VZCZCXRO4914
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1178/01 1801518
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 291518Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3402
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1086
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0931
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 0496
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1226
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0921
RUEHPU/USDAO PORT AU PRINCE HA
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001178 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) 
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC KCRM HA
SUBJECT: DEMONSTRATORS COME AND GO/WORLD CUP GOES ON 
 
REF: PAUP 1026 
 
¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please 
protect accordingly. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Summary.  Rumored large-scale demonstrations by 
Fanmi Lavalas (FL) partisans, whether demanding the 
restoration of their government jobs or the return of 
Aristide, have yet to materialize, despite continued rumors 
of ongoing plans.  Fifteen to Thirty demonstrators assembled 
at the national palace and the legislative palace on roughly 
five occasions during the last weeks of May as the Preval 
government and the new parliament first took up their duties. 
 Two to three thousand demonstrators on June 13 protested in 
front of the palace of justice on behalf of jailed FL 
activist "So Anne."  Rene Civil led a demonstration of 
roughly 100-150 in Port-au-Prince on July 23.  None of these 
instances have led to continued demonstrations.  In all 
cases, the Haitian police's crowd control unit (CIMO), backed 
by MINUSTAH troops and police advisors, have performed 
admirably.  News reports and Embassy contacts indicate that 
small groups of self-identified FL partisans fired from their 
government jobs have appeared at various ministries and 
public agencies demanding reinstatement. Planned sit-ins at 
Teleco, the state telephone company, and five other public 
institutions announced by FL partisans in the press for June 
27 failed to materialize.  Most observers credit the World 
Cup for the calm political atmosphere.  Post also credits 
splits within FL (reftel) and continued waning support among 
the masses for the militant FL cause.  End Summary. 
 
Small Demonstrations 
---------- 
 
¶3. (SBU)  Militants have organized small demonstrations 
around Port-au-Prince over the past month variously demanding 
the release of Fanmi Lavalas (FL) "political prisoners," the 
restoration of government jobs to FL "partisans," the return 
of Aristide and, during the period when the national assembly 
was considering approval of Prime Minister Alexis' 
government, support for Alexis and Preval's L'Espwa party. 
Demonstrations that occurred in front of the parliament and 
the palace, which took place the last two weeks of May and 
coincided with the first business days of the Preval 
administration, numbered no more than 15-20 active 
demonstrators with on-lookers swelling their ranks to 50-75. 
(Note: The legislative palace and the facing park where 
crowds form are visible from the second floor of the Embassy. 
 End Note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Polcouns surveyed the June 1 demonstration in front 
of the legislative palace on the occasion of Prime Minister 
Alexis' presentation of his "general policy" and cabinet 
ministers.  A motley group of roughly 15 demonstrators, 
accompanied by roughly 40 on-lookers from the park,  shouted 
various demands, including requests that MINUSTAH troops 
(also present) come back to Haiti not as occupiers but as 
tourists.  The Ambassador, who attended Alexis' presentation, 
reported that upon her exit from the palace as many of the 
demonstrators shouted greetings as protested.  A CIMO unit of 
roughly 40 officers, accompanied by two French UNPol advisors 
interposed itself between the demonstrators and the national 
assembly.  The CIMO officers kept closed ranks, but both 
sides exhibited a relatively relaxed demeanor.  The French 
UNPol officers told Polcouns they had deployed to other 
demonstrations there and at the national palace.  All had 
been relatively calm with no threat of disorder.  A company 
of Jordanian MINUSTAH troops in an armored personnel carrier 
looked on from behind the CIMO unit. 
 
Larger Demonstrations 
---------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  According to credible news reports, 2,000 - 3,000 
demonstrators appeared on June 12 in front of the palace of 
justice to demand the release of imprisoned FL activist 
 
PORT AU PR 00001178  002 OF 002 
 
 
Annette Auguste "So Anne" (Sister Anne).  The FL-affiliated 
"Mouvman Fanm Vanyant Ayisyen" (Movement of Powerful Haitian 
Women) billed itself as the principal organizer of the 
protest.  Later reports from FL activists indicated that 
other popular organizations also participated.  Judicial 
authorities had scheduled a hearing on So Anne's case for 
that day but later postponed the hearing, reportedly for 
reasons unrelated to the demonstration.  According to press 
reports, Rene Civil led a demonstration on June 23 in 
downtown Port-au-Prince numbering 100-150, demanding the 
release of "political prisoners," restoration of FL 
government jobs, and Aristide's return.  (Note:  Reftel 
details the split between FL leaders willing to organize for 
the cause of "political prisoners," but unwilling to follow 
Civil's call for mass demonstrations in favor of Aristide. 
End Note.) 
 
No Demonstrations 
---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) FL activists appeared on television and radio on 
June 26-27 to announce a series of sit-ins by FL partisans 
fired from their public sector jobs scheduled for June 27 at 
designated times in front of Teleco, the state electrical 
company (EdH), and four ministries.  Poloff went to each site 
to observe the sit-ins and reported that no demonstrators had 
appeared -- nor any police waiting for them.  Embassy 
contacts confirmed later in the afternoon that no 
demonstrators had ever materialized at any of the sites. 
Media and embassy contacts have reported earlier instances of 
groups of former employees re-appearing at ministries and 
state agencies demanding their jobs back, and supervisors 
calling the police in response.  presidential advisor Alix 
Fils-Aime told Polcouns on June 26 that these incidents were 
a "bother," but so far had been small and manageable 
 
 
Comment 
---------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Most observers predicted that the beginning of the 
World Cup, which Haitians follow fervently, would sharply 
limit any appetite for disruptive behavior on the part of the 
Haitian masses.  Post also believes that splits within FL 
leadership (reftel) and continued waning support for FL 
demands among the masses account for the calm political 
atmosphere.  Rumors of continued plans for large-scale FL 
demonstrations linked to specific deadlines -- some of which 
have already passed -- including Preval's return from abroad 
scheduled for July 6, continue to circulate.  Similar rumors 
have circulated with regularity over the past two years 
connected to significant FL anniversaries or 
elections-related issues, but no significant FL demonstration 
has taken place during that time.  In the meantime, the 
continued success of Brazil, Haiti's surrogate World Cup 
representative, gives hope to many that calm will prevail at 
least through the World Cup final. 
SMITH