TFHA01: WEAPON CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR HAITI

UNCLAS STATE 009121 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA SUBJECT: TFHA01: WEAPON CLEARANCE PROCEDURES FOR HAITI REF: STATE 006367, 007502 ¶1. Under Secretary for Management, Patrick Kennedy, authorized an Ordered Departure from Embassy Port-au- Prince on 01/13/2010. With Ordered Departure in effect, State Department and inter-agency personnel seeking Temporary Duty (TDY) in Embassy Port-au-Prince need approval from both the Ambassador and Under Secretary Kennedy before they can travel to post. This does not apply to U.S. military personnel under USSOUTHCOM authority. ¶2. Obtaining country clearance approval is necessary BEFORE a USG person can request permission to carry a firearm in support of USG operations. If country clearance is granted, the requestor must subsequently obtain permission from Chief of Mission to carry a firearm in support of USG operations in Haiti. Once country clearance is approved, the traveler should inform RSO Port-au-Prince of the country clearance. Then RSO PaP will provide the traveler with a copy of Post's Firearms Policy as well as a form to request permission to carry a weapon in support of USG operations. That request will be reviewed by RSO and Chief of Mission before a determination is rendered on whether the traveler can carry a weapon in Haiti. Any armed Federal Agent found to be working in Haiti without COM approval will be instructed to leave country immediately. The above does not apply to U.S. military personnel under USSOUTHCOM authority. ¶3. The COM and RSO only review firearm requests for USG personnel traveling in support of USG operations. The U.S. Embassy has arrangements with the Government of Haiti as it relates to firearm requests in support of U.S. Embassy operations. Note: The Haitian National Police have arrested armed private security in the past. The U.S. Embassy is not aware of any standing authorization for private persons or companies to enter Haiti armed. ¶4. Should you have more general questions on weapons, or other queries for RSO, please consider directing them to the Diplomatic Security Agent working on the Haiti Task Force at 1TFH@state.gov. ¶5. Minimized considered. CLINTON