DUAL CITIZENSHIP MANHUNT HITS SENATORS, MINISTERS;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000447 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: DUAL CITIZENSHIP MANHUNT HITS SENATORS, MINISTERS; SENATOR BOULOS RESIGNS PORT AU PR 00000447 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Prominent businessman and Senate Vice-President Rudolph Henri Boulos resigned from the Senate on March 18 following the Senate's consideration of a report by the Senate Commission of Inquiry on Nationality. The report, confirming that Senators Boulos and Ultimo Compere held American passports, was approved by 17 Senators, with 3 abstentions. A follow-on Senate Resolution proclaimed that Boulos and Compere had never legally held the title of Senator by virtue of their concealed American citizenship. The Senate Commission, led by 2011 presidential hopeful Senator Youri Latortue, also fingered GoH Minister of Justice Rene Magloire as a potential Canadian citizen, an allegation that has yet to be resolved. GoH Minister of Finance Daniel Dorsainvil was cleared of all dual citizenship allegations. The resignation of Boulos and Compere's dismissal creates additional vacancies to be resolved in the already delayed Senate election. The 1987 Constitution's clearly outlaws dual nationality, and stipulates that acquiring foreign nationality automatically causes loss of Haitian citizenship. Nevertheless, the Senate's manhunt for dual nationals in high places threatens to destabilize the GoH. End Summary. Senator Resigns Upon Presentation of Senate Commission Findings -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Vice-President of the Senate and influential Senator from the Northeast Department, Rudolph Henri Boulos, resigned from the Senate on March 18 based on the findings of the Senate Commission of Inquiry on Nationality. The Commission judged Senators Boulos and Compere (Lespwa, Center Department) to be holders of American passports, in violation of the 1987 Haitian Constitution. In accordance with these findings, the Senate passed a resolution on March 18 proclaiming that Senators Boulos and Ultimo Compere never held the status or title of Senator, effectively stripping them of their mandates. Of 22 Senators in attendance, 17 voted for Boulos' removal and 3 abstained. Senator Boulos handed in his resignation before the Senate vote and quickly exited the chamber. (Note: Two abstentions came from two Senators from the same Department as Boulos, Senators Judnel Jean of Fusion and Rodolphe Joazile of Pont. The third was from Senator Eddy Bastien of Alyans in the Northwest Department. End note.) The Senate also requested that Senator Boulos submit his resignation in writing. Senator Compere remains abroad after departing Haiti two weeks ago, reportedly for the U.S. ¶3. (SBU) The Commission's findings on dual citizenship of Senators and other high ranking GoH officials were presented in a report to the Senate on March 13. Formed on February 19 in response to long-standing allegations of dual citizenship held by Senators and other high-ranking GoH officials, the Commission is headed by 2011 presidential hopeful Senator Youri Latortue (L'Artibonite en Action, Artibonite),and includes Cemephils Gilles (Lespwa, North),Evaliere Beauplan (Pont, Northwest),Rudy Heriveaux (Fanmi Lavalas, West),Jean Rodolphe Joazile (Pont, Northeast),Ricard Pierre (OPL, Southwest) and Joseph Lambert (Lespwa, Southeast). The Commission started its investigation by sending out 50 "nationality questionnaires" to Senators and other high ranking members of the GoH on February 20. By March 10, the Commission received only 14 responses to the questionnaires -- all from Senators. Two Ministers Targeted -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The Commission met with some opposition, particularly from Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, who the week of March 10 instructed his ministers not to respond to the Commission's inquiries or to appear before the Senate -- pending a letter from the Government to the Senate spelling out the GoH's official position. The Commission based the findings in their report on analysis of travel manifests from American Airlines, Caribintair (a local air carrier),and documents from the GoH Ministry of the Interior and Haitian Immigration Services. ¶5. (SBU) The Commission report ruled that information provided by Minister of Finance Daniel Dorsainvil had cleared him of all dual citizenship allegations. The same report decided that Minister of Justice Rene Magloire's failure to cooperate with the Commission supported the possibility he held Canadian citizenship. The Commission suggested the PORT AU PR 00000447 002.2 OF 002 Senate suspend all official interaction with Magloire until allegations of potential Canadian citizenship are resolved. (Note: The Commission claimed that their investigation revealed that Magloire had previously served as a state prosecutor in Canada, a position that could only be held by a native born or naturalized Canadian citizen. End note.) In Parliament, opinions remain divided on the need to verify Magloire's and other ministers' potential dual citizenship. Several parliamentarians opined that although the 1987 Haitian Constitution defines the criteria to become Prime Minister, it is silent when it comes to ministers and secretaries of state. Others alluded to the general SIPDIS applicability of Article 15. (Note: Article 15 of the Haitian Constitution states that dual Haitian and foreign nationality is in no case permitted. End note.) ¶6. (SBU) The Commission also recommended that the Senate give the GoH 15 days for all GoH Ministers to respond to the Commission's questionnaires to validate their Haitian citizenship. The Commission judged GoH and electoral authorities to have been negligent during the 2006 elections. The report recommends that judicial proceedings be initiated against any party who facilitated the acquisition of Haitian passports by Senators and other high ranking GoH officials conclusively deemed to be dual citizens. Despite its findings, the Commission asserted that there is consensus to revisit the nationality clauses of the Haitian constitution and possibly amend them, but the Senate had the legal obligation to enforce the nationality clauses as they stand. Comment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) There is no political upside for Haiti in the Senate's action on dual nationality. The only potential beneficiary of Boulos' resignation is 2011 presidential hopeful Senator Youri Latortue, who with this ruling kills a potential challenger from the powerful Boulos clan, as well as other potential rivals from the Haitian diaspora with dual citizenship. (Ironically, Latortue has a U.S. immigrant visa petition pending.) Despite the Latortue partisan interest, the initiative against dual nationals in high places enjoys broad Senate support. The Senate report and the resignation of Senate Vice-President Boulos serve only to divert attention from urgent political issues, such as passing the new electoral law, organizing the delayed Senate elections, and devising policies to cope with increases in the cost of living. Nevertheless, the manhunt for other possible dual citizens within the GoH and Parliament is unlikely to end soon. It is an issue that easily lends itself to posturing by politicians, such as Latortue, with boundless ambitions but a limited sense of political responsibility. Amending the nationality clauses of the constitution, which Embassy believes enjoys broad support, is a cumbersome procedure that would take years. TIGHE