Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10STATE15609
2010-02-20 07:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Secretary of State
Cable title:
TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION
how-toVZCZCXRO8627 OO RUEHIK DE RUEHC #5609/01 0510716 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 200713Z FEB 10 FM SECSTATE WASHDC TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 2777 RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 3604 RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USD:SOLIC// IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/COMFIFTHFLT IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/COMSIXTHFLT IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/NGA HQ BETHESDA MD IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RHHJJAA/JICPAC PEARL HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/CDR USJFCOM NORFOLK VA IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAMO-AOC-CAT//PCC// IMMEDIATE RHMFIUU/CDR USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//TWC// IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-3:JOD/J-1// IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 8166
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 015609
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. 74
STATE 00015609 001.2 OF 002
VIP TRAVEL
----------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 015609
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. 74
STATE 00015609 001.2 OF 002
VIP TRAVEL
--------------
1. (SBU) CODEL Scott (D-VA) landed in Port-au-Prince at
1100 EST February 19. The CODEL will be on the ground for
four hours. (TF1/H e-mail)
EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES
--------------
2. (SBU) The final evacuation flight departed February
18, with 107 American citizens and family member evacuees.
A total of 16,811 Amcits and family members have been
evacuated since the onset of operations. Embassy Port-au-
Prince began dismantling the Consular Command Center at
the airport at 0600 February 19. Consular Affairs will
update the Haiti Travel Warning February 19. Ambassador
Merten plans to meet with Prime Minister Bellerive
February 19, and will present a list of 58 adoptees for
approval. Nine sets of remains (three unidentified) are
at the embassy. Twenty-three sets of remains have been
repatriated to date. Dover flights are expected to
continue as long as DMORT operations are running. The
final two American missionaries saw a judge February 18,
and remain in detention. Post is working with local
attorneys to recover the personal effects of the eight
released missionaries. (TF1/Consular Affairs Conference
Call)
HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
--------------
3. (SBU) Providing shelter is becoming increasingly
important as heavy rains turned makeshift settlements into
muddy quagmires, particularly in Port-au-Prince. On
February 18, USAID/OFDA provided the American Refugee
Committee with more than $4 million in support for
shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene. PM Bellerive
officially launched the Post Disaster Needs Assessment
(PDNA) in a February 18 ceremony in Port-au-Prince. The
PDNA will focus on sanitation, food security, water,
debris management and removal, and transitional shelter.
World Food Program and partners have reached over 3.7
million people with food assistance since the start of
humanitarian relief operations. USAID/DART staff visited
seven sites in Jacmel to observe child protection issues.
Save the Children reported a rise in access and use of
child-friendly spaces, and the agency plans to conduct
community outreach programs to children with disabilities.
(USAID Fact Sheet #39, Reuters, OCHA SitRep #22)
MEDICAL RESPONSE
--------------
4. Contrary to earlier reports, HHS plans to keep the
National Disaster Medical Patient Movement System in place
to facilitate the medical evacuation of Haitian patients,
as long as there is a need and aircraft to evacuate. The
Medical Review Board continues to evaluate Haitian
nationals for evacuation to U.S. medical facilities. At
least 102 community out-patient care centers for treatment
of malnutrition, along with 18 mobile units, are operating
STATE 00015609 002.2 OF 002
throughout the country. (TF1/HHS e-mail, OCHA SitRep #22)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
5. (SBU) Media report PM Bellerive denounced efforts by
opponents to create political conflict following the
earthquake. President Preval asked the Provisional
Electoral Council to define a new electoral calendar as
soon as possible. Local media report Preval's approval
rating has reached a new low. (TF1/WHA/PD e-mail, AP)
OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
6. (SBU) Commercial flights resumed February 19. One
American Airlines flight landed in Port-au-Prince at 0916
EST. Media report four more commercial flights are
expected to land at Port-au-Prince airport February 19.
TSA expects American Airlines to schedule 30 flights per
week; Spirit Airlines, Air France, and Air Canada each
will schedule one daily flight. (SBU) The 50 male Haitian
migrants repatriated by the USCG on February 16 and held
overnight in the Cap Haitien detention facility without
food or water were released February 17. The
International Organization for Migration has stood up a
reception program in Cap Haitien and assisted the migrants
after their release. The embassy plans to weigh in with
the Government of Haiti to try to ensure repatriated
migrants are not arbitrarily detained on arrival. UN SYG
Ban Ki-moon, along with UN Special Envoy Clinton, launched
the Revised Humanitarian Appeal for Haiti February 18.
(TF1/Consular Affairs Conference Call, DHS NOC report,
Reuters, TF-1/PRM e-mail, OCHA SitRep #22)
CLINTON
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. 74
STATE 00015609 001.2 OF 002
VIP TRAVEL
--------------
1. (SBU) CODEL Scott (D-VA) landed in Port-au-Prince at
1100 EST February 19. The CODEL will be on the ground for
four hours. (TF1/H e-mail)
EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES
--------------
2. (SBU) The final evacuation flight departed February
18, with 107 American citizens and family member evacuees.
A total of 16,811 Amcits and family members have been
evacuated since the onset of operations. Embassy Port-au-
Prince began dismantling the Consular Command Center at
the airport at 0600 February 19. Consular Affairs will
update the Haiti Travel Warning February 19. Ambassador
Merten plans to meet with Prime Minister Bellerive
February 19, and will present a list of 58 adoptees for
approval. Nine sets of remains (three unidentified) are
at the embassy. Twenty-three sets of remains have been
repatriated to date. Dover flights are expected to
continue as long as DMORT operations are running. The
final two American missionaries saw a judge February 18,
and remain in detention. Post is working with local
attorneys to recover the personal effects of the eight
released missionaries. (TF1/Consular Affairs Conference
Call)
HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
--------------
3. (SBU) Providing shelter is becoming increasingly
important as heavy rains turned makeshift settlements into
muddy quagmires, particularly in Port-au-Prince. On
February 18, USAID/OFDA provided the American Refugee
Committee with more than $4 million in support for
shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene. PM Bellerive
officially launched the Post Disaster Needs Assessment
(PDNA) in a February 18 ceremony in Port-au-Prince. The
PDNA will focus on sanitation, food security, water,
debris management and removal, and transitional shelter.
World Food Program and partners have reached over 3.7
million people with food assistance since the start of
humanitarian relief operations. USAID/DART staff visited
seven sites in Jacmel to observe child protection issues.
Save the Children reported a rise in access and use of
child-friendly spaces, and the agency plans to conduct
community outreach programs to children with disabilities.
(USAID Fact Sheet #39, Reuters, OCHA SitRep #22)
MEDICAL RESPONSE
--------------
4. Contrary to earlier reports, HHS plans to keep the
National Disaster Medical Patient Movement System in place
to facilitate the medical evacuation of Haitian patients,
as long as there is a need and aircraft to evacuate. The
Medical Review Board continues to evaluate Haitian
nationals for evacuation to U.S. medical facilities. At
least 102 community out-patient care centers for treatment
of malnutrition, along with 18 mobile units, are operating
STATE 00015609 002.2 OF 002
throughout the country. (TF1/HHS e-mail, OCHA SitRep #22)
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
5. (SBU) Media report PM Bellerive denounced efforts by
opponents to create political conflict following the
earthquake. President Preval asked the Provisional
Electoral Council to define a new electoral calendar as
soon as possible. Local media report Preval's approval
rating has reached a new low. (TF1/WHA/PD e-mail, AP)
OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
--------------
6. (SBU) Commercial flights resumed February 19. One
American Airlines flight landed in Port-au-Prince at 0916
EST. Media report four more commercial flights are
expected to land at Port-au-Prince airport February 19.
TSA expects American Airlines to schedule 30 flights per
week; Spirit Airlines, Air France, and Air Canada each
will schedule one daily flight. (SBU) The 50 male Haitian
migrants repatriated by the USCG on February 16 and held
overnight in the Cap Haitien detention facility without
food or water were released February 17. The
International Organization for Migration has stood up a
reception program in Cap Haitien and assisted the migrants
after their release. The embassy plans to weigh in with
the Government of Haiti to try to ensure repatriated
migrants are not arbitrarily detained on arrival. UN SYG
Ban Ki-moon, along with UN Special Envoy Clinton, launched
the Revised Humanitarian Appeal for Haiti February 18.
(TF1/Consular Affairs Conference Call, DHS NOC report,
Reuters, TF-1/PRM e-mail, OCHA SitRep #22)
CLINTON