GOH ASKS FOR SLOWER RATE OF DEPORTATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001476 SIPDIS SIPDIS DHS FOR ASHLY IVERY STATE FOR WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/09/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL HA SUBJECT: GOH ASKS FOR SLOWER RATE OF DEPORTATIONS REF: A. 01360 ¶B. 01396 PORT AU PR 00001476 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: AMBASSADOR JANET A. SANDERSON, REASONS 1.4(B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The GOH requested a reduction in the number of criminal deportees to 25 every two weeks, down from the 50 previously agreed to, citing the need to better enable the GOH to absorb and process them following the escape of 27 deportees after last week,s repatriation (REF B). In light of security concerns and the GOH's struggle to manage logistics, Post agreed to take back to Washington the GOH request for a temporary reduction in the number of deportees, provided that the bi-weekly flights of deportees continue uninterrupted and the GOH returns to 50 deportees per flight as soon as possible. Interior ministry officials reaffirmed their commitment to accept deportees and stated they understood the program could not be suspended. Post repeated its concern that the GOH policy of incarcerating deportees violates their human rights, and offered to help initiate a pending IOM program designed to reintegrate deportees into Haitian society. END SUMMARY ¶2. (C) The GOH, through Lubraine Bien-Aime (chief of staff and brother to the minister of interior Antione Bien-Aime) requested a reduction in the number of criminal deportees included in future Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS) flights to 25 for each bi-weekly flight. The GOH previously agreed to 50 deportees on each bi-weekly flight (REF A). In a meeting on August 7 between Bien-Aime, Emmanuel Goutier (an interior ministry advisor and the official to whom Bien-Aime recently delegated oversight of the program) and Polcouns, Bien-Aime pleaded for understanding and assistance in dealing with the logistical and security issues relating to repatriation of the deportees. He referred to the escape of 27 deportees after the previous flight (REF B)and asked for the reduction in order to allow the GOH to develop a better system to handle them. Polcouns responded he would relay the request to the Ambassador but insisted that at a minimum the reduction would be temporary, JPATS flights would continue uninterrupted, and that the higher rate would resume as soon as possible. ¶3. (C) Bien-Aime, who has been on the job for only a few weeks, expressed his commitment to fully understand and &embrace8 the subject of criminal deportations and to examine the government,s policy used in 2001 when Jacques-Edouard Alexis (the current prime minister) was minister of interior. Bien-Aime was not aware of the details of that policy, but was trying to find it. Post is researching that policy as well. ¶4. (C) Polcouns also mentioned the USG,s continued concern about the GOH,s practice of incarcerating the deportees upon arrival. Bien-Aime responded that while the deportees may not have committed a crime in Haiti, some of them are &potential criminals8 who must be prevented from contributing to Haiti,s current instability. ¶5. (C) In light of security concerns and the GOH's struggle to manage logistics, the Ambassador subsequently agreed to relay Bien-Aime,s request to Washington for consideration, subject to the stated conditions, including that the number of deportees would return to 50 after the current backlog of 171 deportees is eliminated. Poloff communicated the Ambassador,s decision to Bien-Aime through Goutier, who later confirmed his government,s acceptance. In telephone discussions with Goutier, Poloff urged the ministry to make better preparations for the placement and security of the deportees in order to avoid another embarrassing incident (REF B),to which Goutier replied: &We are making preparations. It will not happen under my watch.8 ¶6. (C) In the wake of the recent escape of deportees after their arrival in Haiti, rumors reached the Embassy that PM Alexis himself was prepared to ask the Embassy to suspend deportations. Thus, we are encouraged that instead key interior ministry officials have committed to taking PORT AU PR 00001476 002.2 OF 002 responsibility for coordinating deportations. Taking into account the uncertain security climate, some accommodation to the GOH is warranted, but our basic position remains unchanged: we insist that the GOH meet its responsibilitiies to accept deportees while offering all possible cooperation to assist them. SANDERSON