Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09PORTAUPRINCE892
2009-10-23 15:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:  

SCENESETTER FOR SOUTHCOM COMMANDER, OCTOBER 28

Tags:  OVIP PGOV PREL PMIL HA 
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VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0892/01 2961524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231524Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEHPU/USDAO PORT AU PRINCE HA PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0464
INFO RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000892 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
STATE PASS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OVIP PGOV PREL PMIL HA
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SOUTHCOM COMMANDER, OCTOBER 28
VISIT TO HAITI

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000892

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR
STATE PASS SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OVIP PGOV PREL PMIL HA
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR SOUTHCOM COMMANDER, OCTOBER 28
VISIT TO HAITI


1. (SBU) Summary: Your visit comes at an important point in
Haiti's democratic development. After food riots in April
2008 and a disastrous series of hurricanes four months later,
President Rene Preval and his Prime Minister, Michele
Pierre-Louis, are working hard to meet the basic needs of the
population and repair the nearly USD 1 billion in damage
caused by the storms and resulting flooding. A donor
conference in Washington and a visit by Secretary Clinton in
April both emphasized USG determination to help the Haitian
people overcome these challenges and focus international
attention on Haiti. Electoral tensions and recent student
demonstrations over a controversial minimum wage bill have
added an element of uncertainty to Haiti's political and
security environment. Two rounds of national elections April
19 and June 21 to fill 12 vacant seats in the Parliament's
30-seat Senate saw low voter turnout and isolated incidents
of violence, but improved security and organization. End
summary.

RIOTS, FLOODS ENDANGER YEARS OF PROGRESS
--------------


2. (SBU) Haiti is the hemisphere's poorest and most
politically troubled country. After the collapse of the
Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti experienced a succession
of military regimes and popularly-elected governments,
interspersed with coups d'etat, the departure of an elected
President in the midst of an armed rebellion, and other
destabilizing events. Even democratically elected leaders
sometimes resorted to political violence or failed to hold
constitutionally mandated elections. All these factors have
exacerbated political instability and economic stagnation.
Two years after the departure of then-President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide in 2004, the presidential and legislative elections
of 2006 gave Haiti a new chance to consolidate political
stability and stimulate investment and economic growth. With
the over 7,000 soldiers and 2,000 police of UN Stabilization
Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) guaranteeing the peace since
2004, gang activity and other violent crime has diminished
rapidly.


3. (SBU) However, rioting in April 2008, caused in part by
rising food and energy prices, brought political progress to

a halt. While there was genuine social grievance behind the
April protests, much of the associated violence was organized
by political forces seeking to capitalize on the resulting
instability to oust then-PM Jacques-Edouard Alexis. The
Senate voted to dismiss PM Alexis on April 12. In the five
months following the dismissal of Alexis and his cabinet, the
Haitian government was paralyzed by political gridlock.
Parliament rejected two candidates for Prime Minister on
specious grounds. After Preval nominated his third
candidate, Michele Pierre-Louis, Haiti was hit by a series of
hurricanes and tropical storms in August and September. The
resulting flooding killed almost 800 people; displaced or
otherwise affected hundreds of thousands more, crippled the
country's transportation infrastructure, devastated livestock
and crops, and caused nearly USD 1 billion in damage. In the
face of strong public pressure to confirm a government able
to respond to the hurricane damage, Parliament confirmed
Pierre-Louis on September 5, 2008.

STAGNANT ECONOMY SUFFERED A BLOW IN 2008
--------------


4. (SBU) The hurricanes and resulting flooding cast a
spotlight on Haiti's already dire economic situation.
Roughly 70 percent of the Haitian population lives on less
than two dollars per day, and at least 60 percent are
unemployed or underemployed. Continuing security challenges,
inadequate infrastructure, and an inhospitable business
climate deter investment in Haiti today. The 2008 storms
reduced that year's growth rate to 1.3 percent, less than the
2.5 percent population growth rate. We have encouraged
President Preval and the Government to help Haitian and
foreign investors take maximum advantage of the second Haiti
Opportunity Through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II),
a trade preference bill that allows many types of textiles
manufactured in Haiti duty-free access to U.S. markets. That
program thus far has created about 11,000 jobs.


RENEWED INTERNATIONAL INTEREST IN HAITI
--------------


5. (SBU) The food riots and hurricane damage of 2008 led the

United States and Haiti's other international donors to
redouble their efforts to achieve progress on food security
and economic growth initiatives. Recent visits by UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and former President Bill
Clinton, the 15 UN Security Council Permanent
Representatives, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham
Clinton have drawn attention to Haiti's plight. In addition,
Secretary Clinton announced significant pledges of new
assistance at an April 14 donor conference in Washington,
including USD 20 million to create short-term jobs, USD 20
million more for debt relief, and USD 15 million in emergency
food aid. At this point, of the reported total 300 million
in aid promised, the government claims that only 21 million
has been delivered.

CONTROVERSY LINGERS OVER PARTIAL SENATE ELECTIONS
-------------- --------------


6. (SBU) The partial Senate elections were the object of some
controversy, but they had the strong backing of the United
States and the rest of the international community. The
electoral authority's decision to exclude all candidates from
Fanmi Lavalas, the political party of deposed former
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, sparked a series of small
protests and a call from Lavalas militants to boycott the
election. Those militants claimed victory when only 11
percent of eligible voters turned out on Election Day for the
first round on April 19, although participation in partial
legislative elections here is typically low.


7. (SBU) The elections themselves took place in a largely
peaceful atmosphere, although acts of violence and ballot-box
theft were registered in some areas of the country. Elections
in the Central Plateau, however, were suspended after a poll
worker was shot and unknown perpetrators stole ballot boxes
in some voting centers there. Electoral authorities have not
yet fixed a date to re-run the elections in the Center
Department.


8. (SBU) A new Provisional Electoral Council(CEP) was sworn
in on October 22. President Preval asked for members' groups
to provide their opinions as to the effectiveness of their
representatives. After those consultations, Preval revoked
the member who represented the popular sector and reallocated
that seat to the voudou community. Frantz Verret was passed
over as CEP President in favor of Gaillot Dorsainvil, who
represents the disabled community's interest.


9. (SBU) A new round of parliamentary elections to replace
the entire Chamber of Deputies and an additional ten Senators
should occur in November. Although the international
community and MINUSTAH have pledged a variety of support, it
is unlikely that the elections can take place as law dictates
next month.


THE ASSISTANCE PICTURE: RULE OF LAW/GOVERNANCE
-------------- -


10. (U) The United States will provide over USD 287 million
in non-emergency assistance to Haiti in 2009. Our programs
in Haiti -- financed by USAID, CDC, the Department of
Defense, and the State Department's Bureau of International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL/NAS) -- seek to
implement reforms, build public institutions, improve law
enforcement and corrections capability, and help deliver
basic services. Rule of Law programs target Haiti's justice
system by helping increase judicial authorities'
administrative, management and technical capacity. Good
Governance programs provide technical assistance and training
to Haiti's Parliament in the areas of legislative drafting,
legal and judicial reform, and rules of procedure. Programs
aimed at conflict mitigation address poverty and gang-related
violence through creation of short- and long-term employment
and transfer of job skills through labor-intensive
reconstruction of social and productive infrastructure.
Another program targets the Provisional Electoral Council to
help it solidify its organization and modernize the voter
registration process. Civil society programs assist a variety
of local media, regional journalist associations, and public
service associations, including those that monitor corruption.

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
--------------


11. (U) The steep rise in food prices in 2008 followed by the

four hurricanes sharply exacerbated Haiti's chronic food
insecurity, to which approximately 3 million Haitians are now
exposed. USAID contributed USD 45 million in emergency food
aid and another USD 14 million for post-hurricane recovery.
USAID is continuing its programs to build disaster early
warning, response and mitigation capacity. The Ambassador
officiated in November 2008 at the ground-breaking ceremony
for a SouthCom-funded Emergency Operations Center for Haiti's
disaster response agencies. Following the hurricanes,
Congress appropriated an additional USD 96 million over three
years for the restoration of public services, repairs to
public use infrastructure, provision of income-generating
activities, asset restoration, and support to affected
families. The USS Kearsarge also assisted immediately after
the storms, diverting from Coloumbia to Haiti on short notice
and a cost of approximately $10 million.

HEALTH AND EDUCATION/ECONOMIC GROWTH
--------------


12. (U) Basic health programs help increase access to
essential health services in 72 public sector clinics and 80
NGO clinics. Nearly 50 percent of Haiti's population
receives at least some health services financed by the USG.
USAID-financed education programs include a new basic
education project to strengthen the Ministry of Education's
management and supervisory system, help it extend supervision
over the vast private-sector education system, and provide
scholarships. Social assistance programs support Haiti's
most vulnerable citizens. Economic growth programs target
trade and investment, financial sector programs for small and
medium enterprises, and programs for agricultural
productivity and marketing. Reducing environmental
degradation is the goal of USD 25 million in programs that
focus on restoring watersheds to thwart periodic flooding.

HIV/AIDS RELIEF
--------------


13. (U) Haiti has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection in
the Western Hemisphere. The President's Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) provided just short of USD 100 million
in FY 2009 to prevent infections and place HIV-positive
persons into treatment. Implemented by USAID and CDC, PEPFAR
programs target HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, but also benefit
large parts of Haiti's health care system. The PEPFAR
program in Haiti is the largest in the hemisphere.

POLICE REFORM/CORRECTIONS
--------------


14. (U) The U.S. is the lead donor in implementing the
MINUSTAH/Haitian National Police (HNP) reform plan, which
foresees building the HNP from its current strength of 9,600
to 14,000 officers by the end of 2011. In concert with
MINUSTAH's mandate to enhance Haiti's border security, the
U.S. Coast Guard provides training for the Haitian Coast
Guard, financed by INL/NAS. The MLO also provides equipment
and training for the Coast Guard using IMET and FMK.
Facility renovations, additional boats, and a new operating
base on the north coast will be funded by INL/NAS in 2009.
The U.S. made a commitment in 2007 to assist in improving the
conditions and respect for human rights in Haiti's prison
system, and remains the lead donor to Haiti in this sector.

The Embassy at Port-au-Prince looks forwards to your visit.
MERTEN