Our World

Haiti Election

Haiti just had their presidential election, and they are also choosing a 129-member parliament. But if you thought what happened in Florida during our presidential election was bad, you should check out the angry protestors in this poor counrty of Haiti. The front-runner Rene Preval had a 61% lead last week but now his numbers have dropped and he only got 48.7% of the votes- and you need 50% to win. This has caused riots all over Haiti and supporters of Preval are demanding that he be made president. They are burning tyres and roadblocks, and a large group of protestors marched into a hotel where the ballots were being counted and were jumping in the pool and chanting slogans. Many believe that there has been mishandling of the ballots and they think that Preval should be made president. Un officials were tryin to control crowds and said they shot in the air, but witnesses are saying that they shot at them. To put it simply, it's mass chaos. And so we come upon another thing we take for granted: our semi-peaceful elections. In Haiti there is at least one person who has been killed and acounted for during these protests. Sure we complain and argue about the fairness of the elections, but in the end we don't cause chaos and kill people over it. I know I am very grateful to be living in a democratic and free country where we can be peaceful and still have our voice be heard.

posted by Anonymous @ 2/13/2006 09:31:00 PM