Election campaigning here in Haiti is a difficult process. Clashes between supporters of candidates occur often. When the press reports it is difficult to determine who was at fault. One incident involved supporters of Jude Celestin and Henri Baker. Sadly it ended in death and injuries. Read 2 different perspectives - one from a haitian journalist and one from CNN. These 2 articles follow below:
ELECTIONS: CONFRONTATION CELESTIN-BAKER; 3 DEATHS AND SEVERAL INJURIES
(HaitiLibre.com)
Deadly clashes between supporters of Charles Henri Baker "Regwoupman sitwayen pou espwa (Respè)" and those of Jude Célestin "INITE" were held Monday night in the small town of Beaumont, in the Grand'Anse department.
The two groups of supporters began insulting each other and then to throw stones and bottles before the first gunshots transformed the confrontation into a tragedy.
According to the testimony of a supporter of Baker, the men of Jude Célestin opened fire on the militants of Baker, causing two deaths and several wounded. The party "«Regwoupman sitwayen pou espwa (Respè)»" confirmed the death of two of its partisans: Ti Peau Plume and Jean Wilnes.
The supporters of Jude Celestin identified one dead and several injured in their ranks. They said that supporters of Baker attacked with stones and broken bottles, and it was in self-defense that the security of the INITE candidate opened fire to disperse the attackers.
Members of the campaign team of Charles Henri Baker, have denounced the inaction of the police authorities, who did not intervene immediately to restore order, as the clashes took place near the police station.
The Director General of the Provisional Electoral Council called for an investigation to determine responsibility in this incident.
As for the police, they were not able to confirm all facts and they have started an investigation to try to understand what happened, said police inspector Casamajor Pradel.
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CAMPAIGN SAYS HAITIAN CANDIDATE'S CONVOY ATTACKED
(CNN)
PORT-AU-PRINCE -- The convoy of a leading Haitian presidential candidate came under attack from gunmen, the candidate's sister said Tuesday.
"We just cannot believe it. It's unbelievable. We're still in shock," said Rita Celestin-Rancy, a sister of Jude Celestin, who was traveling with her brother's 20-vehicle convoy to the southern city of Jeremie when they came under fire near Beaumont.
Celestin-Rancy said one person was killed and another wounded. Police did not return calls from CNN.
Campaign manager Joseph Flambert called into Haiti's Radio Caraibes to say the convoy retreated after a "hail of bullets."
Celestin, a director of Haiti's road construction department, is the endorsed candidate of outgoing Haitian President Rene Preval. Celestin is one of 19 Haitians vying for the nation's top office.
Celestin-Rancy declined to speculate on whether Monday night's attack was politically motivated. She said her brother's campaign was awaiting the results of a police investigation.
Candidates have been ramping up their campaigns in the final days before the vote. The streets of the Haitian capital throbbed Monday with music emanating from mobile speakers carrying messages of support for some of the 19 presidential candidates.
Tensions exploded as well in the western coastal town of Miragoane, where resident Antony Gae told CNN on Monday that police fired guns to disperse demonstrators who were burning tires and accusing Haiti's main electoral commission of bias.
But planning for Sunday's scheduled presidential election and legislative elections is moving forward, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten told reporters Tuesday from Port-au-Prince.
"While much remains to be done this week, the process is on track: 250,000 new voters were registered and more than 11,000 voting stations have been identified," Merten said.
The Haitian Conseil Electoral Provisoire, or CEP, is overseeing the plans to ensure "free, fair, and transparent" elections, he said.
The Haitian National Police is in charge of Election Day security, with support from the U.N. stabilization mission in Haiti, known by its French acronym, MINUSTAH.
A number of observers are in Haiti, including the Joint Electoral Observation Mission, an effort of the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community of Nations.
The mission is expected to have more than 100 observers deployed across the country as monitors, he said.
Another 5,000 to 7,000 electoral observers belonging to Haitian civil society groups will be "keeping an eye on things," Merten said.
He noted that the Haitian government has said there is no public health reason for the elections not to take place. "I see them as two separate issues," Merten said. "We have a cholera problem here, which is something that the Haitians and we are all grappling with, which is a major public health challenge here. And we have the elections which should take place, need to take place, and we are here to support that effort."
According to a recent report by the International Crisis Group, Haiti has held 13 elections since 1987, the "majority of which have been marred by delays, suspensions, widespread irregularities, fraud, boycotts, unrest and violence."
Cholera has killed at least 1,415 people and sickened more than 60,000, the Haitian government said Tuesday.
CNN's Ivan Watson contributed to this story
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