STUDENTS CONTINUE TO PROTEST INSECURITY

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 002476

SIPDIS

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: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA KDEM
SUBJECT: STUDENTS CONTINUE TO PROTEST INSECURITY

REF: PORT AU PRINCE 2371


1. (U) Summary: December 26 and 28 were marked by student
protests in Port-au-Prince. In accordance with what has
become the central issue across all sectors in Haiti in
recent weeks, demonstrators took to the streets and organized
a sit-in protesting violence and kidnappings and demanding
that the GoH do its job in combating insecurity. Both
protests were for the most part peaceful, although one
canister of tear gas was released on the protesters on
December 26. End Summary.


2. (U) The December 26 protest included members of several
university groups, including GRAFNEH (Grand Front National
des Etudiants Haitiens),CONUH (Conference Nationale des
Universitaires Haitiens) and FEUH (Federation of Haitian
University Students),among others (see reftel for profiles
of these groups). A GRAFNEH spokesperson told Poloff they
were protesting against insecurity and kidnapping in hopes of
forcing the GoH and MINUSTAH to fight the gangs who are
terrorizing the Haitian populace. News reports estimated the
crowd at 40 to 50 people, whereas a spokesperson for GRAFNEH
told Poloff they had 200 to 250 protesters. The protest
began in front of the school of ethnology near the National
Palace and worked its way to the prime minister's office,
where the protesters shouted insults including slurs against
the PM, whom some have nicknamed the "Prime Minister of
Kidnappers". While the protesters were gathered outside the
gates of the Prime Minister's office, HNP crowd-control
(CIMO) detonated tear gas, although the detonation may have
been accidental according to news reports and GRAFNEH.
GRAFNEH is planning more demonstrations for January.


3. (U) Another protest planned for December 28 outside of the
State University's school of social sciences morphed into a
sit-in at the last minute due to the announcement of a
pro-Lavalas demonstration that same day. Herve Saintilus
announced the student protest more than a week early and then
announced on the radio they were changing to a sit-in for
fear of attacks from Lavalas partisans. (Note: Saintilus was
part of the protests that eventually toppled the Aristide
government and was given a job with the ministry of education
by the IGoH. End Note.) Saintilus also stated more protests
would be forthcoming.


4. (U) Comment: Recent protests are bringing together not
just students but groups from all sectors of society under a
unified message -- no more kidnapping. Representatives from
government, civil society, and now students are thinking
along the same lines in what has become the central issue in
Haiti in recent weeks. Protests are continuing while HNP and
MINUSTAH carry out operations against gangs in the
Port-au-Prince slums, and the population does not appear to
be convinced yet that the GoH is doing all it can to end the
kidnapping problem.
TIGHE