Islam Times - Haiti vote results questioned

Islam Times - The United States embassy in Haiti has called into question the final results of the elections after a number of candidates trailing behind won seats.

Islam Times reports from Press TV: “After reviewing the results...we have found no explanation for the reversals of 18 legislative races in the final results, which in all except two cases benefited the incumbent [Unity] party,” a statement published by the embassy read.

The final results of the March 20 runoff elections were announced by the Electoral Council on Wednesday. The US embassy and the Organization of American States have called for an investigation into fraud allegations.

The results gave the ruling Unity party 46 of the 99 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 17 out of 30 seats in the Senate. One winning candidate received more votes than were cast in his district for all candidates.

The new president-elect Michel Martelly, a kompa singer and long-time proponent of former dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, has also reportedly called for an investigation into the results, urging outgoing President Rene Preval not to ratify them.

This year's parliamentary elections had excluded many candidates and political organizations from participating, namely the widely popular Fanmi Lavalas party. The exclusion of Fanmi Lavalas was officially announced after a meeting between President Preval and the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in February of 2009.

Former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide -- who represents Fanmi Lavalas -- has recently returned to Haiti from South Africa after a seven-year forced exile. The US State Department had attempted to prevent Aristide's return, with President Barack Obama calling South African President Jacob Zuma to demand Aristide not to return before the new round of elections.

Only about 20 percent of the Haitians voted in the elections this year. Many Haitians viewed the elections as illegal and refused to participate.