berman@ihuxm.UUCP (09/09/83)
Surprising that someone would raise the old wash about El Salvador's "free elections." But for those who gobbled up the well-orchestrated TV news shots of long lines at the polling-places, how's about a few does of some harsh realities about those "free" elections: 1) Voting was mandatory and stamped on your ID. If you didn't have that stamp, you're in trouble next time you pass an army checkpoint, or your local right-wing death squad comes calling. 2) The rebels were ambiguous on their stance towards the elections. Knowing the harsh reality of #1, and knowing they do not have the ability to protect the population except in certain provinces, they made no serious attempt to disrupt voting. 3) voting was performed by placing ballots into transparent ballot boxes. 4) The numbers on the ballots were not removed prior to the placement of the ballots in the boxes. Thus votes were directly traceable using registration forms. See a recent Mother Jones for a full account of this great exercise in western democracy. ------------------------------------------- Just prior to independence Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) made a similar last gasp effort to show its devotion to western civilization by holding similar elections. The rebels (as in El Salvador) did not participate. Bishop Muzerewa, the candidate backed by the ruling elite won hands down. Very soon afterwards there was a Peace Settlement and U.N.-observed elections. The rebels won over 80% in a complete reversal of the electoral outcome. The moral: don't be fooled by staged elections run by a regime that terrorizes its population. El Salvador is no exception. Andy Berman
grunwald@uiuccsb.UUCP (09/14/83)
#R:ihuxm:-52200:uiuccsb:11000020:000:604 uiuccsb!grunwald Sep 13 18:25:00 1983 Another point of fact about such elections: Many countries, such as Guatamala charge a fine (a very considerable one, to my understanding) to people who do not go to the polling place. They do not have to actually vote, they just need to go there. Thus, when you hear figures of >90% turnout, it might sound impressive, especially when you consider the bad turnout in American elections. However, the vote totals usually ignore the blank ballots, and the "turnout figures" do not. Hence, one could have a massive turn out & have one candidate win with 100% of the vote and only have one person vote.