HAITIANS MARK 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONSTITUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000870

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR ASEC HA UN
SUBJECT: HAITIANS MARK 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF CONSTITUTION
WITH VIOLENCE


Classified By: Ambassador James B. Foley, reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)


1. (C) Summary: Two separate violent incidents took place in
Port-au-Prince on 29 March, the 18th anniversary of the
ratification of the Constitution of 1987. Ex-military gang
leader Jean Rene Anthony (aka Grenn Sonnen) renewed his call
for a guerrilla campaign against Haitian officials and
MINUSTAH. Grenn Sonnen's gang is believed to be responsible
for the ambush of the Port director's security detail in
Delmas 33 on 27 March. The tense situation there escalated
yesterday as shooting and pandemonium spread throughout the
Delmas area. Simultaneously, a pro-Lavalas demonstration
organized by Father Gerard Jean-Juste threw rocks at and
reportedly exchanged gunfire with UN peacekeepers in the Bel
Aire area of downtown Port-au-Prince. In the aftermath of
this demonstration, which numbered at least a thousand,
General Heleno publicly condemned Lavalas elements whom he
accused of fomenting instability and opposing the electoral
process. The Embassy closed an hour early to allow mission
personnel to clear the downtown area, which was not directly
affected by the violence. End summary.


2. (C) The morning of the 29th, HNP and MINUSTAH increased
their presence in Delmas 33 to try to round up Grenn Sonnen's
gang. Despite this, around 1230 there was a large volume of
random automatic gunfire throughout much of the Delmas area,
causing car accidents, gridlock and panicked crowds. The
nearby Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) headquarters
reported a grenade exploding and automatic weapons being
fired at the building at approximately 1300. MINUSTAH is now
providing 24-hour protection to the CEP and is conducting
foot patrols in the area.


3. (C) In an interview with Radio Solidarite, Grenn Sonnen
denied his involvement in the ambush which killed three
people, including one police officer, in Delmas 33 late on
the 27th. He declared that the Haitian National Police will
not be free to move about the country as long as the
ex-military is not free to do the same. Grenn Sonnen vowed
to kill both HNP and MINUSTAH personnel. He renewed his call
for an ex-military guerrilla movement against the Haitian
government, saying that Prime Minister Latortue will either
have to kill all of the ex-military or else leave the
country. He also threatened to kill Youri Latortue and
claims to have captured many weapons, including M-16's and
M-60 machine guns, from MINUSTAH. In a separate announcement
on the morning of the 30th, he declared that he would attack
the Police Commissariat on Champ de Mars in downtown
Port-au-Prince.


4. (C) The Bel Aire march got off to a confusing start in the
mid-morning hours when UN peacekeepers informed the
protesters that their march was illegal as they had failed to
register it with the HNP. A separate march proposed in Cite
Soleil never developed. Organizers billed the march through
Bel Aire as a "Peaceful March to Support the Constitution",
and Jean-Juste invoked the Constitution in calling for the
return of Aristide and for the release of all political
prisoners. UN peacekeepers were on hand to provide security
and control the route of the march. The march, estimated at
between one and five thousand people, began around noon and
moved toward the "Place de la Constitution" near the National
Palace, but MINUSTAH blocked the roadway and forced
protesters back into the Bel Aire neighborhood. The marchers
became angry and began throwing stones at UN peacekeepers on
the edge of Bel Aire. The UN responded with tear gas. Some
gunshots apparently emanated from the crowd, but no
casualties were reported. The demonstration was wrapped up
by 1300.


5. (C) General Heleno was present and directed UN forces at
the demonstration. In the aftermath, he declared that he has
been deceived by Lavalas, and he now believes that some
Lavalas leaders are determined to use violence to prevent
successful elections. He also indicated that MINUSTAH will
respond aggressively.


6. (U) RSO monitored the events of the day closely, placing
the affected areas off limits, and the Ambassador sent
employees home at 1415 to allow them to clear the downtown
area safely. Mission curfew was reduced temporarily to 1900.


7. (C) Comment: Acting SRSG Medili told Ambassador late
yesterday that MINUSTAH was aware of the hugely negative
psychological impact of the attack on the CEP - the second in
a week - and the overall violence. He indicated that
MINUSTAH was planning security operations in the next days to
reverse the situation. (Note: we are aware of planned
operations in Bel Aire and Cite Soleil, as well as ongoing
efforts in the Delmas area in pursuit of Grenn Sonnen.) End
comment.

FOLEY