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O 121716Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7659
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 1794
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 0116
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1599
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 2359
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0258
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC 1022
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUCOWCV/CCGDSEVEN MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000210 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, DRL, S/CRS, INR/IAA) 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PAS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
TREASURY FOR MAUREEN WAFER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC ECON HA
SUBJECT: HAITI PUTS ON CARNIVAL 2008: NO DEATHS, IMPROVED 
SECURITY, LOTS OF FUN 
 
PORT AU PR 00000210  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. Summary: Improved security, a better organized HNP, and a 
greater Diaspora presence marked Haiti's 2008 Carnival 
celebrations. With the approval of the EAC, Embassy officers 
were permitted to attend Carnival events for the first time 
in 5 years.  The organizational skill the GOH and private 
groups bring to bear on Carnival events is rarely equaled in 
the public or private sector.  End summary. 
 
¶2. The 2008 Carnival season in Haiti kicked off late 
afternoon February 1 with a parade of local artists, and 
continued with large, raucous celebrations the next four days 
that lasted far into the early morning hours.  The government 
chose the environment and "green Haiti" as the theme of this 
year's Carnival.  In Port au Prince, President Preval opened 
the traditional Carnival ball at the National Palace on 
Saturday February 2, presenting 39 queens and 21 kings of 
Carnival including a number representing the nation's 
diaspora communities abroad. The President, a music fan, was 
televised dancing to live traditional merengue music.  Media 
campaigns were mounted in favor of responsible alcohol 
consumption and sexual behavior.  The Ministry of Women's 
Affairs broadcast repeated TV spots warning against indecent 
behvior and the demeaning of women during carnival 
celebrations.  Prime Minister Alexis, speaking to a reporter 
at the National Palace at the February 2 ball, urged citizens 
to be careful in the conduct of the "relationships" that take 
place during Carnival and to use condoms. 
 
¶3. Crowds downtown on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were 
estimated at around 250,000 each evening.  Parades of masked 
performers wound through downtown Port au Prince in the late 
afternoon and early evening. They were followed later by 
large floats crammed with revelers, some costumed and many 
wearing t-shirts of sponsoring businesses.  The central 
parade route was lined with stands sponsored by local 
businesses, which also sponsored the numerous floats.  Many 
floats carried premier Haitian Konpa bands - including 
T-Vice, Djakout Mizik, RAM, Carimi and Kreyol La -- blaring 
out their music at ear-splitting volume, bringing forth 
frenzied cheers and wild dancing from tightly-packed throngs 
of delighted spectators. 
 
¶4. The Haitian National Police (HNP) was out in force in the 
downtown area, ready to "surge" and intervene at the first 
sign of any disturbance. HNP Director General Mario Andresol 
outlined to RSO the HNP's plan for Carnival, focusing on 
creating multiple HNP static posts poised to react and 
intervene at the first sign of disorder. In the event, the 
plan was well-executed with no major disruptions. HNP 
reported no deaths directly related to the festivities, and a 
total of 568 injuries in the Port au Prince Carnival. Overall 
there was considerably less violence than at the 2007 
Carnival, although traditional Carnival conduct, including 
fights and drunkeness, were frequent. EmbOffs in viewing 
stands did witness several fights, most of which were 
resolved quickly either by HNP or under pressure from the 
surrounding crowds. Injuries resulted from use of knives, 
bottles and other improvised weapons, but none from firearms. 
 Nearly two hundred additional injuries were reported in 
smaller celebrations in provincial capitals.  Embassy 
received reports from representatives of organizations 
implementing programs in the Port au Prince slum of Cite 
Soleil that some gang members from that area engaged in 
shake-downs of well off-looking Carnival-goers within site of 
central viewing stands.  Injuries resulted from use of 
knives, bottles and other improvised weapons, but none from 
firearms.  Nearly two hundred additional injuries were 
reported in smaller celebrations in provincial capitals. 
 
¶5. Embassy EAC determined that the security environment had 
improved sufficiently to allow employees to attend this 
year's Carnival events within certain limitations. No 
incidents involving Embassy officers were reported as they 
observed the scene from stands along the route.  Embassy 
officers, who for security reasons have little street-level 
contact with Haitians in the capital, were able to converse 
with revelers.  Conversations focused on the music and the 
 
PORT AU PR 00000210  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
common issues of interest to the majority of Haitians: the 
lack of jobs and the possibility of going to the U.S. Emboffs 
encountered many English-speaking Haitian emigres to the U.S. 
who returned for Carnival.  (The GOH had intentionally geared 
Carnival publicity toward Diaspora communities in New York 
and Miami, hoping to attract that lucrative group back to 
Haiti for the celebrations. American Airlines reported that 
their flights to Haiti for the Carnival period were 
overbooked.) 
 
¶6. Carnival in Haiti is produced a rare public-private 
organizational and financial partnership.  The national 
government allocated 80 million gourdes (USD 2.2 million) for 
Carnival, with the lion's share (50 million gourdes - USD 1.4 
million) going to celebrations in the capital.  However, the 
private sector pitched in mightily, reportedly to the tune of 
113 million gourdes (USD 3.1 million), mostly for sponsored 
floats featuring well-known musical groups.  The municipality 
of Port au Prince reportedly contributed money for 
theme-floats ("chars allegoriques").  The mayor of Jacmel, 
motorcycle dealer Edo Zenny, boasted that he contributed USD 
30,000 of his own money for Carnival in his city. 
SANDERSON