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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #0782/01 1361614
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161614Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2582
INFO RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 3364
RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1253
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5395
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3519
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8334
RUEHPO/AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO 0897
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4526
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2642

C O N F I D E N T I A L NASSAU 000782 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR WBENT, PRM NIRIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2016 
TAGS: PREL PHUM SMIG EAID HA BF
SUBJECT: MIGRATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PREVAL: VIEWS FROM THE 
HAITIAN AMBASSADOR 
 
REF: NASSAU 657 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affairs D. Brent Hardt for Reasons 1.4(b) and ( 
d). 
 
¶1.  (C) SUMMARY:  Haitian Ambassador to The Bahamas, Louis 
Joseph, met with Poloff May 11 to discuss Haitian migration 
and the urgent need to create jobs in Haiti.  Joseph rebuffed 
recent media reports of impending violence by the Haitian 
immigrant community on Abaco Island, Bahamas, but registered 
his concern regarding the Bahamian government's treatment of 
Haitians.  Joseph said he was unable to press the Bahamian 
government on human rights abuses due to the Bahamas' vocal 
support for Haiti's return to CARICOM.  Instead, Joseph 
pinned his hopes of easing Haitian migration problems in The 
Bahamas on the new jobs in Haiti, suggesting a regional forum 
to discuss migration and development.  Joseph said foreign 
factories provided the best opportunity to take advantage of 
Haiti's main natural resource -- an abundant supply of cheap 
labor -- and rebuild Haiti's economy.  Unless jobs 
materialize in six-to-twelve months, he said, destabilizing 
elements in Haiti could undermine Preval's presidency. 
Recognizing the need for political stability to attract 
foreign investment, he hoped foreign governments would take 
decisive action to support immediate job growth in Haiti, 
noting the importance of pending U.S. HOPE legislation 
regarding trade preferences and economic reconstruction.  To 
build international support and speed Haiti's reentry into 
CARICOM, President Preval tentatively plans to visit Nassau 
in the coming months.  END SUMMARY. 
 
Increased Tensions, But No Violence, In Haitian Communities 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) Following the arrest and detention of hundreds of 
legal Haitian residents in April (reftel) and the alleged 
beating of a Haitian migrant at the Carmichael Road Detention 
Immigrant Detention Center (CRIDC) on May 2, local media 
reported that tensions in Abaco Island's Haitian communities, 
the Mud and Pigeon Pea, could soon erupt in violence. 
 
¶3.  (U) On May 11, Poloff met with Louis Joseph, Haitian 
Ambassador to The Bahamas, to discuss these concerns and 
Haitian migration in general.  Joseph denied press reports of 
impending violence in Haitian communities.  He said the 
Haitian community is "deeply concerned about recent events, 
but the matter is under control."  While levels of anger and 
frustrations have increased, he maintained that "emotions are 
being capably managed and there is no increased risk of 
violence."  NOTE:  Poloff confirmed Joseph's report with 
influential Haitian Pastor Meme, a trusted source in the Mud 
and Pigeon Pea.  END NOTE. 
 
¶4.  (C) Joseph did not believe the underlying problem, 
discrimination against persons of Haitian origin, is being 
appropriately addressed.  On May 8, he delivered a diplomatic 
note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing his 
concerns regarding the arrests of legal Haitians and the 
conditions at CRIDC, but said he was unable to press the 
issue too hard for fear of losing the Bahamas' vocal support 
for Haiti's return to CARICOM.  As such, Joseph thanked Post 
for its attention to Haitian human rights issues and 
requested our continued assistance. 
 
Jobs in Haiti Key to Migration Problem 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) More broadly, Joseph suggested a regional migration 
summit to emphasize that the problems faced by the Dominican 
Republic, The Bahamas, the U.S. and others are multilateral 
issues with common causes and solutions.  Specifically, he 
hoped regional dialogue on migration would include 
recognition that cooperative foreign assistance in the 
economic development of Haiti was the best solution to the 
problem of Haitian migration. 
 
¶6. (C) Joseph said establishment of factories in Haiti 
offered the strongest hope for Haitian jobs, the rebuilding 
of Haiti's economy and curbing illegal immigration.  Haiti's 
main national resource -- an abundant supply of cheap labor 
-- would be an asset to foreign factory owners, particularly 
in the manufacturing and garment industries.  Joseph noted 
 
the proximity of Haiti to key markets in North and South 
America currently relying on cheap labor in Asia, calling the 
current underdevelopment of Haiti an opportunity to reduce 
costs and curb Chinese factory dominance. 
 
U.S. Support of Preval Key to Jobs in Haiti 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) However, Joseph recognized foreign business reluctance 
to return to Haiti until Preval demonstrates an ability to 
maintain security and stability for foreign investment. 
Calling the issue "a chicken and egg" dilemma, Joseph 
emphasized the importance of the international community, 
including especially CARICOM and the United States, in 
helping bring business to Haiti.  Joseph specifically 
mentioned the vital importance of HOPE legislation pending 
before Congress in rebuilding Haiti's economy. 
 
¶8. (C) Citing unnamed Haitian sources, Joseph reported that 
those in Haiti pressing for the return of Aristide are 
positioning themselves to negotiate with Preval for positions 
of power.  He said Preval's ability to provide jobs, 
particularly in the next six-to-twelve months, would give him 
sufficient popular support to thwart these persons and others 
seeking to destabilize Haiti for their own ends. 
 
¶9. (C) Joseph said Preval tentatively plans a trip to Nassau 
in the coming months to increase Haitian involvement in 
multilateral fora and build regional support for Haitian 
redevelopment.  Joseph expects Preval to focus primarily on 
Haiti's return to CARICOM rather than migration or human 
rights issues. 
 
¶10. (C) COMMENT:  Discrimination against Haitians, and 
Bahamians of Haitian origin, remains a serious problem in The 
Bahamas.  Increased tensions in the Haitian community, the 
Bahamian Government's new "get tough" policy on immigration 
(reftel), and the Haitian embassy's caution in pressing human 
rights issues create a potentially volatile mixture.  While 
the situation remains calm at the moment, further aggressive 
action against Haitians in the run-up to elections could lead 
to violent outburst.  Ambassador Joseph's formal complaint 
against recent actions makes clear there are limits to the 
Haitian tolerance of what is seen as discriminatory or 
heavy-handed action.  END COMMENT. 
HARDT