Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTAUPRINCE2371
2006-12-13 12:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

STUDENTS ARE REVOLTING

Tags:  PGOV PREL HA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4019
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #2371/01 3471239
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131239Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4878
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1322
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1158
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0650
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1064
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002371 

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (Classified By line)

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 PLEASE PASS USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: STUDENTS ARE REVOLTING

REF: A. PORT AU PRINCE 2065


B. PORT AU PRINCE 1792

PORT AU PR 00002371 001.4 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas C. Tighe
for reasons 1.4(B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002371

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (Classified By line)

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 PLEASE PASS USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: STUDENTS ARE REVOLTING

REF: A. PORT AU PRINCE 2065


B. PORT AU PRINCE 1792

PORT AU PR 00002371 001.4 OF 002


CLASSIFIED BY: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas C. Tighe
for reasons 1.4(B) and (D).


1. (U) Summary: Recent student protests culminated on
December 5 with a demonstration in front of the Prime
Minister's office that devolved into confrontations between
MINUSTAH personnel and students who threw rocks and
vandalized MINUSTAH vehicles. Three groupings appear to have
generated the various protests over the past several weeks,
though their aims are not always clearly distinguishable.
The students have primarily espoused anti-globalization,
anti-MINUSTAH themes, though protesters on December 5
directed their anger at the Prime Minister and the
government's security policy. MINUSTAH believes that
anti-government militants from outside the student movement
are behind the more disorderly demonstrations. As reported
earlier, we believe that the student-led demonstrations are
neither sufficiently large or cohesive enough to pose a
serious problem for the government or MINUSTAH, though they
do pose a concern as both the government and MINUSTAH
continue to come under criticism for failing to deal with
security. End Summary.

Protest on December 5
--------------


2. (U) Diverse student groups gathered in the streets of
Port-au-Prince on December 5 in protests timed to coincide
with the third anniversary of the attack on the State
University of Haiti's School of Human Sciences in 2003.
(Comment: The mobilization of students against the Aristide
government following the attack on the state university was
one of the crucial factors leading to Aristide's resignation.
Aristide dispatched armed thugs to the university after
students and faculty resisted the replacement of the dean
with an Aristide crony. End Comment.) The protesters also
made demands for the departure of MINUSTAH from Haiti. A
group of approximately 100 gathered in front of the Prime

Minister's office, blocking one of the main traffic arteries.
When the crowd refused to disperse, MINUSTAH forces
dispatched to the scene fired warning shots into the air,
provoking the protesters to throw rocks and vandalize other
MINUSTAH vehicles in the area. Student groups are speaking
with increased confidence that they are successfully
mobilizing students and other civil society organizations,
especially in urban slums and rural areas. The widening
group of student protesters in Port-au-Prince, fueled by
recent incidents such as the kidnapping and murder of a
teenage girl and a five-year-old boy, still needs a critical
mass before being able to force the government into action.

Demands
--------------


3. (SBU) MINUSTAH's deputy political affairs section chief
Lizbeth Cullity judges that the student groups who have
protested in the past month fall into three different
categories. The first takes a moderate stance - at least in
public declarations - regarding the departure of MINUSTAH
from Haiti. Major organizations that fall into this category
include GRAFNEH (Grand Front National des Etudiants
Haitiens),CONUH (Conference Nationale des Universitaires
Haitiens) and REC (Rassemblement des Etudiants Capois).
Their common complaint is that MINUSTAH has contributed to
the deterioration of the security situation because they are
unwilling to forcibly respond to the gangs. However, this
moderate platform acknowledges that an immediate withdrawal
of the UN troops would lead to chaos, and instead supports a
withdrawal after the HNP is able to control security on its
own. GRAFNEH also cites the reinstitution of a national army
or a similar force as a precondition to MINUSTAH's departure.


4. (SBU) The second category of student groups are part of
the larger Haitian Platform to Advocate for an Alternative
Development (PAPDA). This is a leftist student movement with
anti-globalization, pro-Chavez leanings that started the
violent student protest against MINUSTAH on October 24 (ref
A). Their call for MINUSTAH's departure is part of their
overall agenda, but not their primary goal. The best-known
name behind this group is Camille Chalmers, an

PORT AU PR 00002371 002.4 OF 002


anti-globalization academic attached to the human sciences
faculty. Chalmers is a regular participant in political and
academic forums in Port-au-Prince, usually advocating for
Haitian debt relief, but generally presenting a
non-confrontational stance.


5. (SBU) The third and most radical group of students is the
Federation of Haitian University Students (FEUH),which is
demanding immediate withdrawal of the MINUSTAH forces. FEUH
has been operating in Haiti for years, but has evolved since
post last reported on its activities, at which time FEUH
could be characterized as an organization dedicated to
educational reform, youth employment and pressuring the IGoH
for action in a "non-destabilizing manner" (ref B). The
group's recent more radical stance led MINUSTAH to believe
that outside forces were behind their more disorderly
protests of late.


Outside Agitators?
--------------


6. (C) Cullity expressed concern that anti-government
militants, potentially from among both Aristide supporters or
those advocating the re-establishment of the armed forces,
might be driving FEUH. MINUSTAH had focused over the past
several weeks on attempting to identify elements among this
group that posed a threat to its mandate. In the past
GRAFNEH received support from former presidential candidate
Charles Henri Baker as well as the Group of 184, the
coalition of political parties, businesses and civil society
organizations that played the leading role in ousting
President Aristide. Jean-Robert Lalane, a businessman with
ties to the FUSION party and the owner of Radio Maxima
supports the REC, and recently told MINUSTAH's political
chief, Gerardo Le Chevallier, that he would work with
MINUSTAH to moderate this student group's posture against
MINUSTAH. Le Chevallier believes that Lalane's principal
interest is developing a loyal base among students for his
own political/business ends rather than opposing MINUSTAH.
(Note: Post revoked Lalane's B-1/B-2 visa in July of 2003 due
to his interference in a DEA operation in Haiti. End note.)


7. (SBU) Comment: Recent developments have made conditions
ripe for the reemergence of student protests. There is
widespread discontent with continued insecurity in
Port-au-Prince and a resurfacing of the nationalist and
anti-globalization sentiment always present in Haitian
politics. MINUSTAH is a convenient scapegoat for insecurity
and the most obvious lightening rod for nationalists.
Additionally, as Preval's term progresses, those impatient
with the government are showing more willingness to air
their grievances in the street. The overall number of
demonstrators, however, remains small and confined to
Port-au-Prince, and, as previously reported, we believe the
majority of the populace continues to support MINUSTAH's
presence. Nevertheless, any protests that generate disorder
and divert MINUSTAH and HNP attention from the broader task
of maintaining security are cause for concern.
SANDERSON