VZCZCXRO1204
RR RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1425 2161932
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041932Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3713
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1168
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1010
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 0545
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0967

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001425 
 
SIPDIS 
 
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 PREL HA
SUBJECT: ANNAN AVOIDS PARLIAMENTARY BOYCOTT 
 
¶1. This message is sensitive but unclassified - protect 
accordingly. 
 
¶2. (U) Summary.  United Nations Secretary General (UNSYG) 
Kofi Annan canceled his scheduled visit to parliament on 
August 3, avoiding a boycott by what could have been a 
substantial number of parliamentarians.  In the chamber of 
deputies, Petionville representative Steven Benoit led a 
group of roughly 12 deputies (out of a total of 88) in citing 
MINUSTAH's inaction against gangs as a reason for their 
intended boycott.  In the upper chamber, Senate Vice 
President Edmonde Supplice Beauzile's anger over her 
detention by Argentinian troops during the recent 
parliamentry election in the Grand Saline district on July 30 
galvanized other senators such as Youri Latortue to protest 
MINUSTAH's lack of respect for Haitian sovereignty. 
Subsequent to Annan's cancellation, the Senate unanimously 
resolved to boycott any other part of his program.  While the 
Senate protest appeared parochial, Benoit's protest reflects 
unhappiness with MINUSTAH since the resurrgence of kidnapping 
and related crime in July.  Preval's explicit statement 
during the Annan visit that he prefered to "dialogue" with 
gangs rather than confront them appears to have deflected, 
for the moment, at least some of that criticism from MINUSTAH 
back to the Preval.  Post reports on the Annan visit Septel. 
End Summary. 
 
¶3. (U) After criticizing MINUSTAH performance and Annan's 
visit earlier in the week, on August 3 Benoit stated "I will 
leave the meeting (subsequently canceled) so that I will not 
have to hear Kofi Annan make vain promises while we are in a 
state of war.  We cannot go to the airport without risk of 
being shot at.  The United Nations in 50 years has never 
resolved any problem and has failed throughout the world. 
These men (the blue helmets) should leave," Benoit declared 
to journalists gathered outside of the Parliament.   Benoit 
also advocated the restoration of the Haitian Armed Forces 
(FAd'H), dissolved by former President Aristide in 1994. 
Approximately 12 other deputies also announced their 
intention to boycott Annan's speech in order to show their 
disapproval of what they term, MINUSTAH's "laissez-faire 
strategy.8 
 
¶4. (U) Senate President Joseph Lambert, on the other hand, on 
August 3 affirmed that he was ready to welcome the Secretary 
General before the National Assembly and joined the 
delegation that greeted Annan at the airport upon his 
arrival.  Lambert was restricted by a Senate resolution from 
participating in other activities with the UNSYG.  The Senate 
resolution, barring Senators from participation in the Annan 
visit, was prompted by an incident in Grand Saline during the 
July 30 parliamentary re-run election (twice nullified 
because of election-day violence) in which Argentinean troops 
detained two senators. MINUSTAH reported that Senator 
Supplice Beauzile possessed an unregistered weapon at the 
time of the routine stop. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Comment: The incident in Grand Saline is the latest 
in a string of incidents in which parliamentarians have been, 
in their view, unduly detained by MINUSTAH troops.  MINUSTAH 
points out that most parliamentarians' cars are not specially 
marked, parliamentary ids are untrustworthy, and they do not 
have a clear understanding from the government of how they 
are to respect parliamentary immunity.  In this light, 
Supplice's insistence that she be afforded special treatment 
in an area on high security alert after two failed elections 
seemed to many Haitian observers to be unwarranted.  Benoit's 
statements, however, resonated with much of the Haitian 
public, who fairly or unfairly expect MINUSTAH to address the 
problem of gang violence.  Preval's public statement that his 
government is consulting with the gangs puts the onus of 
responsibility for coping with the violence back on his 
government, for the moment.  End Comment. 
SANDERSON