HAITIAN OFFICIALS COMMENT ON QUIET SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001241 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC HA SUBJECT: HAITIAN OFFICIALS COMMENT ON QUIET SECURITY SITUATION IN PORT-AU-PRINCE JULY 10; PRAISE GOH/MINUSTAH COOPERATION REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 1220 Classified By: Janet A. Sanderson, reason 1.5 (d) 1.(C) HNP Director General Mario Andresol and Minister of Justice Rene Magloire told me that Port au Prince was very quiet today (July 10) with none of the disruptions or demonstrations that had been rumored to be in the offing. Although the day started off slowly, by the time of our 1000 meeting, traffic and pedestrian movement was at normal levels, according to Andresol. The DG also reported that a small group of people started to gather near the Champs de Mars downtown early this morning but did not stay long. He claimed that a "heavy" police/MINUSTAH presence around town, coupled with steps taken by the President yesterday to reach out to the population, helped calm the waters after the Martissant incident and averted any violence. Andresol praised MINUSTAH's cooperation with the HNP, saying that it worked much better this time than it had in the past. HNP and MINUSTAH will continue to stay in close contact on the security situation, he said, with twice daily meetings during the rest of the week to see how the situation develops. For now, he sees things as being calm. ¶2. (C) Andresol stressed that the GOH has no objection to job seekers peacefully demonstrating for the return of their jobs. However, he strongly believes that any such gatherings will likely be hijacked by violent elements seeking to embarrass President Preval, the new government and Andresol himself. Andresol argues that the GOH must take on those violent elements head on, although he would offer no timetable for the undertaking. Magloire, who said he has been attending around-the-clock meetings with the President and Prime Minister, concurred with the DG's assessment of possible demonstrations, saying the job seekers are being "manipulated and used" by the gangs. He expects that things may ramp up on Aristide's birthday, July 15. There are those, he contends, who are looking for trouble and the GOH will be ready to meet them. ¶3. (C) Magloire said that the GOH will launch a full investigation of the events at Martissant and intends to punish the guilty to the full extent of the law. He said that the investigation, to be conducted by well-known lawyers and doctors, will be open and available to the Martissant community. (Note. Despite the minister's words, MINUSTAH's senior officials are concerned that the GOH will deflect or bury the inquiry and asked us to weigh in on its necessity, which we did with Magloire. End note.) Magloire acknowledged that the government's slow response to the Martissant incident and the threat of possible violence had not been helpful, fueling gossip and allowing "enemies" to take the lead. He told me that there would be greater GOH "presence" on the airwaves, although he said that the PM would speak to the press before tomorrow. Preval, Magloire said, has not decided whether or when he will address the country, as some of his cabinet had recommended. That being said, the Minister of Justice observed, Preval is making the major decisions on how to handle the problem. SANDERSON