MEDIA REACTION: HAITI; 2/3/10; BUENOS AIRES

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000122 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; 2/3/10; BUENOS AIRES SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Headlines on Haiti on 2/3 focused on PM Jean-Max Bellerive's remarks that the death toll has now reached over 200,000. Only three newspapers reported on the ten Americans arrested for child trafficking. End summary. NEW DEATH TOLL MAKES HEADLINES -------------- ¶2. Several local dailies quoted Haitian PM Jean-Max Bellerive's remarks based on a UN report announcing the latest death toll (over 200,000) and urging the government to make changes in its cabinet. Largest circulation Clar????n reported on conflicts in food distribution. Business-financial El Cronista stressed that PM Bellerive said 60% of the country's GDP was destroyed in only 15 seconds. According to business-financial Ambito Financiero, PM Bellerive highlighted the lack of coordination between the government, NGOs and donor countries. Under the headline "Haiti: aid delivery between tension and conflict," leading circulation Clar????n reported that in trying to obtain the international aid, quake survivors are confused with other poor people who were already living in precarious conditions before the earthquake, which creates conflict and tension. http://www.cronista.com/notas/219850-son-mas- 200000-los-muertos-hai ti http://www.ambito.com/diario/noticia.asp?id=5 06033 http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/03/elmun do/i-02132434.htm NEW DENUNCIATION - 15 CHILDREN KIDNAPPED -------------- ¶3. Left-of-center, pro-government P????gina 12, centrist Cr????tica de la Argentina and populist Diario Popular continued reporting on the case of the ten Americans arrested on child trafficking charges. P????gina 12 said that while the Haitian Judiciary is analyzing whether it will authorize the trial to take place in the U.S., a new conflict was sparked by a denunciation on the kidnapping of 15 children in Port-of-Prince's hospitals. P????gina 12 stated that although UNICEF stated denunciations are being investigated, the institution claimed it is too soon to determine how many cases really happened. ¶4. Reporting that the Americans arrested rejected the charges, P????gina 12 emphasized that Haitian PM Jean-Max Bellerive joined the debate over the kidnapping of Haitian children by stating that child trafficking networks took advantage of the chaos after the earth quake and that he termed arrested Americans as "kidnappers." P????gina 12 also quoted UN human rights experts warning that "children that are not accompanied by a grown-up could be kidnapped, sold and subject to slavery." http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/sociedad/3- 139508-2010-02-03.html ¶5. Under the headline "Transfer is being defined," populist Diario Popular reported that the Haitian Judiciary is reviewing the evidence presented and analyzing whether it will authorize the trial to take place in the U.S. Centrist Cr????tica de la Argentina underscored that Haitian authorities have already found 12 relatives of the 33 children allegedly kidnapped by the ten Americans, and it also noted that a group of Cuban nurses started to vaccinate against measles, diphtheria and tetanus. http://www.popularonline.com.ar/nota.php?Nota =442359 http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota&nid=37915 To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website at: http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires MARTINEZ