LAVALAS REUNIFICATION MEETING FAILS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001028

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC PINR HA
SUBJECT: LAVALAS REUNIFICATION MEETING FAILS

REF: A. PAUP 832

B. PAUP 999

Classified By: Ambassador Janet Sanderson for reason 1.4(b).


1. (C) A June 2 meeting among Famni Lavalas (FL) leaders in
Port-au-Prince ended in acrimony, as the participants failed
to select a new ad interim leader (in the absence of former
President Aristide). The meeting was reportedly spurred in
part by an intense effort by Aristide to orchestrate his
return to Haiti. According to various participants in the
meeting, FL is now split among militants led by Rene Civil
favoring Aristide's immediate return, an opportunistic group
looking to reconnect with the FL base led by Senator Rudy
Heriveaux, and leaders of popular organizations allied with
Bel-Air activists Saram Jean Baptiste ("Samba Boukman") and
Delva Daniel and Moise Jean Charles. Heated arguments broke
out between Civil and Boukman when the latter refused to
support a planned demonstrations on Aristide's behalf,
resulting in accusations of betrayal by the Aristide
supporters.


2. (C) Separate accounts of the June 2 meeting come from
Heriveaux, FL deputy Saurel Francois, and Boukman.
Heriveaux, as the senior elected Lavalas official, convened
the meeting in order to pick a new FL chairman ad interim to
replace outgoing chair Jonas Petit. (Comment: Petit is by
all accounts an inconsequential figure, hand-picked by
Aristide shortly after his departure from Haiti to ensure a
strong chairman would not challenge his authority. End
Comment.) Almost immediately, Civil, accompanied by "many
chimeres" disrupted the meeting, demanding that Heriveaux
and the others commit to an immediate campaign of provocative
street demonstrations demanding the immediate return of
Aristide. In reply, Boukman accused Civil and his followers
of reckless disregard for the safety of the mass of FL
supporters. Boukman argued that Civil had fled the country
and deserted the FL base. He could not expect to re-assume
leadership and lead the base into a disastrous confrontation
with the authorities. With the meeting having devolved into
a shouting match, militants accused the parliamentarians and
Boukman of betrayal of FL and Aristide, and acting as CIA
spies and lackeys of foreign masters (MINUSTAH).


3. (C) Other attendees associated with Heriveaux at the
meeting included FL deputy Jonas Cofy, former Aristide chief
of staff Jean-Claude Desgranges, and former Senators Gerard
Gilles and Yvon Feuille. Aristide loyalists included Lila
Desquiron, Antoine Lovinsky, Lesly Gustav, and Duclot
Benisoit. Boukman, who admits to maintaining a close
relationship with Lovinsky, though they disagree on immediate
FL aims, reported that Aristide has intensified contact with
his supporters, Lovinsky most notably, in pushing for his
immediate return.


4. (C) Comment. Heriveaux and the parliamentary group
within FL appear to have undertaken an ambitious political
maneuver in attempting reunify Lavalas and establish their
leadership. They have in the past two weeks publicly
associated themselves with militant's demands for the release
of "political prisoners" and the restoration of FL members'
government jobs, while avoiding as best they can the issue of
Aristide's return. (reftel). At the same time, they are
trying to remain within a larger parliamentary bloc in
parliament and gain government favor. Thus, they
capitulated in accepting Jean Max Bellerive, the new minister
of planning as the Fl representative in the government,
though Bellerive is not an FL member (ref B). Though the
parliamentary group is also taking pains to maintain the
appearance of unity with their associates who joined them in
registering FL for the election, below the surface cracks are
beginning to open. Non-elected figures such as Gilles and
Feuille are desperately seeking to regain any kind of
political role, appear prepared to rejoin the militants
(though they have seriously damaged their own credibility as
Arisitide stalwarts),and appear not to care if they damage
the parliamentarians in the process. Gilles, in particular,
is reportedly furious the group did not insist that he
represent FL in the cabinet.


5. (C) Comment continued. It is not clear whether any of
this maneuvering would result in a significant increase in
popular support for the Lavalas movement. Avowed Lavalas
activists Boukman and Delva continue to insist to Emboffs and
MINUSTAH officials that the vast majority of Haiti's poor
simply want stability and the prospect of improved economic
conditions, and are willing to give Preval a chance to
deliver, rather than fight for Aristide's return.

SANDERSON