Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05PORTAUPRINCE3042
2005-12-13 19:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

HAITI: NEPTUNE REAFFIRMS RESOLVE TO CONTINUE

Tags:  PGOV PHUM PREL HA 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 003042 

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
WHA ALSO FOR USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL HA
SUBJECT: HAITI: NEPTUNE REAFFIRMS RESOLVE TO CONTINUE
HUNGER STRIKE UNTIL HE IS RELEASED

REF: PAP 2916

Classified By: CDA TIMOTHY M. CARNEY, REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 003042

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
WHA ALSO FOR USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL HA
SUBJECT: HAITI: NEPTUNE REAFFIRMS RESOLVE TO CONTINUE
HUNGER STRIKE UNTIL HE IS RELEASED

REF: PAP 2916

Classified By: CDA TIMOTHY M. CARNEY, REASONS 1.5(B) AND (D).


1. (C) Summary: During a December 12 visit from poloff,
former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune appeared more agitated and
bitter than in recent months. While he remains
intellectually sharp, he seemed physically weaker since the
last visit on November 22 (reftel). During the 60-minute
visit, Neptune, yelling at times, reaffirmed his commitment
to continue his hunger strike until the very end and blamed a
number of actors, including the USG and other Friends of
Haiti governments, of delighting in his slow demise and for
not doing enough to procure his release. Neptune appears
committed to his decision not to cooperate with any solution
offered by the IGOH and is resigned to the consequences of
his hunger strike. End Summary.


2. (C) Poloff paid a visit to former Prime Minister Yvon
Neptune at the Pacot Prison Annex on December 12 (Note:
Father Jean-Juste followed poloff into Neptune's room to
greet him before poloff began the meeting. Neptune remarked
to Jean-Juste in Creole that his neck appeared more swollen
than usual and that they should release him so he can see a
doctor. Jean-Juste chuckled and replied that he had just
told poloff the same thing in their meeting and he exited the
room. Jean-Juste visit reported septel. End Note). Poloff
commented to Neptune that he looked weaker than during the
last visit. He said that he has not seen his doctor in over
a month. Poloff offered to contact his doctor or to arrange
for the prisons doctor to see him, to which he declined and
said that "there's no point for him to see a doctor now," and
that "his mind was made up." He said he had no more concern
for his life, only for the lives of the Haitian people. He
asked poloff to convey a message to DCM Griffiths and asked
that he relay the message to the members of the Core Group:
"Too many Haitians have died since February 29, 2004" and he
wants to know "what the international community has done to
help Haiti since then?"


3. (C) Neptune then began a 60-minute tirade expressing his
frustration at his continued imprisonment. He claimed that
certain members of the Latortue government would delight in
his death (only mentioning PM Latortue and Foreign Minister
Abraham by name). He said that he was "tired of playing
games" and that if "they want to see him dead, they will get
their wish, but that his death would be a slow one."
Referring to his agreement, and subsequent refusal, to leave
the country for medical treatment, Neptune said that he had
deviated from his original philosophy not to cooperate with
any plan that would appear to shed a favorable light on the
interim government. He claimed that he agreed initially
because UN SRSG Valdes had convinced him to accept the offer,
but that since then, he no longer has confidence in Valdes.
He added that he would not cooperate with any future
solutions negotiated with the IGOH, judicial, political or
otherwise, and demanded an unconditional release.


4. (C) Raising his voice and yelling at times, Neptune
directly blamed USG officials from the embassy and in
Washington for not doing more to obtain his release. He
referred to his meeting with CODEL Hoekstra in October and
demanded to know an update on the plan (the proposed plan
involved a release on his own recognizance for Neptune but
was ultimately rejected by Justice Minister Dorleans who
stated that it was too late in the judicial process to
consider that type of arrangement). Poloff assured Neptune
that, both the embassy and officials in Washington, past and
present, worked tirelessly to seek his release but that
neither he nor IGOH officials would cooperate to reach an
agreement. Neptune stated that he was at the end of his rope
and asked poloff to tell his wife that she should only return
to Haiti once he is released or to plan his funeral.


5. (C) Comment: Though Neptune seemed genuinely bitter at
those of whom he lashed out, the presence in the room of his
adopted daughter, an orphan whom he met while at the Aristide
Foundation, may have also contributed to his emotional state.
In any event, there is no reason to believe that he will in
any way participate in the search for a solution to his
detention. Post will continue to monitor Neptune's condition
and his judicial case. End Comment.
CARNEY