Santo Domingo - Haiti Earthquake Sit Rep 2

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000080 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL AEMR ASEC CASC MARR AMGT HA DR SUBJECT: Santo Domingo - Haiti Earthquake Sit Rep 2 REF: SDO 11 SUMMARY ¶1. Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 2, further to reftel: - At 14:30, Charge Lambert met with various Ambassadors, UN and EU reps at residence; USAID and MAAG briefed all on Embassy / USG efforts to assist Haiti; Foreign reps had some questions and provided updates as well. - Embassy is currently: (a) sending some 800 lbs of meds (the DOS MED emergency and disaster response medical kit) and the SDO RN, plus sat-phone via DEA "king air" plane, and (b) preparing for arrival of evacuees from Port-au-Prince (P-au-P). - Overall, allies are beginning to send teams or resources to the DR and/or wish some U.S. assistance in getting resources to Haiti. Germany reported that the road between Jimani and P-au-P is passable. - At 17:00 SDO time, the GODR will host donors to discuss coordination of assistance. Allies provide insights to Embassy ¶2. The following is a summary of key points made by non-USG participants in today's meeting: - UN Rep reported that several MINUSTAH colleagues had died. They are coordinating contact with MINUSTAH via INSTRAW (the only UN agency headquartered in the DR). A UN disaster assistance coordination team is arriving in SDO this afternoon. A 17-man team is going to Jimani (on the border with Haiti) to establish a coordination center (CC). The GODR's Foreign Ministry (SEREX) has agreed to facilitate border crossings by UN officials/assistance workers. - Japan has items to send stockpiled in Miami, but needs transportation; USAID agreed to facilitate coordination with OFDA, which also has/is sending material in Miami. - Brazil thanked Embassy for the initiative of bringing embassies together and expects to set up a coordination office in the DR. (Note: Media report 10-11 Brazilian nationals serving with MINUSTAH as having died in P-au-P. End Note.) - EU mission's chief reported one EU official has disappeared in Haiti. The EU is looking to assist the GODR and Dominican civil society in their efforts to help Haiti, thus looking forward to 17:00 meeting with GODR and other donors. - Spain said that the EU worker gone missing is a Spanish citizen. Spain is trying to send a group from Jimani via road to P-au-P to establish contact. (Note: Spanish DCM noted that Spain's ambassador narrowly escaped death with a broke arm and is at the U.S. Embassy in P-au-P. End Note) Spain believes that the Barahona airport (in SW Dominican Republic) is not adequate because of the possibility that gravel will adversely affect aircraft, while MAAG noted that another issue is the lack of fuel there. - Germany reported that two trucks from companies with which it is in contact claimed that the road between Jimani and P-au-P is passable. - UK did not attend, as their ambassador to the DR left earlier this afternoon for Haiti. Also, the UK Embassy has telephoned, requesting assistance/coordination in the evacuation of British citizens as part of USG efforts to begin evacuation(s). (Note: The French Embassy did not attend either, however, we will reach out again to learn more about what French may be hearing. End Note) - Several ambassadors mentioned the desire of their nations to fly their own airplanes to P-au-P as soon as conditions permit. U.S. Embassy efforts ¶3. Embassy team fully briefed allied guests on our efforts. The Charge noted that we are coordinating the evacuation of some 140 Embassy personnel and Amcits via two aircraft. ¶4. USAID's reported on its work: - Search and Rescue (S&R) teams are leaving Fairfax, VA (Note: This team has now arrived. End Note) and California. Another team will assess food, water, lodging issues on the ground in Haiti. - NGOs and USAID have already spoken in a conference call, but relief work will be done following or at most parallel to, search and rescue, for now. - Dominican authorities have established an assistance coordination center (CC) in Jimani. ¶5. MAAG chief reported that: - US Military supporting the arrival of three teams to Haiti: One from Southcom (mission to set up air traffic control - ATC - at the P-au-P airport),a S&R team, and an OFDA assessment team. - GODR says it may send 4 helos and 2 planes to Haiti. (Note: Embassy has called Haitian embassy here to seek confirmation that GODR has been given green light by GOH; however, no reply yet. End Note) ¶6. Post will continue to monitor and report as needed. ¶7. Port au Prince Minimize Considered. Lambert