ARISTIDE COLLABORATORS RELEASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L PORT AU PRINCE 001522

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KJUS PHUM HA
SUBJECT: ARISTIDE COLLABORATORS RELEASED

REF: 04 PORT-AU-PRINCE 538

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson, reasons 1.5 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The presiding judge on August 14 released Aristide
allies and Lavalas activists Anette Auguste, aka So Anne,
Paul Raymond, and Yvon Antoine, aka Yvon Zapzap, and
dismissed the charges against them for lack of evidence.
Over the course of their roughly 18-month detention,
prosecutors failed to develop evidence or gather testimony to
sustain the charges of "association with malefactors."
During the Aristide regime, So Ann and her cohorts were
responsible for delivering orders and the wherewithal
directly from the palace to pro-Aristide thugs to attack
anti-Aristide protesters and suspected political opponents.
(Reftel outlines the criminal activities of Aristide's
closest associates, including So Anne and Raymond.) The
group was most notorious for their presumed involvement in
the December 5, 2003, attack against the Rector of the Social
Science Faculty of the National University, Pierre Marie
Paquiot, on the grounds of the National University. Both of
Rector Paquiot's knees were broken in the brazen attack,
which served to galvanize student and civil society
opposition to the Aristide regime.


2. (C) Student groups and anti-Lavalas have cried foul in
response to the judge's decision and alleged intimidation of
witnesses, but most informed Haitian observers recognized
that the decision was the result of Haitian prosecutors
failing to develop a case against the accused. Minister of
Justice Magloire echoed that view in conversation with the
Ambassador after the decision, although he appeared visibly
uncomfortable with the decision.


3. (SBU) Coincidentally, on the afternoon of August 14,
pro-Fanmi Lavalas demonstrators calling for Aristide's
immediate return marched in downtown Port-au-Prince,
finishing in front of the National Palace. While some media
reported participation exceeding 1,000, Poloff witnessed a
maximum participation of three hundred. Some demonstrators
carried posters of Aristide, though many of the posters were
folded into hats as protection from the afternoon sun. The
mood of the crowd, made up of primarily of what looked to be
young teenagers, was not menacing or threatening in any way.
MINUSTAH personnel accompanied the march and reported no
security incidents.


4. (C) Comment: While So Anne's release, combined with
sporadic pro-Lavalas demonstrations and the earlier releases
of Lavalas activists Rene Civil, Jocelyn Privert, and Yvon
Neptune, have increased nervousness in some quarters
regarding a potential re-emergence of Lavalas violence, there
is little evidence that So Anne or any of the other militants
could successfully re-ignite pro-Aristide instability. Rene
Civil, perhaps the chief Lavalas bogey man, has been free
since May and by all accounts actively agitating for violent
street protests. Thus far he has failed to generate any
significant support. MINUSTAH claims that Aristide followers
are slipping back into the country, but if so, they have yet
to show their hand. While the call for Aristide's return is
still heard, the issue of reinstatement of government jobs
for Lavalas supporters seems to be the principle goal of
Lavalas militants. Although moderate Lavalas leaders have
yet to conclusively consolidate their leadership, Aristide
has yet to generate any real support for his return, and it
is highly unlikely this release will do so.
SANDERSON