Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTAUPRINCE1514
2006-08-16 18:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

PRIME MINISTER TO PARLIAMENT ON INSECURITY

Tags:  PGOV PREL HA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1514/01 2281857
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 161857Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3818
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1184
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1026
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 0556
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0976
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001514 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER TO PARLIAMENT ON INSECURITY

REF: A. PAP 1425

B. PAP 1481

PORT AU PR 00001514 001.4 OF 002


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001514

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

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: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: PRIME MINISTER TO PARLIAMENT ON INSECURITY

REF: A. PAP 1425

B. PAP 1481

PORT AU PR 00001514 001.4 OF 002



1. This message is sensitive but unclassified, please
protect accordingly.


2. (U) Summary: Prime Minister Jacques Eduoard Alexis on
August 10-11 appeared before the parliament with the Superior
Council for the National Police (CSPN) to discuss the
government's plan to combat gang violence in Port-au-Prince.
The PM answered questions for several hours over two days,
describing the executive's "carrot and stick" plan to control
the armed gang members and entice them to lay down their
weapons. Alexis acknowledged the HNP's inability to combat
the insecurity in the capitol city and announced his support
for the creation of an additional armed force, the
gendarmerie. The chamber of deputies and the senate both
pushed for the re-establishment of the army (abolished by
former President Aristide) noting that an armed force was
constitutionally mandated. Alexis' appearance seems to have
quieted parliamentary criticism of the government and
MINUSTAH -- after most parliamentarians were prepared to
boycott UNSYG Annan the previous week (ref A) -- and
redirected parliamentary debate on security toward the issue
of a new armed force. End Summary.


3. (U) The CSPN, comprised of the prime minister, the
ministers of interior and justice, the director general and
the inspector general of the Haitian National Police (HNP),
and the secretary of state of public security appeared before
the chamber of deputies and the senate on August 10-11, after
twice delaying their appearance and generating much criticism
within parliament. Prime Minister Alexis answered
parliamentary questions about the rise in violence one day
after President Preval announced his ultimatum to the gangs,
&give up your arms or face death.8 (ref B).


4. (U) Alexis attributed the rise in violence to criminal
gangs, drug traffickers, political opportunists, and
deportees. He stressed that the government was prepared to
use force to confront the armed gangs. He acknowledged that
the disarmament program had not yielded positive results,
but that the government was leaving a door open to dialogue,

wanting force to be its last resort, and again framing this
plan as the "carrot and stick."


5. (U) Alexis said that Preval was in contact with all
sectors; MINUSTAH, the HNP, the private sector, as well as
the political class to accomplish disarmament and create a
more stable society. Alexis admitted that the HNP was not
equipped to take on the gangs and the government was in the
process of creating a plan for reforming the police. He
additionally announced the executive's support of a "new
force that would guarantee the peace of the country." He
emphasized the necessity to have reform in the justice system
and to create social programs for those living in
impoverished slums to treat the problem of insecurity from
several angles.


6. (U) The chamber's president of the public security
commission applauded the CSPN,s efforts to curb violence but
advocated for a deadline to gang members. Several members
also encouraged the creation of a Haitian army, noting that
the constitution established both a police force and a
national army. The deputies agreed to allocate funding for
this force in the upcoming budget and asked the PM to present
a plan to create an armed force.


7. (U) The members of the Senate defense, justice, and
security commission submitted a proposal to the CSPN,
recommending the creation of a Ministry of National Defense
and several changes in the MINUSTAH mandate to facilitate the
immediate preparation of this armed force. These
recommendations included:
-- a MINUSTAH contingent of instructors and experts with more
specific qualifications to train the contingents of a
national security and defense force;
-- donation of basic military equipment to the defense and
security units newly formed under the supervision of the

PORT AU PR 00001514 002.2 OF 002


United Nations;
-- withdrawal of MINUSTAH only when new Haitian forces are
fully operational;
-- establishment of a timetable for the training of new
defense units by MINUSTAH;
-- increased involvement of MINUSTAH in social and public
works;
-- Establishment by MINUSTAH of two new training centers for
police in the North and the South.


8. (SBU) Comment: Following on Preval's much more aggressive
public stance against the gangs (ref),the CSPN appearance
appears to have mollified the parliamentary criticism of
government inaction on crime that reached its peak during
Annan's visit, August 4-5. In response to PM Alexis'
statement in support of a gendarmerie and with a significant
group in parliament, led by senator Youri Latortue,
supporting re-establishment of the army, it appears that the
parliament may now occupy itself with the a debate over the
structure of a new armed force. Beyond the PM's statement of
support, however, the government appears to have limited
appetite or capability to work through the complexities of
establishing a new force in the near term, particularly as it
grapples daily with the armed-gang issue. Curbing violence
in Port-au-Prince will continue to depend on MINUSTAH and the
HNP.
SANDERSON