UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000169

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: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: OAS ESTIMATES 88 PERCENT OF HAITIAN IDS DISTRIBUTED

REF: A. PAP 0040


B. PAP 0101

C. PAP 0142


1. The OAS reported January 23 that it has distributed
2,846,793 or 81 percent of the 3.5 million Haitian ID cards.
However, taking into account delayed reporting (most of the
OAS figures date from January 18 - 20) the OAS estimated it
had actually distributed over 3.1 million or 88 percent of
the cards as of January 23. The percentage of cards
distributed to each department continues to become more even
(reftels). However, the South East still lags behind with 64
percent of cards distributed, as of January 20, while the
Nippes leads the way with 93 percent distributed as of
January 16. Meanwhile, the OAS has distributed 49,000 or 89
percent of 55,000 ID cards for the violent Port-au-Prince
slum Cite Soleil.


2. The OAS has long planned to shut down card distribution
January 21 and pass it to the Provisional Electoral Council
(CEP), which was supposed to take on roughly 400 OAS card
distribution workers and continue distribution from the
communal electoral bureaus (BEC). However, the CEP never
responded to OAS requests for a written agreement to transfer
card distribution and hire OAS workers. When the OAS stopped
distribution January 21 and 22 according to their plan, CEP
members and CEP General Director Jacques Bernard complained
that distribution closure had created confusion among
registrants trying to pick up their cards. OAS elections
chief Elizabeth Spehar responded January 23 that the OAS
would retain responsibility for distribution and reopen
distribution from the BECs as soon as possible. According to
Spehar, distribution will continue from the BECs until
February 6.


3. Comment: The OAS is frequently the target of withering
criticism from both MINUSTAH and the CEP. The January card
distribution stoppage is a recent example of the kinds of
complaints leveled at the OAS by its sometimes adversarial
partners. All of the OAS' partners have caused delays with
registration and card distribution: the UN failed to equip
registration centers quickly in June and July, the CEP and
MINUSTAH failed to pick voting centers on time in October,
and Digimarc's promised that it could print 500,000 IDs per
week when its real capacity was closer to 350,000 per week.
Despite frequent setbacks, the OAS' performance contributed
admirably to the credibility of the electoral process. It
successfully registered over 3.5 million voters and has
already distributed close to 90 percent of the cards in an
extremely difficult and sometimes hostile environment. End
Comment.
CARNEY