Unrest Continues Over Haiti Election

PORT-AU-PRINCE - Haitian Presidential candidate, Michel `Sweet Mickey` Martelly, is vowing a return of street protests in Haiti.

His comments come as the Haiti Provisional Council plans a recount of tally sheets, a move that does not have the blessings of either Martelly or former first lady, Mirlande Manigat.

President Rene Preval for his part has asked for the Organization of American States` help in the recount of an election that many say was rigged and does not have the support of the opposition candidates.
Now after days of calm, Martelly warned that his supporters could again hit the streets.

`I`m telling you, if they come back to us with bad solutions, the people are going to take to the streets,` he told AFP.

This as the U.N. said all candidates should file any complaints through legal means and help avoid further violence.

Candidates had until 4 p.m. local time on Wednesday to lodge complaints with Haiti`s Provisional Electoral Council, which has proposed setting up a special verification committee to adjudicate the complaints.

The Caribbean nation, which has been dealing with the aftermath of January`s devastating earthquake and the cholera outbreak, went to the polls on 28 November to elect the president, senators and members of parliaments in constituencies where elections were due.

Protesters have accused the ruling government coalition of rigging the results. Provisional tallies put former first lady Manigat and the candidate of the outgoing President Rene Préval`s party, Jude Celestin, in first and second place, thus qualifying for January`s run-off.

Popular musician Martelly was less than one percentage point behind in third place, but thus excluded from the run-off, and his supporters have been involved in the burning of timber barricades, boulders and flaming tires.