VZCZCXRO6069
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #1810/01 3181551
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141551Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7200
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1696
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1510
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0933
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001810 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA 
WHA/EX 
WHA/CAR PLEASE PASS TO USOASWHA 
INL FOR KEVIN BROWN, DON STOLWORTHY, ANGELIC YOUNG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM KJUS SOCI SNAR HA
SUBJECT: MUTINY IN THE NATIONAL PENITENTIARY 
 
REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 1695 
 
PORT AU PR 00001810  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) This message is sensitive but unclassified -- please 
protect accordingly. 
 
¶2. (U) SUMMARY:  A riot ensued in the National Penitentiary 
on November 7 after Chief Prosecutor Claudy Gassant 
authorized the release of 121 long-serving male prisoners. 
The riot was quelled in under two hours by the Haitian 
National Police (HNP) with the assistance of a Nigerian 
Formed Police Unit (FPU) of MINUSTAH.  Although there are 
conflicting reports about what sparked the riot, Haitian 
authorities and MINUSTAH confirm that the release of the 
detainees was the initial catalyst.  It is evident, however, 
that the severe conditions in the men,s penitentiary and the 
lack of due process for detainees within the Haitian judicial 
system are the larger contributing factors (reftel).  The 
extent of the damage within the prison is still being 
assessed. (End Summary.) 
 
¶3. (U) Though an official investigative report has not yet 
been released by the HNP or MINUSTAH, contacts from both 
sources reveal that the riot occurred for two reasons: 
reaction to the sudden release of 121 prisoners on 
humanitarian grounds; and news of the transference of prison 
king-pin Carl Longchamps, aka "Zulu," to another prison. 
 
REASON #1: HUMANITARIAN RELEASES SPARK ANGER 
-------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) On International Prisoners' Day, October 28, Chief 
Prosecutor Claudy Gassant publicly announced that cases of 
prisoners in the National Penitentiary were under review and 
a number of prisoners would likely be released on 
humanitarian grounds.  The men, Gassant said, had either been 
held in prison too long without trial or held in custody 
beyond their original terms due to bureaucratic delays within 
the prison system.  On November 8, 73 out of 121 detainees 
authorized for release were freed from the prison, as Gassant 
promised. 
 
¶5.  (U) Port-au-Prince Police Commissar Michael Ange Gedeon 
told Emboff November 9 that the release of the prisoners 
triggered immediate outrage among the approximately 2900 
remaining inmates, angered that their cases had not yet been 
reviewed.  The prisoners filed out of their cells en masse, 
demanding the same treatment.  Robinson Cadet, U.S. 
Corrections Advisor to UNPOL, told Emboff on November 8 that 
the riot began in a cell-block known as the "Brick" and 
quickly spread to the "Titanic" cellblock.  Dozens of 
incensed prisoners attempted to attack the prison staff, 
scale the prisons walls and climb to the roof in an effort to 
escape.  Cadet, part of the UNPOL security team located on 
the perimeter of the building during the mutiny, said at 
least one prison staff member and several prisoners were 
injured.  Media captured images of prisoners on the roof 
throwing anything they could get their hands on, including 
empty bottles, cans, clothing, papers and plastic containers. 
 Inmates also started a fire, which was quickly extinguished. 
 (Note: As the investigation is still in process, the extent 
of the damage from the fire is not yet confirmed.  End note.) 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) A high-level MINUSTAH contact who shared information 
to Embassy NAS Director as the situation unfolded November 8 
reported having immediately authorized the Nigerian Formed 
Police Unit (FPU) to assist with security on the perimeter of 
the prison at the request of the HNP.  Additionally, he 
deployed the U.S. UNPOL Hostage Negotiation Team from the HNP 
Anti-kidnapping unit to go to the prison due to a rumor that 
a Red Cross worker may have been taken hostage. (Note: the 
hostage rumor was determined to be false after the riot was 
quelled. End note.)  The HNP also deployed CIMO, a special 
riot control unit, to the scene.  The National Penitentiary 
Administration (APENA), a special unit of the HNP assigned to 
prison security, remained inside the prison and succeeded in 
putting down the revolt in under two hours without additional 
force. 
 
 
PORT AU PR 00001810  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Commissar Gedeon, in charge of coordinating HNP and 
MINUSTAH security on the penitentiary,s perimeter, told 
Emboff that while on location, he heard shots fired inside 
the prison, but since his team was not permitted to enter the 
compound, he could not determine whether there were 
fatalities.  A MINUSTAH official also told NAS Director that 
at least two weapons were reportedly found that had been 
smuggled into the prison. 
 
REASON #2: PRISON KING-PIN TRANSFER 
------------------ 
 
¶8. (U) Commissar Gedeon told Emboff on November 8 the riots 
also stemmed from anger over the fact that prison king-pin 
Carl Longchamps (reportedly serving a life sentence) was 
transferred to a different prison for administrative reasons. 
 According to the HNP, Longchamps has long been suspected of 
drug activities and smuggling contraband into the prison. 
Gedeon said that loyalists to Longchamps took advantage of 
the anger sparked by the prison releases to stage a protest 
against his departure. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The HNP and MINUSTAH have yet to report 
which of the two widely circulated reasons about how and why 
the rebellion started they support.  Post,s initial 
impression, however, is that the lack of a legal basis for 
the prolonged detentions of many inmates, coming on top of 
severe overcrowding and generally abysmal prison conditions, 
helped produce deep discontent that came to a boil when 
certain inmates were released.  MINUSTAH has reported, 
however, that the riot did not come as a surprise, as 
violence has been anticipated, and UNPOL had recently 
received reports of arms smuggling into the prison.  U.S. 
Corrections Advisor Cadet and the HNP have indicated that 
they will share the results of the investigation with post as 
soon as it is completed. 
SANDERSON