HAITI: SOCCER MATCH UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 002568 SIPDIS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD WHA ALSO FOR USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL ASEC HA SUBJECT: HAITI: SOCCER MATCH UPDATE REF: A. PAP 2401 ¶B. PAP 2239 Classified By: DCM Douglas Griffiths, REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D). ¶1. (U) The Haitian National Police (HNP) has completed its investigation into the August 20 events at a USAID-funded soccer match in Martissant (reftel). In a press conference on October 11, HNP Director General Mario Andresol announced in a press conference that a total of 15 officers would face charges for their role in the incident. According to Andresol, the police documented ten dead and five wounded in the events. The judicial police unit investigated 32 police officers and 13 have been detained and await formal charges (two other officers have been detained since September). ¶2. (U) The results of the police investigation are in line with the conclusions of the investigations conducted by Pierre Esperance's National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH),who concluded ten people died and five were injured during the attack. Esperance publicly lauded Andresol and the police investigation stating that "this is the first time that the police have so thoroughly investigated its own abuses." ¶3. (C) Comment: The relatively swift investigation and subsequent arrests in the soccer match events provide a solid example of Andresol's commitment to reform of the HNP. He has a long road ahead and will continue to face obstacles within the HNP to his efforts and he merits our full support. We will continue to encourage investigations of this type into other instances of alleged HNP involvement in human rights abuses. CARNEY