HAITI'S NORTHERN EX-MILITARY TURN OVER WEAPONS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000688 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA AND USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV HA SUBJECT: HAITI'S NORTHERN EX-MILITARY TURN OVER WEAPONS; SOME TO ENTER NATIONAL POLICE REF: A. TRIBBLE-NICHOLS 3/08/05 EMAIL ¶B. PAP 466 ¶C. 04 PAP 1910 Classified By: Ambassador James B. Foley for Reasons: 1.4 (b&d) ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On March 13, more than 300 members of Haiti's demobilized military in Cap-Haitien turned over seven weapons and boarded buses to the capital. Interim Prime Minister Latortue called the event a significant step forward in implementing the September 18 agreement (ref B) and said the ex-soldiers would all have access to the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process. Latortue said that integration into the HNP would be a possibility for some, but they had to understand that not everyone would make it into the police. The Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH) has both a golden opportunity, and a tremendous challenge, to see DDR get off to a good start. End Summary. ¶2. (U) At a ceremony Sunday March 13 attended by Interim Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue and SRSG Valdes, over 300 members of Haiti's demobilized military turned over seven weapons in what the IGOH called a "symbolic disarmament" before boarding buses to the capital to enter a disarmament and reintegration program. According to MINUSTAH's DDR chief Desmond Molloy, the seven dilapidated weapons included six M-14's and 1 sub-machine gun. ¶3. (U) PM Latortue gave a speech to the ex-FADH calling the event a significant step forward in implementing the September 18 agreement (ref C) in which the IGOH promised to establish the Managing Office for Demobilized Soldiers to resolve outstanding ex-military issues and the ex-FADH promised to abandon public buildings (Note: the ex-FADH were occupying the former prison. End Note). Latortue said the ex-soldiers would all have access to the IGOH- and international community-led disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) process. Latortue said that integration into the HNP would be a possibility for some of the ex-soldiers, but they had to understand that not all of them would make it. Ex-soldiers not qualified for the HNP could be hired into other public administration positions (e.g., customs, border patrol, etc.) ¶4. (SBU) Sunday's handover ceremony was quickly put together following a visit Latortue made to Cap-Haitien on March 7. Latortue had toured the airport and took the opportunity to meet with the Cap-Haitien ex-FADH commander, former sergeant Emmanuel Michel Dieusel (aka Manno). Manno's group had issued a statement last month (ref B) separating his group from armed gangs headed by Ravix Remissainthe and Gren Sonnen. Within the statement, he said "we are ready to adhere to anyone's orders...designated by the government." It was during this meeting that Manno reportedly told the PM his group was prepared to demobilize. ¶5. (SBU) Following the ceremony, a total of approximately 325 men were put onto buses and brought to Port-au-Prince where they were installed at the Magistrate's School. (Note: This location also currently houses the 49 men who had taken over and later surrendered from Aristide's Tabarre residence in December. An additional 30 men are also at the Magistrate's School after abandoning Petit-Goave. End Note). DDR chief Molloy told us that the total was supposed to be 280, but that number grew by the end of Sunday. Approximately 25 men were excluded from the bus trip since the IGOH determined them to be "faux FAdH," i.e., armed combatants who were never members of the Haitian military. Manno told Molloy these men would return to Gonaives, but Molloy insisted they remain in Cap-Haitien and begin the DDR process there. ¶6. (C) In preparatory discussions with MINUSTAH staff, some of the ex-soldiers in Cap-Haitien said they had been told by the PM's nephew and security advisor Youri Latortue and the PM's political advisor Paul Magloire that they would be admitted into the HNP. This raised a red-flag for us and the rest of the international community and was a subject of the Core Group meeting March 12. The PM made clear this was not the case. DDR Chief Molloy was pleased with the PM's message, particularly his public acknowledgment that the HNP was not an automatic option for the ex-FADH. ¶7. (C) DDR Chief Molloy told us that the ex-military from Cap-Haitien are not yet under the purview of MINUSTAH's DDR program; rather they are under the auspices of the Managing Office for Demobilized Military (Note: according to Molloy, the Managing Office told him they were only informed by the PM's office March 11 of the plan to bus demobilized soldiers to Port-au-Prince. End Note). Nonetheless, Molloy faces the challenge of quickly housing several hundred ex-soldiers within the capital and jump-starting a DDR process that has little infrastructure in place. Molloy expects the two separate groups to undergo different DDR programs (e.g., the Tabarre group would need a 30-day program; the Cap-Haitien group might need a 15-day program). Molloy said he was against the ex-military being brought to Port-au-Prince (Note: DCM also voiced USG opposition to the move at the March 12 Core Group meeting. End Note.) arguing that it would have been easier to facilitate integration counseling in Cap-Haitien since MINUSTAH does not have a facility ready for them in Port-au-Prince. ¶8. (SBU) Another problematic issue is funding. Molloy told us March 9 that he has approximately $1.2 million available and that he was prepared to run separate sites concurrently. He said it would cost approximately $300,000 for a two-month DDR program capable of hosting 60 people. Although Molloy intended to use different programs for different groups, he said he would "have a severe cash flow problem within 8-10 weeks." He asked us about the $3 million the USG had allocated of FY05 ESF for disarmament (ref A); we noted it was still awaiting final approval in Washington. Molloy has requested an additional $2 million from the UN, but funding is "several months out." Molloy is seeking funding from Norway and Sweden and hoped to secure additional funding next month at a small arms conference in Geneva. ¶9. (SBU) During the past two weeks, UNOPS has been working to relocate both the Managing Office and the approximately 80 individuals from the Magistrate's School to a former military camp in the Carrefour neighborhood outside of Port-au-Prince. PolOff observed the proposed site March 3 and saw little more than a piece of land with a broken down wall surrounding it. UNOPS would have to provide tents and/or other facilities to make the desired location habitable, but expects to have it up and ready within two to three weeks. It is not clear if the now 400 ex-military would all be sent to the Carrefour site. ¶10. (C) Comment: The symbolism of the ex-military disarming and leaving Haiti's second largest city represents a significant breakthrough. However, several challenges remain. The IGOH now has approximately 800 ex-military concentrated in the capital, most of whom will not be integrated into the HNP. Further, there is little infrastructure to house them as they go through reintegration, nor has a DDR mandate been signed by the government (although a commission has been named). The IGOH has a golden opportunity, as does the international community, to see DDR get off to a good start. There is solid coordination amongst the Core Group with the IGOH to see this process succeed. We continue to stress the need to link any future indemnity payments to the DDR process and argue that any ex-FADH going into the HNP meet the same entry requirements as a civilian. If the IGOH can capitalize on this initial group of disarmed combatants and reintegrate them into society with a job (temporarily),it might be easier for them to convince other armed groups that they would be rewarded for laying down their arms, too. End comment. FOLEY