SDO Earthquake SitRep 4

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000017 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL EAID DR AMGT ASEC HA SUBJECT: SDO Earthquake SitRep 4 REF: A) SDO 11; B) SDO 80; C) SDO 88 ¶1. (U)Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 4, further to reftels: Communications with U.S. Embassy PAP ¶2. (U) Normal communications established between Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo, including ClassNet, OpenNet, VPN (including IVG). Post has not had communications with HF radio system. Officers from RIMC Ft. Lauderdale were provided transportation to Port-au-Prince. Transportation arrangements have been made for the Managua IPO and the RIMC rover to arrive to Port-au-Prince on 1/15 in the afternoon. RIMC rover will be bringing additional communications equipment, including 12 laptops. Receiving Center, San Isidro Airport ¶3. (U) Volunteers from the Mission are staffing a receiving center for evacuees at San Isidro airport. The IRM section set up 22 phone lines (with phones),computer setups for ACS and AGS processing, travel services, FMO services (with 42" plasma displays at each station),each with internet connectivity, two television setups and robust announcing systems. NIV Section Suspends Services ¶4. (U) Santo Domingo's NIV Section will suspend non-immigrant visa issuances on 1/19 and 1/20 to support relief efforts. Three Santo Domingo Consular Officers have already arrived to Port-au-Prince in order to further support Embassy PAP operations and to assist American citizens. Haiti-DR Border ¶5. (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported the following: (a) there is a steady increase of Haitian arrivals in Jimani; and (b)many Haitians in Port-au-Prince are "on the move with [their] bags" not sure where to go. IOM noted that there is a likelihood of a significant increase of Haitians seeking to cross the border, and IOM is planning to set up camp sites, inside the border with Haiti, to deal with this potential issue. The director of IOM will meet with UN reps and GoDR's Secretary of Defense upon return to Santo Domingo on 1/15 to discuss finding tents, transportation, etc. IOM also said that there are "distribution troubles" with the supplies, brought in from the DR, on the Haitian side. The Emergency Operations Center in Jimani also foresees an immediate shortage of fuel along the border area in next few days. ¶6. (SBU) GoDR has also announced that it plans to ease some of its immigration laws with respect to Haiti in order to better facilitate the flow of people and aid to and from Port-au-Prince. According to Dominican media sources, the GoDR announced that it would allow undocumented Haitians who reside in the DR to see their families and travel to Port-au-Prince and be allowed to return to the DR. ¶7. (SBU)Military sources have also indicated somewhat orderly control at the border near Jimani. All injured persons have been allowed to pass into the DR without incident. The German Ambassador has expressed concern about the growing insecurity within Haiti. A second German convoy was sent to Haiti, which included a 4-man emergency response team. The first convoy withdrew the families of two German Embassy staff in Haiti. Non-US Offers of Assistance ¶8. (SBU) The UNDP has agreed to take up the task of facilitating request by other countries to bring personnel or other assistance into Haiti. Thus far, US Embassy Santo Domingo has assisted or received requests for assistance from the UK, France, Germany, and Morocco, among others. The UNDP POC in Santo Domingo will now be: Mr. Pavel Isa (pavel.isa@undp.org),cell: 809-307-5848. GoDR Continues to Offer Help ¶9. (U) In a meeting with Haiti's President Rene Preval on 1/14, President Leonel Fernandez said the GoDR would assist in helping to reestablish telecommunication as well electrical systems in Haiti. The Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago also announced that it has sent a medical team to Haiti to assist those affected by the earthquake. There was widespread media coverage of President Obama's phone call to President Fernandez on 1/14 and their discussions about aid to Haiti. DR Public Schools Affected By Earthquake ¶10. (U) GoDR announced 111 public schools were affected by the earthquake that occurred on 1/12 in Haiti. Two of the schools were reported to be seriously damaged, while other schools only suffered cracks and other minor infrastructure damages. Other ¶11. (U) Post will continue to facilitate the provisions of assistance, help Amcits arriving from Haiti to the DR, liaise with the GoDR at all levels to support relief efforts to Haiti, and report and monitor on any new developments. ¶12. (U) Minimize considered. Lambert