MARTISSANT VIOLENT, BUT NOT "OPERATION BAGHDAD"

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 002202

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
WHA/EX PLEASEPASS USOAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC HA KCRM MARR
SUBJECT: MARTISSANT VIOLENT, BUT NOT "OPERATION BAGHDAD"

REF: PAUP 01214

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1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified -- protect
accordingly.


2. (SBU) Summary: Gang violence has increased in the
Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Martissant during recent
weeks, and local radio has given a forum to gang members who
claim they are launching "Operation Baghdad II," referring to
the violence emanating from Cite Soleil in late summer of
2004 that paralyzed the capital. MINUSTAH officials believe
that the recent violence relates directly to the
long-simmering gang warfare in Martissant, and dismiss claims
that the incidents are related to a larger Lavalas movement
or any other outside forces. MINUSTAH's Sri Lankan military
contingent remains stationed in the neighborhood and actively
patrols, and civil affairs staff are trying to initiate an
integrated community development and violence suppression
program. Martissant remains the GoH's and MINUSTAH's second
security priority behind Cite Soleil, but the localized
nature of the violence notwithstanding, insecurity in
Martissant is a growing concern. End Summary.

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Violence Erupts in Martissant
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3. (U) The neighborhood of Martissant on the southern
outskirts of Port-au-Prince erupted in violence on Friday,
November 3. The activities began early in the morning when
gang members set up roadblocks of burning tires, then
proceeded to shoot at civilians as well as one police officer
who was traveling through the area. The violence resulted in
the death of one individual and at least three injuries. The
police in the area were unable to contain the violence, and
press reports claimed that MINUSTAH troops did not arrive on
the scene until late in the day. The Haitian National Police
(HNP) arrested approximately a dozen people in association
with the violence, one of whom the police claim is a known
gang leader.


4. (U) HNP and MINUSTAH forces were reportedly patrolling the
area starting on Friday evening, although tensions remained
high throughout the weekend and gang members erected more
tire roadblocks on Monday morning. The following morning the
gang members attacked again, setting up barricades of burning
tires and even holding passengers on a local bus hostage for
a time. Martissant residents participated in more
demonstrations on November 13, blocking the Carrefour road
that serves as a major thoroughfare and the connecting point
for all of Haiti's "southern claw". The protesters again
demanded the release of the prisoners and asked for
"dialogue" with the GoH.

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Has Operation Baghdad II Moved to Martissant?
--------------


5. (U) Gang representatives claiming allegiance to Lavalas
have made repeated appearances on local radio shows over the
last week threatening further violence in Martissant. A
self-proclaimed spokesperson for militant Lavalas partisans
made statements on local radio on Friday claiming that the
violence in Martissant is part of "Operation Baghdad II" and
that the movement aims to create panic and disorder in the
area. This follows declarations in July by militant Lavalas
supporters that they would launch a second wave of the
violent fighting know as "Operation Baghdad" if they were not
given back jobs they had held under the Aristide government
(ref A). The unidentified speaker reaffirmed the group's
readiness to combat police and MINUSTAH forces. The speaker
expressed that Friday's violence was just a preview of what
the real Operation Baghdad II will be like, and invited other
Lavalas militants in the rest of the country to follow their
example and mobilize to force President Preval to give their
jobs back.


6. (SBU) Poloff traveled to Martissant on November 9 with
MINUSTAH Civil Affairs director Jay Carter and Western

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Department coordinator Jean-Philippe Laberge. Laberge noted
that two of the Martissant gangs are actually known to be
Lavalas rivals, and since Operation Baghdad II is supposed to
be a Lavalas movement, the claims that this is the beginning
of the operation do not hold water. He also discounted
claims that gangs from the more heavily-policed Cite Soleil
and Bel Air slums had moved their operations to the less
guarded Martissant area.

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Martissant Gang Rivalries Longstanding
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7. (SBU) According to Laberge, three separate gangs operate
in Martissant, whose territories converge at the intersection
where most of the recent conflicts have occurred. Although
recent radio statements included a claim by a gang member
that the rival groups in Martissant have now united to stand
up to the GoH, Laberge believed this was an empty threat, and
that the gangs are still fighting amongst themselves for
control of the area. He estimated that the Martissant gangs
have less than 20 members each, compared to hundreds of gang
members in Cite Soleil.

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MINUSTAH Presence in Martissant 100 Strong
--------------


8. (SBU) There is a contingent of approximately 100 Sri
Lankan troops permanently stationed in Martissant, and their
presence was visible during Poloff's visit to the
neighborhood. Poloff inquired of the troops whether the
fighting in the area had been unusually bad in the last few
days, and one soldier replied that "It's always bad." UN
Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Edmond
Mulet made a statement on November 13 that MINUSTAH would do
everything possible to prevent the Martissant gangs from
carrying out their threats of continued violence and
destruction and reaffirmed the Sri Lankan contingent's
dedication to keeping order in the neighborhood.


9. (SBU) According to Carter, MINUSTAH has an integrated
community development and violence suppression program
planned for Martissant. They are currently seeking a
building in the center of the neighborhood to serve as
headquarters for HNP officers, civil affairs staff and the
troops in the area. The plan is to use this base of
operations to permanently integrate police into the community
and for civil affairs to provide technical assistance to the
community. MINUSTAH had originally planned to use the Grand
Ravine school building as a headquarters, with the
understanding that they would eventually return the building,
with improvements, so that it could become an operating
school (which it has never been). However, due to protests
from the community over the use of the school building,
MINUSTAH is actively seeking an alternate location.

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GoH Interior Minister Reaction
--------------


10. (U) Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime announced
that the GoH is working to control the Martissant zone and
will continue their "carrot and stick" method of dealing with
the Martissant gangs, with the carrot being dialogue and
forceful interventions only being used "when things get out
of hand". The GoH's greatest concern is establishing and
maintaining security in the area for the December 3
elections, which Bien-Aime asserted the people of Martissant
were preparing for despite the violence.


11. (SBU) Comment: Long-standing turf battles among the rival
gangs in Martissant over the past two years have resulted in
two noteworthy massacres, untold other casualties, and the
destruction of property. The violence has also interfered
with the provision of needed assistance from international
organizations. Because the gangs are smaller in number and
engaged in internecine violence, rather than targeting
MINUSTAH, Martissant has not received the same level of

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attention from Haitian and international authorities as have
Cite Soleil and Bel Air. The ongoing violence is worrisome,
however, and could divert HNP and MINUSTAH resources
currently focused on Cite Soleil. Nonetheless, declarations
by the gangs that they are conducting another Operation
Baghdad are overblown. They appear more designed to sow fear
out of proportion to their capabilities and goad the GoH into
negotiating the gang leaders' demands. End Comment.
TIGHE