VZCZCXRO0248
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1018/01 1591755
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 081755Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6252
RUEAHLC/HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1552
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1371
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0814
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1225

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR 
DHS FOR HQ BICE WASHINGTON DC 
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: ASSESSMENT OF DEPORTEE INTEGRATON PROGRAM 
 
 
PORT AU PR 00001018  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Against the countervailing negative perceptions 
that most Haitians and the GoH have against deportees, the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) has 
convincingly established the foundations of a potentially 
successful deportee integration program.  IOM reported that 
deportees are increasingly using the program because the GoH 
has discontinued incarcerating them upon arrival and because 
of their awareness that employers discriminate against them 
in what is already a difficult labor market.  The deportees 
focus their efforts on the program's skills training and the 
micro-enterprise components.  Of the 523 deportees processed, 
140 participate in the program, of which 100 are currently in 
the skills training and micro-enterprise components. With 
more participants, costs are increasing, which in turn 
heightens IOM's urgency to secure additional funds for the 
program.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  Because IOM is on the tarmac to meet every deportee 
flight, IOM has met 523 deportees, of which 140 (26.8%) 
decided to register and continue with the program, which 
gives them access to the program's five major services: 
counseling, HIV/AIDS testing, drug rehabilitation, skills 
training, and micro-enterprise support.  IOM reported that no 
deportee used the HIV/AIDS testing or drug rehabilitation 
service; 100 are currently engaged in the skills training and 
micro-enterprise services; and 40 are waiting to begin skills 
and micro-enterprise training.  Skills training focuses on 
vocational and professional skills.  In order to participate 
in the micro-enterprise program, the deportees must 
successfully complete the appropriate skills training.  The 
first class of 40 micro-enterprise participants drafted 12 
business proposals, which received start-up financing in the 
$200-$2,000 range, of which 70% is a grant and 30% is a loan. 
 The second class of 60 are currently engaged in 
skills/micro-enterprise training.  Counseling is available to 
all regisered deportees as appropriate. 
 
¶3.  The greatestobstacles that IOM worked through were the 
government's institutional incapacity to receive deportees 
and its negative attitudes against them.  Since the GoH did 
not have a receiving mechanism for deportees, half of the 
deportees on the first flight were able to run away from 
''processing.''  The GoH's ensuing decision to incarcerate 
the deportees upon arrival only served to discourage them 
from participating in the program.  The government ended the 
policy because with the security crackdown in Port-au-Prince, 
the GoH did not have space in an already overcrowded prison 
system. 
 
¶4.  IOM also succeeded in convincing the GoH to approve a 
sensitization campaign that started on May 24.  To begin, IOM 
is airing 30 second radio spots before sport broadcasts. 
Next, IOM will produce a very short video encouraging 
Haitians to have a more positive view of deportees. 
Afterwards, IOM will produce and distribute flyers to 
reinforce the video's message.  IOM will follow-up with a 
workshop for government institutions and NGOs.  Moreover, GoH 
officials have agreed to do newspaper interviews encouraging 
Haitians to be more positive about all involuntarily 
repatriated citizens. 
 
¶5.  UNDP, through reprogramming made possible by USAID's 
funding two of UNDP's projects, provided $1 million in 
initial funding for the program.  Since the program has 
guaranteed funding only until the end of June, IOM and UNDP 
have reached an accord in principle regarding further 
reprogramming.  If the reprogramming negotiations are 
successful, UNDP may be able to support the program until 
December 2007.  The program's funding priorities in 
descending order are: to cover staffing costs from August 
2007 through December 2007; to cover the continuing costs of 
the sensitization campaign and skills training component; and 
to cover the costs of the entire program from January 2008 
through March 2008.  IOM communicated that UNDP plans to 
approach USAID for funds specifically to finance the program, 
or for funds that would allow for UNDP reprogramming. 
 
¶6.  Comment.  The IOM program has been successful in getting 
 
PORT AU PR 00001018  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
the GoH to accept that it must receive deportees in a humane, 
orderly manner and that it must support efforts to counter 
negative public opinion of deportees.  The program is also 
the primary element of our effort to engage the GoH on 
deportees while standing firm in insisting that the GoH meet 
its obligations in accepting them.  From this perspective, 
post believes that IOM's deportee program warrants continued, 
if not direct USG, financial support.  However, before such 
support is offered, the USG should request that IOM provide a 
monthly or quarterly financial accounting of the program. 
Guy Alexandre and Fritz Dorziair, who run the program, 
indicated that Maureen Achieng, IOM's Chief of Mission, would 
be willing to provide detailed financial information upon 
request. 
SANDERSON