SURINAMESE MINISTER OF DEFENSE DISAVOWS PRESS

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000183

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - MSEIBEL, HAITI MONTORING TASK FORCE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL MARR NS
SUBJECT: SURINAMESE MINISTER OF DEFENSE DISAVOWS PRESS
REPORTS OF GOS WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT HAITAIAN REFUGEES


SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.


1. (U) SURINAMESE DEFENSE/ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER RONALD
ASSEN DISAVOWED TO THE EMBASSY A HEADLINE STORY IN THE
FEBRUARY 25 EDITION OF THE LOCAL DAILY DE WARE TIJD, IN
WHICH HE REPORTEDLY DECLARED SURINAME'S WILLINGNESS TO
ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES IF THE SITUATION IN HAITI
DETERIORATES. CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS,
ASSEN TOLD THE EMBASSY THAT HE HAD ONLY EXPRESSED SURINAME'S
WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER A REQUEST BY THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY TO ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES. (NOTE. IN 1996,
SURINAME PARTICIPATED IN THE US-LED OPERATION DISTANT HAVEN
AND MADE RUDIMENTARY PREPARATIONS FOR A MAKESHIFT CAMP NEXT
TO THE AYOKO MILITARY COMPOUND, LOCATED NEAR THE
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FOR AN INFLUX OF HAITIAN REFUGEES,
WHICH NEVER MATERIALIZED. TODAY THE "REFUGEE CAMP" AMOUNTS
TO A GRASSY FIELD WITH CONCRETE SLABS, WHICH LACKS THE
NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT A REFUGEE POPULATION.
END NOTE.)


2. (SBU) COMMENT. THE MISINTERPRETATION BY THE PRESS OF
MINISTER ASSEN'S STATEMENTS CONCERNING SURINAME'S
WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES IS YET ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE EMPLOYED BY SURINAME'S
UNDERDEVELOPED PRESS. THE STATEMENT BY ASSEN THAT SURINAME
WOULD CONSIDER ANY REQUEST BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO
TAKE IN HAITIAN REFUGEES IS A FAR CRY FROM THE ASSERTION
THAT SURINAME IS WILLING TO ACCEPT REFUGEES. ASSEN AND
OTHER GOS OFFICIALS CAN LIMIT SUCH PRESS GAFFES BY SPEAKING
LESS FREELY WITH THE PRESS. END COMMENT.


3. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

BARNES

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2004PARAMA00183 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED



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