ARTICLE - OFFICIALS PREPARE REVIEW

OFFICIALS PREPARE TO REVIEW HAITI ELECTORAL RESULTS
(Miami Herald) - By Trenton Daniel

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Some major streets in this Haitian capital were cleared of debris and a few businesses opened Friday morning as electoral officials prepared to meet at a UN compound on the disputed results of last week's presidential elections.

The calmer atmosphere comes after two full days of unrest paralyzed Port-au-Prince and two other major cities. Violence has claimed at least two lives, Haitian police say.

Since the release of preliminary elections results on Tuesday for the contested Nov. 28 vote, thousands of protesters for rival candidates have staged demonstrations and counter-demonstrations. Protesters also have erected flaming barricades and have torched government buildings in the southwest city of Les Cayes.

In the capital, merchants, including streets artisans, have had their businesses destroyed.

Since Wednesday there has been an increased police presence. The UN military has also made patrols.

"We are continuing our regular patrols as the situation requires," said Barbara Mertz, spokeswoman for UN military.

Meanwhile, the medical relief team Doctors Without Borders said it has treated 26 patients - 15 with bullet wounds - since violence erupted Tuesday night. The group's ambulances have been seen travelling Port-au-Prince in an effort to administer medical care, especially for victims of a deadly cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 2,000 lives.

On Thursday, the U.S. State Department advised U.S. citizens against nonessential travel to Haiti. American Airlines has cancelled its flights until at least Dec. 13.

In an effort to stem the unrest, election officials said Thursday they would review contested presidential votes _ though some opposition candidates say the move doesn't go far enough to address allegations of widespread voter fraud.

Despite the electoral council's declaration, questions remain if the three candidates who received the highest number of votes will even agree to participate.

The preliminary results showed that Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady, received 31.37 per cent of the vote while the government's hand-picked successor, Jude Celestin, received 22.48 per cent of the vote. Michel Martelly, a popular music star known by the stage name "Sweet Micky," finished third with 21.84 per cent of the vote.

The top two vote-getters head to a second round scheduled for Jan. 16. It is Haiti's first run-off since the 29-year Duvalier regime was ousted in 1986.

Martelly's supporters and anti-government protesters charge the vote was stolen and that he should be in the second round.

The election comes as the country struggles to recover from a massive earthquake in January and tries to contain a deadly cholera outbreak. Scientists presented evidence Thursday that the disease outbreak can be traced to South Asia. Some have accused UN troops from Nepal of bringing it here.