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

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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"

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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"

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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

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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

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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