VZCZCXRO5902
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0085/01 0271226
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271226Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9436
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000085 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EX, WHA/CAR 
STATE FOR INR/IAA 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAR/CAR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: HAITIANS CELEBRATE PRESIDENT OBAMA'S INAUGURATION 
 
REF: A. 08 PORT AU PRINCE 737 
     ¶B. 08 PORT AU PRINCE 701 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (U) The inauguration of President Barack Obama caused 
general exuberance in Haiti that at times has spilled over 
into unrealistic expectations.  Commentary has portrayed his 
election as the culmination of the struggle of 
African-Americans which turned a page in history.  A more 
general sentiment is that the new Administration, being led 
by an African-American, will necessarily give kinder 
treatment to Haiti -- still proud of its status as the 
product of the only successful slave revolt in history. 
Local media report high expectations that the new 
Administration will usher in a new relationship with Haiti, 
help spur economic development and favorably address the 
status of Haitians living illegally in the U.S.  Fanmis 
Lavalas partisans tried to exploit the situation politically, 
arguing that the Obama administration will support former 
President Aristide's return to Haiti.  Some Haitians had more 
modest expectations, noting that the current economic 
downturn will preclude large increases in U.S. assistance. 
The Embassy's message on the event emphasized its historic 
importance and the U.S. tradition of peaceful transfer of 
power.  A minority of Haitian commentators have portrayed the 
Obama victory as an example of what Haitians must do to take 
control of their destiny and achieve development. 
 
Haitians Hail President Obama, Hope for More Help 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶2. (U) The inauguration of the new U.S. President attracted 
intense, positive interest in the Haitian media.  The event 
dominated print and electronic media on January 20.  Many TV 
stations transmitted feeds from French-Canadian and U.S. 
stations (the latter without translation or subtitles) which 
covered the event live, and then repeated footage of the 
inauguration and commentary about it into the late evening. 
Many TV stations followed this with extended coverage of 
several Inauguration Day balls, again with live feeds from 
U.S. and Canadian stations. 
 
¶3. (U) The extensive coverage in many Haitian electronic and 
print media shared a theme of elation at the election of the 
first African-American President in U.S. history, and the 
anticipation that this will translate into a privileged 
position for Haiti in the eyes of the United States.  Much 
commentary relayed a hope, nowhere documented, that President 
Obama will increase economic assistance and allow the 
thousands of Haitians living illegally in the U.S. to stay. 
 
Inauguration Made Part of Worship Service 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The mostly widely noticed event in the capital on the 
day of the inauguration was a prayer service attended by 
hundreds at the Eben-Ezer Baptist Church in Petion-Ville, 
organized by Osner Fevry, a director of the Haitian Christian 
Democratic Party (PDCH) and founder of the Barack Obama Haiti 
Club.  The officiating pastor praised the Lord for ''allowing 
a black man to accede to the prestigious post of president of 
the United States.''  The three-hour service was organized 
around a live TV feed of the inauguration itself, and was 
punctuated with prayers for the new President, the First 
Lady, and the new U.S. government.  Fevry characterized the 
service as a ''spiritual act of support for the democratic 
administration and a plea to God to help the Haitian people 
one day find their own Obama...and to share his values.'' 
Several political and civil society representatives not 
publicly known for their religious piety attended, including 
Senators Rudy Heriveaux and Youri Latortue, civil society 
leader Dr. Rosny Desroches, former Army (FAD'H) officer 
Himmler Rebu of the Grand Assembly for the Evolution of Haiti 
(GREH), and the Christian Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENA). 
 
Political Commentary 
-------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) ''Fusion'' political party president Victor Benoit was 
hopeful that President Obama's tenure would mark a positive 
shift in economic cooperation between Port-au-Prince and 
Washington.  Former President of the Haitian Chamber of 
Commerce Philippe Armand, speaking on local radio, predicted 
the installation of President Obama would not likely have a 
major impact on current Haiti-U.S. relations, but his 
 
PORT AU PR 00000085  002 OF 002 
 
 
accession was nevertheless historically symbolic and 
important. 
 
¶6. (U) Some in the pro-Aristide party Fanmis Lavalas (FL) 
have tried to extract political capital from the Obama 
election.  Marching on December 16 to commemorate the first 
election of Jean Bertrand Aristide in 1991, FL demonstrators 
distributed leaflets with a montage of photographs of 
Aristide and the then U.S. President-elect, attempting to 
suggest that the incoming Administration would be a friend of 
Fanmis Lavalas and its leader, former President Aristide. 
 
One Discordant Voice 
-------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) A more introspective note came from former Prime 
Minister candidate, Ericq Pierre, living in the United States 
after the parliament rejected his nomination (reftels).  In a 
January 9 opinion piece in ''Le Matin'' newspaper, Pierre 
criticized the racial solidarity that underlay Haitian 
exuberance at the Obama election.  He noted that the election 
of Obama was the logical outcome of a long political and 
social struggle in a country known for its diversity and 
contrasts.  Pierre chided Haitians for their continuing pride 
at being the first state to throw off slavery and 
colonialism, while their leaders since independence had acted 
toward their citizens ''like predators worse than the 
colonialists themselves.''  Haiti should be ashamed that it 
was still unable to feed or educate its children, or govern 
itself without international intervention and foreign 
assistance.  Pierre wrote that the Obama victory should 
motivate Haitians to stop presenting themselves to the world 
(especially to the new U.S. Administration) as victims in 
need of relief, and begin telling the world the sacrifices 
Haiti is prepared to make to take control of its own destiny. 
 
 
Embassy:  United States of Our Dreams 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶8. (U) Prior to the inauguration, the Embassy placed in the 
national print daily ''Le Matin,'' an Ambassadorial opinion 
piece entitled ''The United States of Our Dreams,'' which 
drew on Martin Luther King Day community service themes, 
noted the historic importance of President Obama's election 
in the evolution of American democracy, and expressed 
continued U.S. resolve to confront shared challenges. 
 
¶9. (U) On Inauguration Day January 20, the Ambassador gave 
live interviews on three radio stations.  She called the 
inauguration a celebration of an important first in U.S. 
history that also demonstrated a tradition of democratic and 
peaceful political transition.  She also acknowledged the 
significant challenges ahead for the U.S. domestically and 
internationally, but assured audiences of continued active 
U.S. engagement in Haiti. 
SANDERSON