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	Haiti Votes for Democracy by CNN / BBC News / Reuters Haiti   Port-Au-Prince, February 17, 2006   Rene Preval faces a daunting task in impoverished Haiti after winning the presidential election. (CNN)   Crowds of supporters celebrated in the streets of Haiti"s capital Thursday after the country"s electoral council declared former President Rene Preval the winner of last week"s presidential election.   Preval had 51.5 percent of the votes counted Thursday after electoral council members decided not to count large numbers of blank ballots. With those votes included in the total number of ballots cast, Preval -- who had a strong lead in early returns -- had fallen short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.   Preval, who was president from 1996 to 2001, is the only leader since the country"s founding in 1803 to have won a democratic election, served a full term and peacefully handed over power.   Both the Organization of American States and the United Nations, which has a 9,000-member peacekeeping mission in Haiti, have announced their support for the electoral council"s decision. There was no immediate comment from the president-elect.   At the United Nations, Secretary General Kofi Annan said the electoral council made its decision after negotiations among the government, Preval"s supporters and his opponents. "It was a reasonable way to attempt to resolve a conflict and an impasse that could have led to serious conflict and violence in the society," he said.   OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza arrived in Port-au-Prince Wednesday to help seek an election settlement and called Thursday"s result "a significant step towards building the country"s future on democracy," the group said in a written statement.   A U.N. statement said neither Insulza nor U.N. representative Juan Gabriel Valdes "had taken part in the council"s discussions leading to the declaration," which the OAS said was reached in a 7-2 vote by the electoral council.   The U.N. statement said Preval supporters in Port-au-Prince began celebrating elections results in the early morning, with crowds reaching an estimated 20,000 people by the afternoon.   "I"m so happy, because we have what we were looking for," supporter Elvia Pressoir, 36, told The Associated Press as she held Preval campaign leaflets and waited outside his sister"s Port-au-Prince home for him to appear. "With Preval, we"ll have security, jobs and life will get back to normal."   The February 7 vote was the first election in Haiti since the 2004 uprising that ousted former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, now in exile in South Africa. Preval, 63, is a longtime Aristide ally, but he distanced himself from the former president during his campaign.   With 96 percent of precincts reporting, his nearest rival, Leslie Manigat, had 12 percent of the vote. Manigat led the impoverished Caribbean country briefly in 1988 before being ousted in a military coup.   An agronomist before entering politics, Preval was previously president between Aristide"s two terms, which were cut short by military coups and upheaval. He won the support of much of Haiti"s poor by achieving some land reform and running a government seen as relatively free of corruption.   Preval says he wants to extend free elementary education during his second term for everyone in the Caribbean nation, which has been wracked with political instability and corruption. Haiti is one of the poorest, most densely populated and least developed countries in the Western Hemisphere.   The elections had been postponed four times because of continuing unrest across Haiti, particularly in the Port-au-Prince slum of Cite Soleil..   8 February 2006   Monitors praise Haiti election. (BBC News)   International monitors have praised the running of Haiti"s general election, as vote-counting gets under way.   The head of the Organisation of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza, said voting was satisfactory despite a chaotic start. At least three people died and dozens were injured in crushes at polling stations or altercations with police.   It is the first vote since President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted a year ago. Results are due on Friday.   People in Haiti - the poorest country in the Americas - were choosing a new president, as well as a 129-member parliament. The front-runners are Rene Preval, a former ally of Mr Aristide who is popular with the poor, and Charles Henry Baker, a businessman. If none of the candidates achieves a 50% majority, the two best-placed candidates will compete in a run-off.   The chief European observer, Johan Van Hecke, said early logistical problems had been resolved, while the United Nations special envoy, Juan Gabriel Valdes, praised Haitians for turning out in large numbers. A US government spokesman said Haiti"s election appeared "pretty successful" and said the US would work with whoever is elected.   Voting was extended because some polling stations in the capital, Port-Au-Prince, failed to open on time. This led to shoving and stampedes, with angry voters trying to force their way in.. Thousands of armed UN troops were deployed to watch over the election process, which has been delayed several times.   Despite the presence of peacekeepers, the country has continued to be blighted by political and criminal violence and instability.   07 Feb 2006 (Reuters)   Port-Au-Prince, Haiti: - Haitians vote for a president and a new chance at democracy on Tuesday although many fear rival armed gangs could wreck the election.   Exactly 20 years after the dictatorial rule of Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier crumbled, Tuesday"s vote offers some hope for an end to the coups and instability that have crippled Haiti since then.   In the most recent uprising, former allies and long-time enemies forced former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide to flee two years ago.   A new round of fighting, however, could plunge the poorest country in the Americas into even deeper chaos. "People are exhausted by this instability, the lack of security," Gerard Le Chevallier, the top U.N. official overseeing the election, told Reuters on Monday.   Front runner Rene Preval draws support from the miserable urban slums and rural areas where his mentor Aristide was strongest. Preval was also president from 1996 to 2001, an era of relative calm, and he is Haiti"s only elected leader to end his term and hand over power peacefully.   "He gave us roads, hospitals, schools. ... He brought us work and there was peace," said Marie Claude, a 41-year-old mother of seven selling grains at a market stall in the Cite Soleil shantytown of the capital..
	Thai Prime Minister steps down by AFP / BBC News / SBS News Thailand   April 9, 2006   The Thai people speak. (The Boston Globe)   Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra''s resignation last week signifies a healthy triumph of people power in Thailand. A cascade of huge public rallies against Thaksin''s manipulation of democratic forms finally led to the fall of a new kind of autocrat - the oligarch who buys power and wields it as the CEO of an entire country.   The immediate catalyst for the billionaire tycoon''s decision to step aside was, apparently, a well-timed nudge from Thailand''s revered monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej.   Despite a stunning level of opposition to his Thai Rak Thai party in the parliamentary election - in which 10 million people cast no votes - Thaksin initially pretended he nevertheless had a mandate to continue in office, since a majority of voters had voted for his party. But after being summoned to a "special audience" with King Bhumibol Tuesday, Thaksin went on television to say he was stepping aside so as not to spoil the celebrations in June of the king''s 60th anniversary on the throne.   The king, however, was only fulfilling the will of his people. In many constituencies, there were more "no" votes than votes for candidates of Thaksin''s party. This was the outcome in 26 constituencies of Bangkok and in 56 more in predominantly Muslim districts of southern Thailand. In 38 other constituencies, unopposed candidates from Thaksin''s party failed to get 20 percent of the votes cast, a requirement for gaining a seat in Parliament. Hence, the election did not produce a new parliament in accordance with the Constitution, but it did deprive Thaksin of a mandate to continue in power.   The election results and the rallies that brought as many as 100,000 demonstrators into the streets were rooted in revulsion against both the domestic abuses of Thaksin''s rule and his regional missteps. His government''s extra-judicial murders of suspected drug traffickers, the massacre of Muslims in southern Thailand that infuriated neighboring Malaysia, his commercial dealings with a savage military junta in Burma that has been flooding Thailand with methamphetamine, and the corrupt granting of government contracts to well-connected cronies - these were among the causes of popular disenchantment with Thaksin.   But the final straw was the sale of his family-owned conglomerate to the government of Singapore for $1.9 billion. Included were not only the satellite and mobile-phone branches of his business empire, but also an airline in competition with the Thai national airline.   The Thais are showing the world that there is a crucial distinction between corporate culture and democratic culture.   6.4.2006.   Thaksin agrees to step aside. (AFP)   Thailand faces weeks of uncertainty following Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra decision to step down.   Mr Thaksin stunned the country by announcing his resignation following weeks of mass protests and a controversial election. In his absence, deputy premier Chidchai Vanansathidya will be appointed acting caretaker prime minister, government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said.   Mr Thaksin"s opponents in the media, business circles and sections of the Bangkok middle class have praised his decision to go and expressed relief that an end to a months-long political crisis may be in sight.   One of his leading critics, Sondhi Limthongkul, vowed to press ahead with a new protest in Bangkok, this time demanding Mr Thaksin leave politics entirely.   But a poll on Wednesday found 87 percent of those asked in the capital want the protests to stop. The same poll showed Mr Thaksin"s popularity jumped to 64 percent in Bangkok after announcing his resignation.   He will stay as caretaker premier until parliament convenes and will remain leader of his party and an MP after that. A close aide said many cabinet members had been shocked by Mr Thaksin"s sudden announcement late on Tuesday, which came just about two hours after he met the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.   The opposition, which boycotted last weekend"s election in a bid to force him out, also seemed caught off guard. The Democrat Party and two smaller parties met for most of the day to decide how to react.   Mr Thaksin"s party looked set to win about 56 percent of the vote in Sunday"s vote, the Election Commission said, with 99 percent of districts reporting. Those results were in line with Mr Thaksin"s expectations.   He had insisted on Monday that his party would win 57 percent of the vote in Sunday"s polls, despite a strong protest vote in Bangkok and southern Thailand, and the boycott which undermined the credibility of the balloting.   But the election left 39 seats empty, due to disqualified candidates or because the winner failed to meet the minimum 20 percent vote requirement.   Uncertainty   Parliament cannot convene until by-elections for 39 districts are held on April 23 and all 500 seats are filled. The Democrats have already announced that they will not field candidates in the by-elections.   The uncertainty left it unclear when Mr Thaksin would actually leave the post he has held since 2001, because a new prime minister cannot be confirmed until parliament convenes.   "The next big step is how (to resolve) what happened with the results of the current election," said John Brandon, director of international relations at the Asia Foundation.   Mr Thaksin had come under increasing pressure to quit since January, when public anger erupted over his family"s US$1.9-billion tax-free sale of its stock in Shin Corp, the telecom giant Mr Thaksin founded before entering office.   His critics staged weeks of street protests demanding he resign for alleged corruption and abuse of power, while his political rivals boycotted the elections that were seen as a referendum on his leadership.   Mr Thaksin"s decision to resign is expected to usher in a months-long process of constitutional reform, with an interim government running the country until new elections can be organised. Even a lengthy period of political reforms under a caretaker government was preferable to the standoff that had gripped Thailand for two months, said Kiatphong Noijaiboon, a vice chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries.   "After the parliament convenes, political reforms can move forward," Mr Kiatphong said. "It will be much easier for the opposition parties to run in the new election to make sure Thai democracy works properly."   5 March 2006   Mass rally against Thailand"s PM. (BBC News)   Thousands of opponents of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are holding a protest in Bangkok, vowing to stay in the streets until he steps down.   About 50,000 people marched to Mr Thaksin"s office waving Thai flags and shouting anti-government slogans. Police said the march was peaceful. This is the latest in a series of rallies accusing Mr Thaksin of corruption and abuse of power. He has called a snap election in April in an attempt to win back authority.   One of Mr Thaksin"s most prominent opponents, Sondhi Limthongkul, told the crowd: "We will rally around the clock until Thaksin and (his wife) Potjaman leave the country." Another protest leader, Suriyasai Katasila, said: "The rally will go on and we won"t stop unless we win."   On Sunday afternoon, the protesters marched from Sanam Luang (Royal Field) to the Democracy Monument, which commemorates the end of absolute monarchy.   In the evening, rally organisers called on the crowd to march towards the prime minister"s office. Waving flags and accompanied by a van playing music the crowd made its way there.   The BBC"s Simon Montlake in Bangkok says there were tense moments as protest leaders negotiated their way past police lines.   Critics of Mr Thaksin say he has destroyed democratic institutions and is guilty of corruption, tax evasion and human rights violations.   Mr Thaksin, who has said he will resign if his party does not win at least 50% of the vote in the election, is campaigning in the north-east. He has strong support in the countryside, where the majority of Thais live.   About 100,000 supporters rallied on Friday to support him. Mr Thaksin dissolved parliament on 24 February after about a month of street protests.   But his attempt to regain the initiative has been thrown into doubt by the main opposition Democrat Party and two other parties, which have said they will boycott the election. Analysts say this would seriously threaten their legitimacy.   5.2.2006. (SBS News)   Underlying dissatisfaction with Thailand"s Prime Minister has come to the surface. Thousands of his compatriots have called on Thaksin Shinawatra to resign. They accuse the wealthy businessman-turned-politician of corrupt conduct over the sale of his multibillion-dollar family business.   Estimates of crowd numbers ranged from 40,000 to 100,000. Either way, it"s the biggest anti-government demonstration in the capital, Bangkok, for 14 years. With the royal palace as a backdrop, the protest signalled a landmark challenge to Thaksin Sinawatra"s five years in office. The mood appeared festive, but the messages carried by banners were serious. They were meant to persuade the King to pressure the Prime Minister to resign.   Adding to the pressure on the prime minister, his cabinet has been shaken by a two resignations in as many days.   The protesters accuse the prime minister of using his political power to boost his business dealings - particularly in the $US1.9 billion ($A2.5 billion) sale of his family"s Shin Corp, the telecom giant founded by Thaksin.   The $2.5 billion sale failed to attract the customary 30% capital gains tax. As the protest went deep into the night, his opponents labelled him a corrupt dictator who abused power for personal gain. "Thaksin get out!" they chanted. But with typical defiance, Thaksin Shinawatra said in a radio broadcast only the King, not the crowd, can ask for his resignation. Last year, the billionaire prime minister showed his disdain for media probing. When faced with a question he disliked, he denounced it as "non-constructive" and gave reporters a game show-style buzzer treatment.   The protesters are hoping to convince King Bhumibol Adulyadej to pressure the prime minister to resign or to call new elections.   Thaksin"s leading critic, media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul, led a group of 200 people to deliver a petition to a representative of the king.   It called the prime minister a "dictator who is corrupt, lacks ethics, has no respect for rule of law, and who abuses power to seek his personal and family gain."   Thaksin"s cabinet was rocked by the sudden resignation of technology minister Sora-at Klinpratum. It followed the walkout on Friday of Culture minister Uraiwan Thienthong who said she wanted to "preserve political ethics".   Both belong to the same faction within Thaksin"s party, headed by Uraiwan"s husband Sanoh Thienthong.
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