TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION REPORT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 015607 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA SUBJECT: TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION REPORT NO. 72 STATE 00015607 001.2 OF 003 VIP TRAVEL -------------- ¶1. (U) At a news conference with President Preval in Port-au- Prince, French President Sarkozy said France has decided to forgive Haiti's debt of 56 million euros. France will provide 270 million euros over two years to support Haiti'seconomy. (Reuters) EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES -------------- ¶2. (U) 16,654 American citizens have been evacuated as of 0800 EST. (TF1/Consular Affairs telcon) ¶3. (SBU) One flight departed Port-au-Prince for Miami the evening of February 16 with 52 American citizens, including 21 adoptees and five escorts. 35 potential passengers could not be accommodated on the flight. Only one flight is scheduled for February 17. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail and SitRep, Consular Task Force Conference Call) ¶4. (SBU) As of 0900 EST there are 103 reported American citizen fatalities. (TF1/Consular Affairs e-mail) ¶5. (SBU) Twenty-three sets of remains have been repatriated to date. Two sets of remains from hasty burials were recovered and are at the Embassy morgue, as well as three sets recovered from the Free Methodist mission. Two sets of remains from the Hotel Montana have not yet been recovered. (Consular Task Force Conference Call) HUMANITARIAN UPDATE -------------- ¶6. (SBU) On February 16, relief agencies distributed emergency food assistance benefiting approximately 116,400 people in metropolitan Port-au-Prince. (USAID SitRep #59) ¶7. (U) According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),the international community has committed more than $619 million to the UN Flash Appeal for Haiti, representing approximately 107 percent of the total funding requested through the appeal. (USAID Fact Sheet #35) ¶8. (U) Over 66,000 people have been employed under the UN's cash-for-work program, mainly in support of drain clearing and debris removal. (OCHA SitRep 21) ¶9. (SBU) On February 16, USAID/OFDA provided the International Medical Corps with more than $2.5 million for emergency health and nutrition programs. (USAID Fact Sheet #35) ¶10. (SBU) The first food distribution at the new Kenscoff site was postponed due to a request by local authorities to only conduct distributions from Thursday through Saturday. (USAID SitRep #59) MEDICAL RESPONSE -------------- ¶11. (U) The Ministry of Public Health and Population has confirmed that medicines and medicinal products will be provided free of charge to all public health facilities nationwide until April 12. (OCHA SitRep 21) SECURITY/INFRASTRUCTURE -------------- ¶12. (SBU) American Airlines is still on track to begin service on February 19. AA will sign an agreement recognizing that the U.S. Air Force and the Transportation Security Administration are not liable for the airport's lack of explosive ordnance disposal capacity. This issue predates the earthquake. (SOUTHCOM/USAF/TF1 e-mail) ¶13. (SBU) Following the resumption of commercial flights, U.S. citizens will be instructed to evacuate the country by commercial means. At that time, Embassy Port-au-Prince will eliminate their airport consular support center. The Department of Defense will revert to normal passenger policies and procedures. (Consular Task Force Conference Call; SOUTHCOM e- mail) ¶14. (SBU) Embassy Port-au-Prince expects to have 10-12 new homes leased by week's end and ready for assignment. (WHA- EX/Embassy Port-au-Prince Conference Call) ¶15. (SBU) About 100 U.S. military personnel are sleeping in their own tents on the Embassy compound with access to Embassy food and washer/dryers. (WHA-EX/Embassy Port-au-Prince Conference Call) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶16. (SBU) The European Commission will make 100 million euros available for non-humanitarian assistance, notably to restore the government's capacity to operate effectively. (Factsheet Haiti Earthquake - EU Response, February 15) OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS -------------- ¶17. (SBU) The investigating judge on the ten Americans' case intends to broaden his inquiry to determine any previous connection with their advisor Jorge Puello, now reportedly sought for trafficking-in-persons. Embassy Port-au-Prince plans to visit the ten Americans later today. There is no change in their legal status. According to press reports, one of the Americans, a diabetic, has been hospitalized. (Reuters and AP; Consular Task Force Conference Call) ¶18. (SBU) The U.S. Coast Guard has repatriated to Cape Haitian without incident 88 Haitian migrants who had been intercepted February 13. (Coast Guard/PRM e-mail) ¶19. (U) No updates at this time. ¶20. Additional updates are available through our classified Intellipedia portal at http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/Portal:Crisis_HA ITI_Earthquake. ¶21. (U) Minimize considered. CLINTON