PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) _ Radio stations on Thursday announced the contents of a draft decree proposed by Haiti's military rulers, which says a government-appointed Electoral College will run elections and write an electoral law. The draft decree said the Electoral Board, made up of nine government-appointed representatives, one from each of Haiti's provinces, will also control voter registration and arbitrate disputes between candidates, Radio Haiti Inter said. The decree bears the names of Haitian ruler Lt. Gen. Prosper Avril and all 12 Cabinet ministers, the station said. ``The draft project is quite simply anti-constitutional; a scheme to get around the constitution,'' said Dr. Louis Roy, co-author of the constitution massively approved by Haitians in a 1987 referendum. The 1987 constitution, considered the most liberal in Haiti's 184-year history, provides for an independent electoral council, appointed by institutions such as the Roman Catholic Church, human rights groups and journalists associations. ``It is not possible to restore the constitution by anti-constitutional means. In Avril's version of the electoral institution, the executive names the members, and deprives it thereby of its independence,'' Roy said. After he was appointed president by soldiers who ousted Lt. Gen. Henri Namphy on Sept. 17, Avril promised to respect the constitution, human rights, and return Haiti to democracy. Avril told opposition politicians that elections could not be held for at least another two years. The government delivered copies of the draft decree to several radio stations, political parties and professional groups in Port-au-Prince, asking for comments and suggestions, which may be incorporated into the decree before it is made into law by the military government, Radio Haiti Inter said. Namphy had suspended the constitution, saying it was inspired by foreign ideas. Soldiers said they ousted Namphy because they were sickened by unpunished acts of terrorism and state-sponsored violence. Namphy abolished the independent Electoral Council on Nov. 29 hours after thugs protected by soldiers shot and hacked to death at least 36 voters, in what would have been Haiti's first truly free election. An attempt by Namphy to override the independent council and rewrite the electoral law in June 1987 touched off a wave of anti-government protests and strikes, which left over 30 dead and dozens wounded. Namphy replaced dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier, who fled to France in February 1986.
