VZCZCXYZ0001
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #1718/01 2981152
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251152Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7104

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 001718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, H; DEPARTMENT PASS TO BINGAMAN STAFFER 
CHRIS STONE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP AMGT PREL HA
SUBJECT: HAITI SCENESETTER FOR CODEL BINGAMAN-CORKER-HARKIN 
 
REF: STATE 146441 
 
¶1. This cable is sensitive but unclassified -- please protect 
accordingly. 
 
Consolidation of Haiti Democratic Institutions 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶2. (SBU) Haiti is still consolidating basic institutions of 
democratic governance that were undermined in the period 
following 1991-2004 under the unstable rule of the Jean 
Bertrand Aristide and his allies.  The current government was 
chosen in Presidential and legislative elections 2005-06 
judged largely free and fair by the international community. 
Sub-municipal and municipal councils and assemblies were 
chosen in local elections in early 2007.  However, President 
Preval has thus far not called the constitutionally-mandated 
sequence of ''indirect'' elections in which these local 
assemblies designate regional assemblies and these in turn 
department assemblies, culminating in an ''interdepartmental 
Council'' that sits alongside the Prime Minister and Cabinet 
of Ministers.  He has also thus far not set a date for 
elections to replace one-third of the Senate (one-third of 
which is elected every two years for six-year terms). 
 
¶3. (U) All Haitian political institutions are weak, lack 
capacity, and are vulnerable to corruption.  Most of Haiti's 
Senators and deputies, elected in May, 2006, have no 
parliamentary or other government experience.  Only the 
Presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have 
offices and a small staff in the parliament; none of their 
colleagues have staff, computers, internet access, or and 
most of the time, electricity.  Many senators and deputies 
nevertheless take pride in their institution and want the 
legislature to play its constitutional role as counterweight 
to the Executive.  Most of the judiciary lacks proper 
training and is vulnerable to corruption.  Prosecutors are 
susceptible to political influence and abuse of power.  The 
court system is overloaded and struggles under enormous case 
backlogs.  The Haitian National Police (HNP) has an effective 
force of 8,000 out of a target force size of 14,000.  The 
overwhelming bulk of its presence is in the capital, leaving 
most of the rest of the country bereft of law enforcement. 
 
Security 
-------- 
 
¶4. (U) Security has been the number one threat to stability 
and democratic consolidation.  Haiti has turned a corner 
since the military and police units of MINUSTAH, acting 
jointly with (HNP), took decisive action against urban gangs 
in the Port au Prince slum of Cite Soleil last December that 
produced a quantum increase in the general security 
environment in the capital.  Nevertheless, gangs continue to 
pose a threat in other slum areas of the capital.  Security 
gains that have been made are fragile and by no means 
irreversible.  The other systemic threat to Haitian security 
is drug trafficking.  Haiti is a transshipment point for 
Latin American drugs transiting to the U.S. and Europe. 
There is a tendency at upper GOH levels to look to the U.S. 
to fix this problem for Haiti.  President Preval emphatically 
supports working with DEA and other USG law enforcement 
against drug traffickers and smugglers, and he appears to 
have the support of the Haitian public in this area. 
 
U.S. Assistance to Haiti 
------------------------ 
 
¶5. (U) USG assistance to Haiti amounted to approximately USD 
200 million in FY07--of that, for FY07, USD 83 million is 
directed toward HIV/AIDS, primarily through the PEPFAR 
program, jointly implemented by USAID and the Centers for 
Disease Control (CDC).  PEPFAR is by far the largest 
anti-AIDS effort in Haiti, now providing 13,000 patients with 
anti-retroviral medication, and providing HIV care for over 
70,000 patients.  CDC is also setting up systems that gather 
HIV data for the Government of Haiti and provide technical 
expertise in care and treatment, prevention, and development 
of laboratory infrastructure.  Other USG health assistance 
funds a network of health service providers that gives 40 
percent of the country's population access to basic health 
care. 
 
¶6. (U) Other USG assistance focuses on strengthening 
democracy and governance by providing financial and technical 
assistance to the electoral process, political party 
building, media strengthening, and building up the judiciary. 
 The USG also underwrites the training and equipping of the 
Haitian National Police.  Additional USG programs target 
small agricultural producers and small business, and 
supporting labor-intensive public works programs. 
 
Current Controversy over Elections and the Constitution 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶7. (U) President Preval continues to promise he will set a 
date for Senate elections, but that they must be held in 
''good conditions'' that make the results ''legitimate.'' 
The principal obstacles the President points to are divisions 
in the CEP and accusations of corruption within its ranks. 
There appears to be a consensus emerging among the President, 
political parties and much of the private sector -- not civil 
society -- that the CEP must be reconstituted. No agreement, 
however, has emerged on how to choose new members.  This 
debate will further delay Senate elections and increase the 
probability of a gap arising in the ranks of the Senate. 
 
¶8. (SBU) The issue of Senate elections has become entangled 
in the debate over amending the 1987 constitution.  President 
Preval considers the constitution imbalanced in favor of the 
legislative branch, and has long wanted to amend it. 
However, he surprised many Haitians and international 
observers when, in an October 17 speech, he labeled the 1987 
constitution as the major source of the political instability 
Haiti has experienced over the last twenty years, and called 
for a new constitutional ''architecture.''  The level of 
domestic support for Preval's position on the constitution is 
questionable.  While many agree that the constitution should 
be amended, many oppose amending the constitution outside of 
the constitution's prescribed procedures, as in a 
constitutional convention.  Senate President Joseph Lambert 
has already supported the President's idea, albeit gingerly, 
but we doubt the President now has a majority in either house 
of the legislature, or in society at large, to change the 
constitution in an extra-constitutional fashion. 
 
 
Your Meeting with the President 
------------------------------- 
 
¶9. (U) President Preval appears to ''get it'' that market 
reform and attracting foreign investment is the foundation 
for economic growth, job creation, and Haiti's overall 
development.  He is serious about pursuing corruption, 
although he has yet to demonstrate the same doggedness in 
pursuing violators in his own bureaucracy as he has shown in 
pursuing high-profile businessmen. 
 
¶10. (SBU) Preval also understands that security is an 
absolute precondition to Haiti's progress.  Security will be 
the top agenda item for Preval in his meetings with you.  He 
will stress the USG joint responsibility with Haiti in 
ensuring security and fighting crime.  He will impress upon 
you his concern that Haiti is becoming a Caribbean 
transshipment point for drugs, arms and possibly terrorists. 
He will insist on the need for greater U.S. cooperation in 
nabbing top drug traffickers.  While an August operation in 
the north of Haiti, with USG participation, netted several 
high level traffickers, Preval may remind you that the top 
target of that raid, Guy Phillipe, is still at large. 
Prompted by a September visit by an ATF team, he will ask for 
greater cooperation in fighting arms trafficking.  I 
recommend that you express support for continued and expanded 
U.S. law enforcement cooperation across the board with Haiti. 
 
 
¶11. (U) Even though the USG has no direct role in Haiti's 
constitutional issue, President Preval will reiterate the 
weaknesses of the 1987 constitution and the need to amend it. 
 He will also defend his position on the need to reconstitute 
the Provisional Electoral Council.  I recommend that you 
simply support the holding of all constitutionally-mandated 
elections on time, in particular both the Senate elections 
and the indirect elections for local government.  We support 
elections because they are the best guarantee of Haiti's 
political stability and future development.  Although the 
President gives less attention to health and environment 
issues, he will be appreciative that you are showing 
attention to Haiti's human needs, be it HIV/AIDS, job 
creation, or land management. 
SANDERSON