MEDIA REACTION: HAITI; 2/2/10; BUENOS AIRES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000120 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL HA AR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: HAITI; 2/2/10; BUENOS AIRES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Most Argentine reporting on the ten U.S. citizens arrested on charges of child trafficking in Haiti was objective. Several cited the State Department spokesperson's remarks that the U.S. is offering assistance aimed at ensuring a fair and transparent trial, noting that the ten Americans have "unlimited consular support." The notable exception was left-of-center, pro-government P????gina 12, which questioned whether the trial would be free from U.S. influence. P????gina 12 also reprinted an article claiming that the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) is not enough for Haitians, urging the U.S. to allow compassionate entry. Two dailies picked up opinion articles written in the U.S. urging more U.S. financial aid to Haiti and a reforestation program. End summary. "U.S. 'MONITORS' SITUATION OF AMERICANS ARRESTED IN HAITI" -------------- ¶2. Most Argentine reporting on the ten U.S. citizens arrested on charges of child trafficking was objective. Centrist Cr????tica de la Argentina and left-of-center, pro-government P????gina 12 picked up a factual report printed by the state-owned T????lam wire service agency, quoting the State Department's spokesperson Philip Crowley as saying the U.S. offered assistance to the Americans in order to ensure thQ have a fair and transparent trial. Both papers note that the U.S. is "monitoring" the situation, although the case remains in the hands of Haitian authorities. http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota &nid=37862 http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3- 139447-2010-02-02.html ¶3. Second largest daily La Naci????n published a news release from the Associated Press (AP) and Spanish news agency EFE describing the "vulnerability of children" and the large number of orphans in Haiti. The article also noted the ten Americans arrested in Haiti for child trafficking and the conflicting reports over whether the children are orphans. http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 228481 "AN ACCUSATION PRESSURED BY THE EMPIRE" -------------- ¶4. Pro-government P????gina 12 ironically headlines "An accusation pressured by the Empire," with the subheadline "Although there is no discussion that the local judiciary will be in charge of the lawsuit, some insinuated the trial could take place in the U.S." Whereas the headlines imply that the trial will not be free from U.S. ("the Empire") influence, the underlying article is factual and objective. TPS NOT ENOUGH -------------- ¶5. P????gina 12 reprinted an article from La Jornada de Mexico written by Amy Goodman, who argued that the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) is not enough and urged the U.S. to immediately authorize the legal and compassionate entry of Haitians. Goodman stresses that the U.S. should authorize the entry of 70,000 Haitians whose applications have been approved but are still on a waiting list, and that they could wait for several more years to move to the U.S. Goodman observed that National Nurses United, the largest nurses' union in the U.S. with 12,000 registered members who are willing to travel to Haiti, claimed they cannot obtain help from the Obama administration. http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/su bnotas/139447-45046-20 10-02-02.html URGING INCREASED U.S. FINANCIAL AID AND REFORESTATION -------------- ¶6. Two local dailies picked up opinion articles printed in U.S. media. Business-financial El Cronista published an opinion article by Alejandro Tagliavini, a member of the Advisory Council of the Center on Global Prosperity, from Oakland, California, who claimed the U.S. could grant more financial aid to Haiti, since it has spent USD 6 billion on Sudan, "the worst dictatorship in the world." La Naci????n printed an opinion article by Andr????s Oppenheimer, from The Miami Herald, stating that Haiti needs to not only rebuild its buildings and urban infrastructure, but also create a reforestation program. http://www.cronista.com/notas/219755-haiti-un a-catastrofe-delivery- http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 228482 To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ