40 barred from Haitian Senate race -- including Lavalas slate

A decision by Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council to disqualify members of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's political party in the April 19 senate elections has sparked concern among foreign diplomats. The 17 Fanmi Lavalas members were among 40 people who registered candidacies for Parliament, but were disqualified this week. The party is one of the largest in the country, but internal discord over who can register candidates under the party banner hampered the process. All told, 105 hopefuls had registered for 12 Senate seats. ''We are concerned by the circumstances that have led to the exclusion of all the candidates of one party,'' Canadian Ambassador Gilles Rivard said in a statement. ``Any election's credibility is based on the respect of its laws and its regulations. Nevertheless, as a symbol of democracy, an election must assemble and reunite and not contribute to divide a population.'' The U.S. Embassy in Haiti called the Council's decision a ''matter of great concern'' and, like Canada, called on Haitian authorities to discuss the matter. ''Under the law, elections should involve all major parties and serve as a unifying force for democracy,'' the statement said. ``An election based on the exclusion. . . will inevitably question the credibility of elections. . . in Haiti and among donors and friends of Haiti.'' Electoral Council President Frantz-Gérard Verret told The Miami Herald that political party affiliation had no factor in the decision to disqualify individuals. They were barred from running, he said, ``because they lacked one or several pieces of proper documentation as required under the law.'' After publishing the initial list of 105 candidates, election officials were criticized by Haitian activists and human rights groups for allowing persons accused of crimes, including drug-trafficking and murder, to register as candidates. The electoral council was under attack again Friday by human rights activists for accepting the candidacy of Moise Jean-Charles, who is running as a member of President René Préval's Lespwa (''hope'') coalition. Jean-Charles has been implicated -- not convicted -- in murders carried out by a mob he is accused of leading. He denies the accusations.