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Haitian Official Alleges Vote Manipulation
 PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - A member of Haiti's electoral council said results of the presidential elections were being manipulated, echoing complaints by throngs of supporters of Rene Preval, who poured into the streets on Sunday with angry allegations of fraud. With 75 percent of votes counted, Preval was falling short of winning Tuesday's elections outright by less than a percentage point."According to me, there's a certain level of manipulation," Pierre Richard Duchemin, an electoral council member, told The Associated Press, adding that "there is an effort to stop people from asking questions" about the counting process. Duchemin said Sunday he needed access to tallies of vote counts in hopes of learning who was behind the alleged manipulation. He called for an investigation. Preval's supporters converged on the electoral council headquarters. Blowing horns and pounding drums, they denounced Jacques Bernard, director-general of the nine-member council. "Jacques Bernard is a thief. He doesn't know how to count!" they chanted. U.N. peacekeepers blocked Preval supporters from reaching the Montana Hotel, where election officials have been giving updates on the results. Bernard denied accusations the council voided many votes for Preval, a former president. Posted by: Steve White 2006-02-12 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=142489 |