HAITIAN POLITICAL PARTIES: FORM AN INCLUSIVE NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000589 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR S/CRS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR INR/IAA WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA SUBJECT: HAITIAN POLITICAL PARTIES: FORM AN INCLUSIVE NEW GOVERNMENT QUICKLY REF: PORT AU PRINCE 559 PORT AU PR 00000589 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Summary: Political parties complain they were largely ignored by President Preval during the demonstrations of April 3 to 12. Despite many of these parties being represented in the Alexis government, nearly all parties supported the vote that dismissed it, arguing that the mass demonstrations proved Alexis had lost the people's confidence. Following the April 12 vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis, parties are pressing their demands in the selection process on President Preval as he tries to form a new government. The following is a survey of reactions of several major political parties -- OPL, Fusion, Union, and Artibonite in Action -- to the events of early April. (Note: Viewpoints of Fanmi Lavalas and Lespwa will be reported septel. End note) All party sources interviewed agreed on the urgent need for Preval to nominate a new Prime Minster so that the country can repair the damage to government authority and Haiti's reputation caused by the destructive street demonstr ations. President Preval is currently consulting with the parties, but there is as of yet no indication of how much their input will sway his choice of a new Prime Minster and government. End summary. OPL: Don't lose faith in Haiti! -------------- ¶2. (C) OPL President Edgar Leblanc told the Ambassador April 18 that Preval should nominate a new Prime Minister quickly, and in doing so draw on opinions from many sectors of Haitian society. OPL saw several agendas at work during the protests, all arising from rising food prices and general poverty, but also from criminal and political elements. He cited GOH efforts to arrest drug traffickers, as well as political maneuverings by ''certain political actors,'' as contributing factors. He thought that weakness of the HNP and MINUSTAH's limited mandate had hindered efforts to quell the violence. Leblanc said earlier intervention on the part of Preval would have prevented much damage to property, to Haiti's reputation and to Preval's own political capital. ¶3. (C) OPL supported the censure of PM Alexis. During the riots, it became clear that the GOH had lost the confidence of the people and ''no longer existed.'' The government must regain the confidence of the people, which would require a new Prime Minister. The new Government would have to focus on job creation, encouraging investment, and consolidating state institutions. Despite the efforts of the last two years, Haiti is still trapped in a transitional phase, according to Leblanc. The National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction accurately describes the steps needed in the short and medium term. Fusion: Heal the nation's wounds. -------------- ¶4. (C) Fusion spokesperson Micha Gaillard told Poloffs throughout the protests that Preval did not comprehend the desperate hunger of the Haitian people. Fusion supported the interpellation and the Senate vote that dismissed PM Alexis. Gaillard argued the GOH needed new political leaders, with a new economic policy and a resumption of the national dialogue promised by Preval at the outset of his term. There is a disconnect between the Haitian people and their leaders that needs to be mended, he said. The new PM should be someone who can heal the wounds that emerged during the demonstrations and unite the nation. Thus, they must be able to communicate effectively with everyone, from the hungry man on the street, to the private sector and political parties, to the international community. The process of selecting a new Prime Minster must include diverse political parties, the private sector and civil society. Gaillard noted that Preval had not reached out to Fusion until several days after the protests ended. Union: Bad idea, but now let's move on. -------------- ¶5. (C) Union president Chavannes Jeune told Poloff in conversations April 11 and 14 that while the removal of PM Alexis was a setback for the government and the country, changes in the government were necessary to remedy the current situation. Jeune saw a need for a rapid appointment of a new Prime Minister. He expected at least five current ministers to remain in the Cabinet, though he could not speculate which ones. He expected Union would have at least one Cabinet position. (Note: Union currently holds one Cabinet position, the Minister of Environment. End note.) Like other political parties, Union was largely ignored by Preval and his advisors during the heat of the protests. LAAA: It's our turn. -------------- ¶6. (C) Senator Youri Latortue, leader of Artibonite in Action (LAAA),who ultimately helped engineer the downfall of PM Alexis, accurately predicted to the Canadian Ambassador Alexis' fall before it happened. LAAA expects to participate in decisions on future governments, according to Latortue. (Note: Both originally from Gonaives in the Artibonite Valley, PM Alexis and Senator Latortue have a longstanding, well-publicized political rivalry. It was Senator Latortue who called for the Senate to vote on Alexis' fate in the April 12 Senate interpellation (reftel). End note.) ¶7. (C) Comment: The common message from most political parties is that the new government must be nominated quickly and be broadly inclusive. They deem Preval's first ''coalition government'' headed by Alexis as insufficient in that regard. Nevertheless, former President Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party and its offshoots continue to feel left out (septel). Preval must be careful in his treatment of the parties, many of whom felt ignored by the President during the riots. Though he has now invited most major parties to meet with him and express their views on the new Prime Minister, it is far from certain he will take their opinions into account when making his selection. Parties that feel snubbed will be more likely to oppose the Parliament's approval of the next government. SANDERSON