VZCZCXRO6085
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0893 1351943
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151943Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6104
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1535
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1354
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0809
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1220

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000893 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND 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 PHUM HA
SUBJECT: ATTACKS ON JUSTICE MINISTER GENERATES PUSH-BACK 
 
REF: A. PORT-AU-PRINCE 869 
 
     ¶B. PORT-AU-PRINCE 848 
 
¶1.  The chamber of deputies' special committee of special 
enquiry on May 11 released a report concluding that Justice 
Minister Rene Magloire had lied about summoning the deceased 
judge Hughes St. Pierre to Port-au-Prince.  The committee's 
report cited six interviews with St. Pierre's family members 
and colleagues in Gonaives who claimed that St. Pierre told 
them that he was traveling to Port-au-Prince at the 
minister's request.  In response, Prime Minister Jacques 
Edouard Alexis denied that St. Pierre's death had any 
connection to the La Scierie case (reftels) and called for an 
independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding 
the judge's death.  Other deputies criticized the manner in 
which the special committee released its findings.  Laurore 
Edouard (UNION) declared that the special committee does not 
have official standing since the procedures to appoint such a 
committee were never initiated in the lower chamber.  Eloune 
Doreus (OPL) concurred that an inquiry may be appropriate, 
but insisted that the special committee cannot be seen as an 
official organ of the lower house. 
 
¶2. Comment.  Apart from trying to link the judge's death to a 
government conspiracy to absolve the La Scierie defendants, 
Youri Latortue and his allies in the Senate appear to be 
using this opportunity to derail justice reform legislation. 
Latortue has already publicly stated that the minister's 
proposed legislation is "chaotic," and is reportedly 
preparing an alternative proposal.  (Post will report fully 
on the status of justice reform septel)  Under the current 
circumstances, Magloire is unlikely to appear anytime soon 
before the parliament for any reason, whether to answer 
questions relating to St. Pierre or to push for reform.  In 
the meantime, if his opponents can damage his credibility, 
that damage is likely to rub off on his proposed legislation 
as well.  End comment. 
SANDERSON