VZCZCXRO0592
RR RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0169 0241853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241853Z JAN 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2160
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0914
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 1462
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 1947
RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 2414
RUEHBH/AMEMBASSY NASSAU 2644
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 1600
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0748
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 0336
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0244
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 0360
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0796

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000169 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
DRL 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) 
TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: OAS ESTIMATES 88 PERCENT OF HAITIAN IDS DISTRIBUTED 
 
REF: A. PAP 0040 
 
     ¶B. PAP 0101 
     ¶C. PAP 0142 
 
¶1. The OAS reported January 23 that it has distributed 
2,846,793 or 81 percent of the 3.5 million Haitian ID cards. 
However, taking into account delayed reporting (most of the 
OAS figures date from January 18 - 20) the OAS estimated it 
had actually distributed over 3.1 million or 88 percent of 
the cards as of January 23.  The percentage of cards 
distributed to each department continues to become more even 
(reftels).  However, the South East still lags behind with 64 
percent of cards distributed, as of January 20, while the 
Nippes leads the way with 93 percent distributed as of 
January 16.  Meanwhile, the OAS has distributed 49,000 or 89 
percent of 55,000 ID cards for the violent Port-au-Prince 
slum Cite Soleil. 
 
¶2. The OAS has long planned to shut down card distribution 
January 21 and pass it to the Provisional Electoral Council 
(CEP), which was supposed to take on roughly 400 OAS card 
distribution workers and continue distribution from the 
communal electoral bureaus (BEC).  However, the CEP never 
responded to OAS requests for a written agreement to transfer 
card distribution and hire OAS workers.  When the OAS stopped 
distribution January 21 and 22 according to their plan, CEP 
members and CEP General Director Jacques Bernard complained 
that distribution closure had created confusion among 
registrants trying to pick up their cards.  OAS elections 
chief Elizabeth Spehar responded January 23 that the OAS 
would retain responsibility for distribution and reopen 
distribution from the BECs as soon as possible.  According to 
Spehar, distribution will continue from the BECs until 
February 6. 
 
¶3. Comment: The OAS is frequently the target of withering 
criticism from both MINUSTAH and the CEP.  The January card 
distribution stoppage is a recent example of the kinds of 
complaints leveled at the OAS by its sometimes adversarial 
partners.  All of the OAS' partners have caused delays with 
registration and card distribution: the UN failed to equip 
registration centers quickly in June and July, the CEP and 
MINUSTAH failed to pick voting centers on time in October, 
and Digimarc's promised that it could print 500,000 IDs per 
week when its real capacity was closer to 350,000 per week. 
Despite frequent setbacks, the OAS' performance contributed 
admirably to the credibility of the electoral process.  It 
successfully registered over 3.5 million voters and has 
already distributed close to 90 percent of the cards in an 
extremely difficult and sometimes hostile environment. End 
Comment. 
CARNEY