Page "History of Haiti" Paragraph 86

From 1986 to early 1988 Haiti was ruled by a provisional military government under General Namphy.

In 1987, a new constitution was ratified, providing for an elected bicameral parliament, an elected president, and a prime minister, cabinet, ministers, and supreme court appointed by the president with parliament's consent.

The Constitution also provided for political decentralization through the election of mayors and administrative bodies responsible for local government.

The November 1987 elections was cancelled after troops massacred 30 – 300 voters on election day.

Jimmy Carter later wrote that " Citizens who lined up to vote were mowed down by fusillades of terrorists ’ bullets.

Military leaders, who had either orchestrated or condoned the murders, moved in to cancel the election and retain control of the Government.

" The election was followed several months later by the Haitian presidential election, 1988, which was boycotted by almost all the previous candidates, and saw turnout of just 4 %.