ARTICLE - UN CALLS FOR CALM AFTER ELECTION

UN CALLS FOR CALM AFTER SUCCESSFUL RUN-OFF POLLS
(Channel 6 News) - By BNO News

UNITED NATIONS -- The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) on Monday called on all Haitians for calm and restraint after successful run-off polls on Sunday.

"The second round of the presidential and legislative elections has concluded in considerably better conditions than the first round despite some logistical and administrative problems and isolated acts of violence in certain departments," MINUSTAH said in a statement.

On Sunday, the Haitian people participated in the second round of elections to decide the next president between popular musician Michel Martelly and former first lady Mirlande Manigat. The results are expected to be announced in several days.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the Haitian people for exercising their right to elect their next president and government. Ban remarked that the next administration will have the enormous task of rebuilding a country struck by a devastating earthquake and a cholera epidemic last year.

MINUSTAH also congratulated Haitians for the calm and discipline displayed during Sunday's polls. Furthermore, the UN peacekeeping mission called authorities for ensuring a credible run-off and results that reflect the will of the population.

"While awaiting the end of the counting and the tabulation of ballots, MINUSTAH urges all candidates and their followers to show patience and restraint, thus giving an example of democracy, since it is the future of the country that is at stake," the UN mission added.

On November 28, the first round of the presidential and legislative elections was held. The results were denounced by supporters of Martelly after he was eliminated from the run-off and conservative Manigat and Jude Celestin, the candidate backed by outgoing President René Préval finished first and second respectively.

Martelly called for a re-examination of the ballots. After two months of post-election crisis Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council decided to eliminate Celestin from the race after following the recommendations of the OAS.

Last week, former President Jean Bertrand Aristide was preparing to leave South Africa to return home after fleeing Haiti in 2004 during a violent uprising. Aristide, who was elected president three times, had been asked by the United States to postpone his return until the elections had concluded.