LESPWA: FROM COALITION TO PARTY?

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000808 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR DRL S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS TO USAID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV HA SUBJECT: LESPWA: FROM COALITION TO PARTY? PORT AU PR 00000808 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please protect accordingly. ¶2. (SBU) Summary: Joseph Jasmin, minister of parliamentary relations and a member of the Lespwa coalition's steering committee reports that Lespwa insiders are discussing its possible transformation into a political party. Lespwa victories in the presidential, legislative, municipal, and local elections in 2006 strengthens Lespwa proponents according to another member of Lespwa's steering committee, Anes Lubin. Lespwa is currently a coalition of two regional political parties and two rural associations that joined in 2005 in support of President Preval's candidacy for the presidency. Though Preval has removed himself from partisan politics, the average Haitian still assumes that Lespwa is a political party headed by their president. Whether other Lespwa members can formalize its existence as a political party will be a pivotal signal in assessing whether the Lespwa banner will have any significance beyond having served as a vehicle for Preval. End Summary. Next Steps for Lespwa -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Now that the president and numerous other elected officials have successfully run under the Lespwa banner, those who formed the coalition are questioning its future, Jasmin asserted to Poloff during a meeting on April 23. Participants in internal discussions favor Lespwa's transformation into a political party because the country needs strong parties, rather than numerous smaller parties, and Lespwa is Haiti's ''major national team.'' Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis is driving the effort to transform Lespwa, according to Jasmin. He admitted that he did not know President Preval's position on Lespwa, and that he does not, in any case, participate in national politics, claiming that he is ''for Haiti.'' ¶4. (SBU) Lubin recalled that in addition to the presidency, Lespwa won pluralities in legislative, municipal, and local elections. Therefore, the coalition has a certain responsibility to the country as well as the support it would need as a political party. Lubin reported that Lespwa held a local conference (''the first of many to be held around the country'') in Cap Haitian on April 21 that included elected officials and representatives of 19 different communes. The participants supported turning the coalition into a political party in the near future. Their priorities were political stability, followed by Lespwa's campaign promise to promote agricultural and industrial production. Who's Who -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Jasmin noted that some resistance to the creation of a party comes from within his own party, the Solidarity Effort for a National, Popular Alternative (ESKANP),a regional party based in the Artibonite and Center Departments which Preval first approached in forming his coalition in ¶2005. He noted, however, that most ESKANP partisans favored merging into Lespwa, as did the majority of members of the other party in the coalition, the Open the Gate Party (PLB), based in the North Department. The rural associations in Lespwa are Konbit (''get together'' in Creole),based in the Southeast Department and led by Senate President Joseph Lambert, KONPA (National Confederation of Rural Haitians). Jasmin asserted that the members of those associations had the most to gain from Lespwa becoming a political party, and would therefore support a merger. This I Believe -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Jasmin recounted that President Preval's presidential candidacy precipitated the creation of Lespwa in ¶2005. Preval approached Jasmin as ESKANP's leader for help in formulating a platform on which to run for president. The two decided to call on PLB as well as Konbit and KONPA. Preval also recruited other notable individuals and ''popular organizations.'' The Lespwa platform, represented by three PORT AU PR 00000808 002.2 OF 002 leaves of Lespwa's symbol, includes national production, social justice, and decentralization. Agriculture is the main focus of the first plank of the platform, which also includes promoting artisan crafts and local industry. Education is the highlight of social justice plank, followed by workers' rights and social welfare. The decentralization plank represents a move toward closer ties between the state and its people by giving local government more autonomy. Lespwa's steering committee is made up one representative from each of the four entities: Joseph Jasmin (ESKANP); Anes Lubin (PLB); President of the National Assembly Joseph Lambert (Konbit); and Edner Desir (KONPA). ¶7. (SBU) Comment. The average Haitian does not understand that Lespwa is a coalition rather than a political party and assumes that President Preval continues as its leader. Though nearly every Haitian is familiar with Lespwa's ubiquitous three-leaf emblem, most are completely ignorant of what it purports to symbolize in the absence of any effort to enunciate the coalition's platform. Most Haitians simply suppose that Preval and Lespwa generally aim to represent Haiti's poor masses. Lespwa's other leaders continue to benefit from their presumed association with Preval, but if they cannot take the next step to turn the movement into a party with some kind of structure and organizational discipline, Preval's withdrawal from partisan politics and jockeying among Lespwa leaders may soon have an impact on the viability of the Lespwa label. End comment. SANDERSON