HAITIANS CELEBRATE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000085 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/EX, WHA/CAR STATE FOR INR/IAA SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD STATE PASS AID FOR LAR/CAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SUBJECT: HAITIANS CELEBRATE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION REF: A. 08 PORT AU PRINCE 737 ¶B. 08 PORT AU PRINCE 701 Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) The inauguration of President Barack Obama caused general exuberance in Haiti that at times has spilled over into unrealistic expectations. Commentary has portrayed his election as the culmination of the struggle of African-Americans which turned a page in history. A more general sentiment is that the new Administration, being led by an African-American, will necessarily give kinder treatment to Haiti -- still proud of its status as the product of the only successful slave revolt in history. Local media report high expectations that the new Administration will usher in a new relationship with Haiti, help spur economic development and favorably address the status of Haitians living illegally in the U.S. Fanmis Lavalas partisans tried to exploit the situation politically, arguing that the Obama administration will support former President Aristide's return to Haiti. Some Haitians had more modest expectations, noting that the current economic downturn will preclude large increases in U.S. assistance. The Embassy's message on the event emphasized its historic importance and the U.S. tradition of peaceful transfer of power. A minority of Haitian commentators have portrayed the Obama victory as an example of what Haitians must do to take control of their destiny and achieve development. Haitians Hail President Obama, Hope for More Help -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) The inauguration of the new U.S. President attracted intense, positive interest in the Haitian media. The event dominated print and electronic media on January 20. Many TV stations transmitted feeds from French-Canadian and U.S. stations (the latter without translation or subtitles) which covered the event live, and then repeated footage of the inauguration and commentary about it into the late evening. Many TV stations followed this with extended coverage of several Inauguration Day balls, again with live feeds from U.S. and Canadian stations. ¶3. (U) The extensive coverage in many Haitian electronic and print media shared a theme of elation at the election of the first African-American President in U.S. history, and the anticipation that this will translate into a privileged position for Haiti in the eyes of the United States. Much commentary relayed a hope, nowhere documented, that President Obama will increase economic assistance and allow the thousands of Haitians living illegally in the U.S. to stay. Inauguration Made Part of Worship Service -------------- ¶4. (U) The mostly widely noticed event in the capital on the day of the inauguration was a prayer service attended by hundreds at the Eben-Ezer Baptist Church in Petion-Ville, organized by Osner Fevry, a director of the Haitian Christian Democratic Party (PDCH) and founder of the Barack Obama Haiti Club. The officiating pastor praised the Lord for ''allowing a black man to accede to the prestigious post of president of the United States.'' The three-hour service was organized around a live TV feed of the inauguration itself, and was punctuated with prayers for the new President, the First Lady, and the new U.S. government. Fevry characterized the service as a ''spiritual act of support for the democratic administration and a plea to God to help the Haitian people one day find their own Obama...and to share his values.'' Several political and civil society representatives not publicly known for their religious piety attended, including Senators Rudy Heriveaux and Youri Latortue, civil society leader Dr. Rosny Desroches, former Army (FAD'H) officer Himmler Rebu of the Grand Assembly for the Evolution of Haiti (GREH),and the Christian Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENA). Political Commentary -------------- ¶5. (U) ''Fusion'' political party president Victor Benoit was hopeful that President Obama's tenure would mark a positive shift in economic cooperation between Port-au-Prince and Washington. Former President of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce Philippe Armand, speaking on local radio, predicted the installation of President Obama would not likely have a major impact on current Haiti-U.S. relations, but his PORT AU PR 00000085 002 OF 002 accession was nevertheless historically symbolic and important. ¶6. (U) Some in the pro-Aristide party Fanmis Lavalas (FL) have tried to extract political capital from the Obama election. Marching on December 16 to commemorate the first election of Jean Bertrand Aristide in 1991, FL demonstrators distributed leaflets with a montage of photographs of Aristide and the then U.S. President-elect, attempting to suggest that the incoming Administration would be a friend of Fanmis Lavalas and its leader, former President Aristide. One Discordant Voice -------------- ¶7. (U) A more introspective note came from former Prime Minister candidate, Ericq Pierre, living in the United States after the parliament rejected his nomination (reftels). In a January 9 opinion piece in ''Le Matin'' newspaper, Pierre criticized the racial solidarity that underlay Haitian exuberance at the Obama election. He noted that the election of Obama was the logical outcome of a long political and social struggle in a country known for its diversity and contrasts. Pierre chided Haitians for their continuing pride at being the first state to throw off slavery and colonialism, while their leaders since independence had acted toward their citizens ''like predators worse than the colonialists themselves.'' Haiti should be ashamed that it was still unable to feed or educate its children, or govern itself without international intervention and foreign assistance. Pierre wrote that the Obama victory should motivate Haitians to stop presenting themselves to the world (especially to the new U.S. Administration) as victims in need of relief, and begin telling the world the sacrifices Haiti is prepared to make to take control of its own destiny. Embassy: United States of Our Dreams -------------- ¶8. (U) Prior to the inauguration, the Embassy placed in the national print daily ''Le Matin,'' an Ambassadorial opinion piece entitled ''The United States of Our Dreams,'' which drew on Martin Luther King Day community service themes, noted the historic importance of President Obama's election in the evolution of American democracy, and expressed continued U.S. resolve to confront shared challenges. ¶9. (U) On Inauguration Day January 20, the Ambassador gave live interviews on three radio stations. She called the inauguration a celebration of an important first in U.S. history that also demonstrated a tradition of democratic and peaceful political transition. She also acknowledged the significant challenges ahead for the U.S. domestically and internationally, but assured audiences of continued active U.S. engagement in Haiti. SANDERSON