises serious questions about the objectivity and
independence of international observers,” said Nicole
Phillips, a member of the National Lawyers Guild and one
of the report’s authors.</p>
<p>The report, entitled <em>Democracy Discouraged:
International Observers and Haiti’s 2015 Elections</em>,
documents how the Organization of American States (OAS)
and European Union (EU) electoral observation missions
ignored reports of electoral problems from Haitian
observers, journalists, two governmental commissions
and, at times, even their own observers. “How is it
possible that the OAS and EU observers did not see what
everyone else did?” said Mario Joseph, Managing Attorney
at the <em>Bureau des Avocats Internationaux</em>,
based in Port-au-Prince, and a member of the
International Association of Democratic Lawyers’
governing Bureau. “Their unjustifiable endorsement of
the 2015 elections has badly damaged international
observers’ credibility in Haiti.”</p>
<p>Despite mounting evidence of fraud, OAS and EU
observers persistently opposed calls from a broad
spectrum of civil society within Haiti for an
independent verification, and defended the election
results. The international observers’ position closely
mirrored that of the United States and other large donor
nations, which used the flawed assessments of the OAS
and EU to justify their opposition to verification, the
report shows.</p>
<p>The apparent influence wielded by powerful states over
electoral assessments raises doubts about the neutrality
and independence of international observers, the report
states. In May 2016, an independent commission confirmed
that “massive fraud” had badly distorted the October 25
election’s outcome and ordered the presidential race
rerun. In response, the U.S. government cut off election
funding and EU observers withdrew in protest. The OAS
mission has announced it will stay to observe the next
round.</p>
<p>The report recommends that international observation
missions report objectively and honestly on the
electoral process, refrain from political interference,
and incorporate the views of Haitian civil society
observers into their evaluations of the upcoming October
9 vote. Shodona Kettle, Chair of the Haiti Support
Group, states: “Our civil society partners are deeply
concerned by the reluctance of international
organisations to address serious allegations of fraud
and irregularities during the elections. Rather than
sweep this issue under the carpet, we urge the EU and
OAS to acknowledge and respond to the contributions of
local observers in the monitoring of elections in their
country.”</p>
<p>The National Lawyers Guild and International
Association of Democratic Lawyers’ November 2015 <a
href="https://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-and-iadl-election-observers-establish-flaws-haitis-october-25-vote-call">report</a>
calling for an independent investigation to address
widespread allegations of fraud is available at
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-and-iadl-election-observers-establish-flaws-haitis-october-25-vote-call">https://www.nlg.org/news/releases/nlg-and-iadl-election-observers-establish-flaws-haitis-october-25-vote-call</a>.<br>
_________________________________________________________<br>
<u><font size="4"><b>HAITI RISES! SEPT 30 INTERNATIONAL
DAYS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF HAITI</b></font></u><br>
<br>
</p>
<p><b>Friday, Sept 30 - 4:30PM Demonstration, music, drums</b>:
14th & Broadway, Oakland</p>
<p><b>Sunday, Oct 2 - 3PM Inside Haiti's Election:</b>
Eastside Arts, 2277 International Blvd, Oakland</p>
<p>The irresistible momentum of Haiti's non-stop mass
movement, <i>Lavalas</i>, with tens of thousands in the
streets almost daily for months has forced the annulment
of the fraudulent 2015 elections. The new election date
is October 9, 2016. But the United States and its allies
are still scheming to block Haiti's most popular
political party, <i>Fanmi Lavalas</i>, and thwart the
popular will.</p>
<p>The time for International solidarity is now! These
next two weeks are crucial as President Aristide and
presidential candidate Dr. Maryse Narcisse are making
their way throughout the country in a historic campaign
tour named the Caravan of Dignity. It has been 16 years
since <i>Fanmi Lavalas </i>has participated in an
election, finally able to break through their forced
exclusion from the democratic process. The unending
resistance of the people of Haiti and your solidarity
have made this possible.</p>
<p><span>This election is a fight to restore a popular
government that once again elevates the democratic
agenda of the Haitian people and their struggle for
dignity and human rights. HAITI RISES! A TIME FOR
SOLIDARITY!</span> The grassroots on the march in
Haiti and your solidarity will result in a huge
historical victory, Dr. Maryse Narcisse as the first
woman elected President of Haiti. It has been a long
road.<span></span></p>
<p>Very exciting news from Haiti is reported on <a
href="https://www.facebook.com/Haiti-Action-Committee-262983839885/"
target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Ha<wbr>iti-Action-Committee-262983839<wbr>885/</a>
<br>
</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<p><span>Actor/activist Danny Glover wrote today in the
Huffington Post: "Haiti’s democracy must be in the
hands of Haitians. Haiti’s leaders need to inspire its
people, to send a message that through political
inclusion, active citizen participation and
progressive policies, Haiti can indeed enact bold
change in favor of the needy majority of its citizens.
Many powerful interests are working to prevent this
from taking place, but that’s why those fighting for a
real democracy need our support so that their
commitment to progressive change can be put to the
test."<br>
</span></p>
<p><b>Show your support during the Haiti International
Solidarity Day events, the demonstration on 9/30 and
the important discussion and updates on <span><span>10/2/16</span></span>.
</b><br>
</p>
<p>sent by Haiti Action Committee Follow us on FACEBOOK,
@HaitiAction1 and <a
href="http://www.haitisolidarity.net" target="_blank">www.haitisolidarity.net</a></p>
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