LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN 33 DAYS: KEY TASKS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002103 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOMALSO 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 KDEM HA SUBJECT: LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN 33 DAYS: KEY TASKS PORT AU PR 00002103 001.4 OF 002 ///ZFR///ZFR///ZFR///ZFR/// PLEASE CANCEL PORT AU PRINCE 2103 TELEGRAM WILL BE RESENT UNDER NEW MRN. THANK YOU. ///ZFR///ZFR///ZFR///ZFR/// PORT AU PR 00002103 002.2 OF 002 segments, beginning November 8. This training will last 2 days. The 800 members of the different local appeals offices (the BECE) have completed their training. ¶5. Campaigning and Civic Education The CEP on October 30 formally opened the campaign season, though there is little noticeable political activity. CEP President Max Mathurin in an October 5 meeting with the Ambassador expressed concern about voter participation. CEP should, however, begin a voter education campaign. The original timeline provided by the CEP indicated that civic education would begin on October 8 though it has not yet begun. The CEP claims that they plan to begin radio and television ads three weeks prior to elections. ¶6. Security MINUSTAH, with assistance from the Haitian National Police (HNP),is responsible for security. SRSG Edmond Mulet has instructed all MINUSTAH sections to give elections priority. MINUSTAH,s central and departmental coordinating authorities (JESC and DJESC) have been reactivated in preparation for December 3. Force Commander General Elito is working on final December 3 deployment plans and has said that MINUSTAH will be ready. Comment: OAS generated final ballot layouts, however, MINUSTAH EAS, informal review of the ballots reveal discrepancies in candidate names, which presented a problem in 40-50 communes. Given that local elections tended to be more personal, and thus more prone to violence, EAS indicated that these errors were more than printing errors but raised serious security concerns as impetus for local fighting. According to Carlos Currie, Deputy Director of EAS, the errors cannot be corrected and security implications of the errors are being discussed among the units of MINUSTAH. In these "hot zones," security will be reinforced. ¶7. Budget The projected budget by MINUSTAH for the elections is 16.9 million USD, with only 13 million USD pledged. Canada, promising 4 million Canadian dollars (approximately 4 million USD),and the EU, promising 4 million euro (approximately 5 million USD),have not yet delivered their pledges to the UNDP. The CEP, in a meeting with the Ambassador on October 5, stated that the lack of funds was a problem and urged her to press her colleagues on this issue. Since then, Canadian funds have become available for disbursement. The GoH has agreed to loan the EU portion to the UNDP and the EU will reimburse the GoH when the funds become available. Brazil announced a $1 million pledge at the Prime Minister's October 23 meeting. TIGHE