Several election offices attacked in Haiti as runoff nears

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Several electoral offices were attacked in northern Haiti as the country prepares for a scheduled Jan. 24 presidential and legislative runoff, international observers and police said yesterday.

Gerardo de Icaza, electoral observation director at the Organization of American States, tweeted yesterday that the OAS mission "deplores and strongly condemns" the violence targeting offices of Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council.

Police Inspector Michel Henri said three electoral offices were set on fire late Sunday in communities around the northern city of Cap-Haitien and at least three others were pelted with rocks and other objects.

Henri said the three offices that were set ablaze "weren't totally destroyed" because people managed to douse the flames. There have been no arrests.

The OAS is calling on Haitians involved in the elections to reject violence and "act peacefully."

Several government buildings were burned last month and one demonstrator was killed in violent protests sparked by the release of final legislative election results.