MUTINY IN THE NATIONAL PENITENTIARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001810

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA
WHA/EX
WHA/CAR PLEASE PASS TO USOASWHA
INL FOR KEVIN BROWN, DON STOLWORTHY, ANGELIC YOUNG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM KJUS SOCI SNAR HA
SUBJECT: MUTINY IN THE NATIONAL PENITENTIARY

REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 1695

PORT AU PR 00001810 001.2 OF 002



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


2. (U) SUMMARY: A riot ensued in the National Penitentiary
on November 7 after Chief Prosecutor Claudy Gassant
authorized the release of 121 long-serving male prisoners.
The riot was quelled in under two hours by the Haitian
National Police (HNP) with the assistance of a Nigerian
Formed Police Unit (FPU) of MINUSTAH. Although there are
conflicting reports about what sparked the riot, Haitian
authorities and MINUSTAH confirm that the release of the
detainees was the initial catalyst. It is evident, however,
that the severe conditions in the men,s penitentiary and the
lack of due process for detainees within the Haitian judicial
system are the larger contributing factors (reftel). The
extent of the damage within the prison is still being
assessed. (End Summary.)


3. (U) Though an official investigative report has not yet
been released by the HNP or MINUSTAH, contacts from both
sources reveal that the riot occurred for two reasons:
reaction to the sudden release of 121 prisoners on
humanitarian grounds; and news of the transference of prison
king-pin Carl Longchamps, aka "Zulu," to another prison.

REASON #1: HUMANITARIAN RELEASES SPARK ANGER
--------------


4. (U) On International Prisoners' Day, October 28, Chief
Prosecutor Claudy Gassant publicly announced that cases of
prisoners in the National Penitentiary were under review and
a number of prisoners would likely be released on
humanitarian grounds. The men, Gassant said, had either been
held in prison too long without trial or held in custody
beyond their original terms due to bureaucratic delays within
the prison system. On November 8, 73 out of 121 detainees
authorized for release were freed from the prison, as Gassant
promised.


5. (U) Port-au-Prince Police Commissar Michael Ange Gedeon
told Emboff November 9 that the release of the prisoners
triggered immediate outrage among the approximately 2900
remaining inmates, angered that their cases had not yet been
reviewed. The prisoners filed out of their cells en masse,
demanding the same treatment. Robinson Cadet, U.S.
Corrections Advisor to UNPOL, told Emboff on November 8 that
the riot began in a cell-block known as the "Brick" and
quickly spread to the "Titanic" cellblock. Dozens of
incensed prisoners attempted to attack the prison staff,
scale the prisons walls and climb to the roof in an effort to
escape. Cadet, part of the UNPOL security team located on
the perimeter of the building during the mutiny, said at
least one prison staff member and several prisoners were
injured. Media captured images of prisoners on the roof
throwing anything they could get their hands on, including
empty bottles, cans, clothing, papers and plastic containers.
Inmates also started a fire, which was quickly extinguished.
(Note: As the investigation is still in process, the extent
of the damage from the fire is not yet confirmed. End note.)



6. (SBU) A high-level MINUSTAH contact who shared information
to Embassy NAS Director as the situation unfolded November 8
reported having immediately authorized the Nigerian Formed
Police Unit (FPU) to assist with security on the perimeter of
the prison at the request of the HNP. Additionally, he
deployed the U.S. UNPOL Hostage Negotiation Team from the HNP
Anti-kidnapping unit to go to the prison due to a rumor that
a Red Cross worker may have been taken hostage. (Note: the
hostage rumor was determined to be false after the riot was
quelled. End note.) The HNP also deployed CIMO, a special
riot control unit, to the scene. The National Penitentiary
Administration (APENA),a special unit of the HNP assigned to
prison security, remained inside the prison and succeeded in
putting down the revolt in under two hours without additional
force.


PORT AU PR 00001810 002.2 OF 002



7. (SBU) Commissar Gedeon, in charge of coordinating HNP and
MINUSTAH security on the penitentiary,s perimeter, told
Emboff that while on location, he heard shots fired inside
the prison, but since his team was not permitted to enter the
compound, he could not determine whether there were
fatalities. A MINUSTAH official also told NAS Director that
at least two weapons were reportedly found that had been
smuggled into the prison.

REASON #2: PRISON KING-PIN TRANSFER
--------------


8. (U) Commissar Gedeon told Emboff on November 8 the riots
also stemmed from anger over the fact that prison king-pin
Carl Longchamps (reportedly serving a life sentence) was
transferred to a different prison for administrative reasons.
According to the HNP, Longchamps has long been suspected of
drug activities and smuggling contraband into the prison.
Gedeon said that loyalists to Longchamps took advantage of
the anger sparked by the prison releases to stage a protest
against his departure.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: The HNP and MINUSTAH have yet to report
which of the two widely circulated reasons about how and why
the rebellion started they support. Post,s initial
impression, however, is that the lack of a legal basis for
the prolonged detentions of many inmates, coming on top of
severe overcrowding and generally abysmal prison conditions,
helped produce deep discontent that came to a boil when
certain inmates were released. MINUSTAH has reported,
however, that the riot did not come as a surprise, as
violence has been anticipated, and UNPOL had recently
received reports of arms smuggling into the prison. U.S.
Corrections Advisor Cadet and the HNP have indicated that
they will share the results of the investigation with post as
soon as it is completed.
SANDERSON