From 21 to 25 September, the 18 regional coordinators of the Citizen Observatory for Institutionalizing Democracy (OCID) have mobilized to assess the evolution of the electoral process, to observe the conduct of the electoral campaign, the provisions taken at the level of Departmental Electoral Offices (BED) and the measures adopted in the main police station of the country.

The OCID, notes with great concern that within a month of the presidential and municipal elections, the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) as well as the bodies responsible for public safety, have still not implemented all the necessary measures to prevent the repetition of errors, irregularities and incidents that occurred in the elections on 9 August.

Election staff, delays and failures :

Following their visit of 10 BED of country, the first observation of the coordinators revealed that 100% of BED officials interviewed stated that the election officers (election supervisors, members of polling stations and electoral security agents) have not yet been paid for work performed for nearly two months. Which can only discourage, provoke grumble among them or even undermine the preparations for October 25.

Second observation: while the Electoral Council, at a press conference on September 10, announced that the election staff evaluation process would end on 10 October, two weeks before the end of this period, this process began only in 6 of 10 BED considered in the survey.

Moreover, while the CEP has recognized the participation of some electoral supervisors, members of polling stations and electoral security agents in the irregularities of August 9, none of them has yet been punished, according to officials of BED interviewed.

While the CEP had formally promised to respect this time the legal deadline of thirty days for posting the revised voters list, as required by the Electoral Decree, until Friday, September 25, the list has not been seen in any of the BED.

Recommandations :

To less than one month pf the next elections, OCID advised the CEP to do everything possible to meet the legal deadlines and the electoral calendar, while trying not to rush the important steps such as the evaluation and training of election staff. The OCID invites the CEP also not to skimp in the correction of breaches of 9 August and continue to punish, impartially, candidates and members of staff guilty of irregularities and abuse in these elections.

The PNH not sufficiently reactive and proactive :

During their observation, coordinators of the OCID were interested in the degree of involvement of the PNH in the electoral process. This monitoring work has concluded that the PNH should be more responsive and pro-active with respect to violence and fraud observed during the election period. Indeed, 25% of the responses of the interviewees in the 12 police stations and sub-stations, reveal no special instruction has been given locally to secure the campaign period. By cons, 75% of replies mention special measures to prevent and suppress acts of violence related to elections.

More than half of those interviewed stressed the lack of police staff in their respective areas, the securing of a very high number of political meetings and finally the risks of a possible increase in the participation rate, on 25 October.

Recommandations :

To the National Police, the OCID appeal to more vigilance, by insisting with officials of the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) to strengthen police staff in all departments. The Observatory also encourages the General Inspectorate to show more severity vis-à-vis police officers who participated in the violence and fraud on 9 August.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15076-haiti-electionsobservation-of-the-first-phase-of-challenges-some-figures.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14806-haiti-elections-1st-round-completed-in-particularly-difficult-conditions.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14775-haiti-elections-observation-of-the-ocid-in-an-uncertain-context.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14611-haiti-elections-survey-on-civic-engagement-in-the-context-of-elections.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14515-haiti-elections-the-ocid-observes-a-worrying-deterioration-in-the-electoral-environment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14451-haiti-elections-the-citizen-observatory-very-worried.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14013-haiti-elections-ocid-for-a-different-haitian-electoral-observation.html

HL/ HaitiLibre