Political

Dismissed Mayor Launches International Appeal for Democracy in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) – Supporters of the former Mayor of Port-au-Prince Jason Jean Yves Muscadin made a national and international appeal for democracy in Haiti on Thursday. With others, they denounced a political persecution of the former mayor of Haiti’s first city and the removal of elected municipal officials.

events@defend.ht

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) – Supporters of the former Mayor of Port-au-Prince Jason Jean Yves Muscadin made a national and international appeal for democracy in Haiti on Thursday. With others, they denounced a political persecution of the former mayor of Haiti’s first city and the removal of elected municipal officials.

The government's decision to issue an arrest warrant against the former mayor of Port-au-Prince aims to satisfy the whims of some government officials explained Eric Placide a spokesman for the Patriotic Citizens Rally (RCP).

Placide says the government of Martelly-Lamothe, after dismissing the elected Mayor Jason two months prior for an appointed one – an act unconstitutional – now look to tarnish the reputation of the mayor by implicating him as the arsonist behind a fire that destroyed the public market, to which the mayor and his attorneys deny.

Other elected municipal officials throughout Haiti have been replaced by appointed ones as well. The RCP called on parliamentarians, political parties and the international community to take note of the series of “drifts” by the Martelly-Lamothe government and to react against them.

The lawyer for Mr. Jason, Newton Saint-Juste, said that even as of Thursday his client had not been formally charged with any crime. He has described the actions of the government as a “political persecution” since steps have been taken so irregular by the state prosecutor.

The Chairman of the Interior and Communal Territories of the Chamber of Deputies, Romail Smith (Saut d’Eau/Inite) criticized the actions of the government to dismiss elected municipal officials and place in their stead non-elected officials that would be cronies of the Martelly-Lamothe government.

Although the mandates of the mayors had ended, the steps being taken to replace them shows an unwillingness of the federal government to hold elections, according to Deputy Smith.

It should be noted:
Elections were due to be held in November 2011
No steps have been taken by the government to schedule the next elections
Electoral Council Members have not been chosen or taken their seat
Even if the electoral council was established today, there would not be enough time to hold elections in the year 2012.