MINUSTAH Police Contingent Update and Action Request

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000152 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC EFIN PGOV SNAR SOCI KJUS XL HA SUBJECT: MINUSTAH Police Contingent Update and Action Request REF: PORT AU PRINCE 132 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: NAS is working to rebuild contact with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) following the loss of much of the organization's civilian, military, and police leadership in the January 12 earthquake. Coordination will remain a challenge as personnel are replaced and as MINUSTAH is restructured for crisis response and long term Haitian National Police (HNP) rebuilding efforts. NAS requests assistance with a number of MINUSTAH requests for the HNP; see paragraph 11. END SUMMARY. Crisis Reorganization and Mandate ¶2. (U) On February 4, NAS met with Jaime Francisco Vigil Recinos, Director of Haitian National Police (HNP) Recovery for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Vigil noted that MINUSTAH's mandate was revised under United Nations Resolution 1908 of 2010, which provided for the continuance of MINUSTAH's mission, but with an additional humanitarian role and with increased numbers of military and police. ¶3. (SBU) Vigil explained that the UN Police (UNPOL) Contingent is now organized into two main divisions under newly-arrived UNPOL Commissioner Major General Gerardo Chaumont. The first division provides operational support to the Police Contingent. The second division, headed by Vigil, was formally known as "HNP Development," but is now renamed "HNP Recovery." The pre-earthquake HNP Development staff level of 350 personnel has been reduced to 48 staff, including five Americans, under the new HNP Recovery office. Vigil emphasized that this drastic reduction was necessary due to a mandate to increase the UNPOL street presence with personnel from other sections. ¶4. (SBU) According to Vigil, the UN dispatched a temporary emergency team from the UN Logistics Base in Brindisi, Italy, to coordinate UNPOL crisis response. The emergency team reports directly to General Chaumont and is in charge of Advising, Planning, and Policy Coordination. Vigil described the team as a self-contained cell with the rough equivalents of the U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) J3 Operations, J4 Logistics, and J5 Plans and Programs offices. Vigil was uncertain if the team had a capacity similar to DOD's J2 Intel function. Staffing �A;¶5. (U) MINUSTAH is still recovering from the devastating loss of 92 of its personnel, including much of its leadership, in the earthquake. Seven MINUSTAH staff remain missing and 30 are injured. While it is working to fill vacant leadership roles with permanent or temporary staff, the UN has also mandated that all permanent staff take a rest break of two weeks. ¶6. (SBU) Vigil acknowledged that MINUSTAH is still working to establish the timelines for deployment, as well as the locations and duties, of new Formed Police Units (FPUs) pledged to MINUSTAH since the earthquake. NAS Director Platt outlined USG plans to increase the U.S. UNPOL contingent by twenty officers, including five corrections officers. Vigil commented that the timeline for the acceptance of new UNPOLs was still in development, given constraints on MINUSTAH's ability to absorb and support new staff. Vigil noted that some UNPOLs based in regions outside Port-au-Prince have been forced to return to Port-au-Prince for banking services, as many rural banks have yet to reopen. Haitian National Police Recovery ¶7. (SBU) According to Vigil, General Chaumont holds daily meetings with HNP Director General Mario Andresol. Vigil outlined several project proposals under development for the HNP, including plans for the construction of a new HNP Director General headquarters building. (NOTE: Canada has already pledged funding for this project. END NOTE.) In addition, MINUSTAH is prioritizing the construction of a new police commissariat to replace the one destroyed at Delmas 33. Vigil inquired whether NAS would have sufficient funding to support the reconstruction of Delmas 33, but was not yet able to project estimated costs. MINUSTAH agreed to forward to NAS all project proposals related to HNP recovery and development upon completion. ¶8. (U) Vigil requested that NAS investigate the possibility of feeding new recruits at the HNP National Police Academy once training resumes. Vigil lamented that the centralization of the HNP budget process makes it difficult for the Academy to maintain enough budgetary flexibility to support new recruits. MINUSTAH will provide NAS with a cost estimate for daily meals for the next recruit class. ¶9. (U) Vigil also reiterated that the lack of firearms training, weapons, and ammunition for Academy classes remains an ongoing concern which must be addressed in order to develop the capacity of the HNP. NAS Director Platt described restrictions on the INCLE account for the provision of lethal weapons. Vigil suggested that perhaps NAS could fund a Firearms Training Simulator (FATS) as a last resort. ¶10. (U) Finally, Vigil requested info about any USG plans to provide aid to the Haitian Coast Guard (HCG) Base at Killick. Vigil cautioned that both Canada and the European Union have expressed interest in assisting with reconstruction and development at Killick, but that MINUSTAH wants to ensure that there is coordination among donors. NAS agreed to coordinate with U.S. entities to ensure that information about ongoing or planned USG assistance to the HCG, whether focused on Killick or elsewhere in Haiti, is forwarded to MINUSTAH. (NOTE: U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has provided tents and food to the HCG since the earthquake, as well as limited maintenance support for their vessels. NAS and MLO will work together to develop a plan to redevelop Killick, and will coordinate at post with MINUSTAH and other donors. END NOTE.) ¶11. (SBU) ACTION REQUESTS: NAS reiterates REFTEL request for INL and L's final determination as to whether FY10 INCLE funds may now be used for the procurement of weapons and ammunition. Barring this possibility, NAS requests INL guidance to determine whether the provision of a FATS would be possible with INCLE funds. In addition, NAS requests that INL prepare to assist with the reconstruction of Delmas 33 and for the provision of meals at the National Police Academy, should MINUSTAH's proposals be feasible. HNP Airport Commissariat in Port-au-Prince ¶12. (SBU) While Haiti's National Aviation Authority (AAN) has always had the lead on airport security, the HNP also maintain a presence at Port-au-Prince's airport. According to MINUSTAH, the HNP Airport Commissariat currently numbers 154 officers, although only approximately half are armed. Since the Haitian national government moved into the airport following the earthquake, much of the commissariat has been operating out of tents. MINUSTAH describes the unit as well led under Marc Justin, who has had both counternarcotics and counterterrorism training. However, funding for the unit is so uneven that a BLTS (counternarcotics unit) office within the commissariat was forced to obtain their two K-9 drug detection dogs and training from American Airlines. ¶13. (U) Currently AAN, the HNP, MINUSTAH, and the U.S. Army are closely coordinating on security at the airport. Joint Task Force-Haiti reports excellent cooperation between the U.S. Army's Military Police and the HNP. While limited in scope, this close cooperation is illustrative of the type of HNP capacity development that can continue despite the current donor focus on crisis response. LINDWALL