FANMI LAVALAS: FOUR REGIONAL CONGRESSES HELD, SIX

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/21/2018
TAGS: HA KDEM PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: FANMI LAVALAS: FOUR REGIONAL CONGRESSES HELD, SIX
TO GO

REF: A. 07 PORT AU PRINCE 1898

B. PORT AU PRINCE 293

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Classified By: DCM Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1.(SBU) SUMMARY: Striving for increased political legitimacy
in anticipation of prospective senatorial elections, the
pro-Aristide party Fanmi Lavalas (FL) held its fourth of ten
scheduled regional congresses in the South Department on
February 16. Reports claim five thousand FL partisans,
including high profile FL leadership, attended this congress
organized by senatorial hopeful Francky Exeus. The main
themes of these congresses, the messianic return of former
President Jean Bertrand Aristide and party restructuring,
have remained unchanged. The increasing cost of living has,
however, strengthened the FL rallying call for Aristide's
return. FL intends to have the ten congresses culminate in a
national congress where a party leader will be officially
elected in Aristide's continued absence. No concrete plans
have yet been drawn for the fifth regional congress. END
SUMMARY.


2. (SBU) Poloff met with FL leader and Senator, Rudy
Heriveaux on February 21 (Note: Heriveaux is viewed by some
factions of the party as the official party leader. He is the
party's most visible and politically connected GOH official.
End note.) Heriveaux informed Poloff that FL held its fourth
successful congress in the city of Cayes in the South
Department on February 16. According to Heriveaux,
approximately five thousand FL partisans attended the
congress, organized by FL senatorial hopeful Francky Exeus.
(Note: Francky Exeus is a former Deputy of the South
Department and currently works for the GOH Ministry of the
Interior as a ministry liaison to parliament. End note.)
Heriveaux claimed the congress was funded by donations from
all elected FL affiliated officials and private sympathizers
from the Haitian diaspora.


3. (SBU) Heriveaux stated that the congresses will serve as a
forum to collectively restructure party leadership, showcase
the party's mobilizing prowess, and for Senate primary
elections for FL candidates from the various departments.
Prominent FL partisans in attendance at this fourth congress
included Deputy Jonas Coffy (former chairman of the lower
house of parliament's finance committee),Jacques Matellier
(member of the Aristide elected FL Executive Committee),and
Gerard Jean Juste (former Catholic Priest and prominent
Aristide ally).


4. (C) According to Senator Heriveaux, Jean Juste had a
special reason for attending this fourth congress. Given
free reign to address the Lavalasian partisans, Heriveaux
claimed Jean Juste informed them that the election of Jacob
Zuma to the head of the African National Congress (ANC) in
South Africa on December 18, 2007 had jeopardized the
possibility of Aristide's continued residence in South
Africa. According to Jean Juste, if Zuma were subsequently
elected president of South Africa in 2009, Aristide would no
longer be welcome in South Africa. He also claimed Jean
Juste told the partisans that he believes President Bush has
washed his hands clean of Aristide and would not contest a
future return to Haiti. Heriveaux claimed that Jean Juste
then implored FL to mobilize expeditiously to ensure victory
at prospective senatorial elections and guarantee Aristide's
return to Haiti.


5. (C) Also permitted to address the partisans at this
congress were four FL senatorial hopefuls-Yvon Feuille
(former Lavalas Senator for the South Department under the
last Aristide regime),Francky Exeus, Louis Paul and Jacques
Matelier. FL Deputy Sorel Francois (protect accordingly)
stated to Poloff on February 21 that contrary to most
expectations, FL partisans showed the most support for Yvon
Feuille as opposed to Francky Exeus. Deputy Francois
revealed that based on Yvon Feuille's perceived popularity at
this congress, FL leadership was considering endorsing
Feuille and reneging on their previous unofficial and
back-door deal to endorse Exeus as their candidate for the
South Department.


6. (SBU) Heriveaux claimed that FL had no definite plans for
the fifth regional congress nor had they selected where to
have it. Funding remained a problem. He admitted holding a
congress in the West Department would be a difficult
proposition given the multitude of potential candidates and
the struggle for FL party leadership within the department.

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However, he opined that with the success of the previous
three congresses, the first held in the North Department on
November 24 (ref A),the second in the Center Department on
December 11, and the third in Department of Nippes on
December 24, FL will continue holding its regional
congresses.


7. (C) Heriveaux noted to Poloff that FL leadership was
strongly against the planned protest scheduled for February
29 by FL grass roots partisans (ref B). According to
Heriveaux, FL leadership was compelled to throw their support
behind the grass roots organizers for fear of losing popular
support. With the prospect of senate elections looming,
Heriveaux underscored that FL leadership has to maintain
popular support among grass roots members, particularly given
the expected fight for the senate seat in the North between
FL hopeful Nawoon Marcellus and the Lespwa candidate Moise
Jean Charles (septel).


8. (SBU) Comment: With all the major political parties
jostling for political inclusion and control of the 30 member
senate, FL is to date, the most visibly active, restructuring
and mobilizing its partisan base for prospective senatorial
elections. FL appears to be preaching the right doctrine to
politically position itself for dominance. Party
disorganization and the ideological differences between the
educated and politically savvy leadership core and the grass
roots partisans however remain an impediment to
restructuring. The Preval administration's current
ineffectiveness in curbing the increasing cost of living has
given FL a strong lifeline. FL's perceived struggle to
rectify the economic situation, albeit via organized protests
or rallying calls for Aristide's return, may give the party
added political legitimacy and may improve their chances in
prospective senatorial elections.
SANDERSON