VZCZCXRO2275
OO RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0250/01 0651408
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 061408Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9702
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 2242
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1984
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 1365
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1809
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 000250 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
INR/IAA 
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS, 
INL FOR KEVIN BROWN, DIANNE GRAHAM AND MEAGAN MCBRIDE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA SCUL KCRM
SUBJECT: HAITI CARNIVAL 2009 
 
PORT AU PR 00000250  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Haiti's 2009 Carnival celebrations were 
marginally more violent than last year's but still within 
acceptable limits by the improved security standards of 
today's Haiti.  An increased presence of the Haitian National 
Police (HNP) helped keep the inevitable violence down.  For 
the first time since MINUSTAH's arrival in Haiti, the HNP 
assumed full responsibility for Carnival security in 
Port-au-Prince.  The one death that occurred was due to an 
accident.  Political tensions regarding the exclusion of the 
Lavalas party from upcoming elections and the country's 
continuing economic struggles did not mar the festivities. 
Post-Carnival commentary on the celebrations focused on 
complaints of poor organization.  End summary. 
 
''Hand in Hand, Life Can be Beautiful'' 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  President Preval officially launched the festivities on 
Saturday, February 22 where he formally presented the 
Carnival kings and queens at the Carnival ball held in the 
National Palace.  The Carnival parade began late Sunday 
afternoon February 23, kicking off a lively three day party 
that lasted until early in the morning of February 25.   For 
the following three days and nights, downtown Port-au-Prince 
swelled with crowds estimated at one million total over the 
course of the weekend.  The centerpiece of the festivities 
were private sector-sponsored floats covered in business 
advertising.  ''Allegorical'' floats featured dancers and 
other costumed participants parading colorful paper-mache 
masks depicting various themes.  Other floats carried the 
best-know Haitian musical groups blaring their compositions 
for the party-goers. 
 
¶3.  The Carnival's theme this year -- ''Hand in hand, life 
can be beautiful'' -- was intended to encourage responsible 
civic behavior and public cleanliness (particularly to 
discourage littering the streets).  Press reports and several 
public officials noted, however, that print and radio failed 
to promote this year's message.  These media spent most of 
their time and resources playing Carnival music and debating 
which band would win the coveted prize for the most popular 
Carnival song. 
 
¶4.  The day after events concluded, the government extended 
the Carnival spirit by declaring February 25 (Ash Wednesday) 
a national holiday.  All government business remained 
suspended and most private sector businesses shut their 
doors.  Most Haitians stayed away from work the rest of the 
week, February 26 and 27.  Carnival celebrations thus idled 
Government offices and some of the private sector for an 
entire week. 
 
Complaints of Poor Organization 
------------------------------ 
 
¶5.  Despite the generally festive atmosphere, many 
participants complained that Carnival's fun was greatly 
dampened by Mayor of Port-au-Prince Muscadin Jean Yves 
Jason's poor planning and organization, and Minister of 
Culture Olsen Jean Julien's tardiness in releasing Carnival 
funds to the Mayor's office.  A total of 40 million Haitian 
gourdes (USD 1 million) was distributed.  This was 2 million 
gourdes short of what was promised by the Minister of 
Culture.  Both the Minister and the Mayor went on the radio 
on separate occasions blaming the other for organizational 
failures. 
 
¶6.  Some participants vented their frustrations to the press 
about the event's poor management.  Ill-timed insertions of 
floats into the parade, a broken down tow truck to service 
floats, and an inadequate number of ambulances were some of 
the complaints.  Poloff observed on February 24 that though 
most of the stands were beautifully decorated, some were also 
left unpainted and unfinished. 
Press reports complained that the many bands failed to give 
good performances.  Well-loved musical groups such as Boukman 
Esperyance and RAM failed to show up for their scheduled 
performances.  Yet despite these complaints, Embassy officers 
attending the events observed an overall positive and festive 
 
PORT AU PR 00000250  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
spirit. 
 
Security 
-------- 
 
¶7.  Security at the event was relatively good.  RSO observed 
that at least 2,000 HNP were deployed over the course of the 
three days, a fifty percent increase from last year.  All 
seven-hundred and two HNP cadets from the class that 
graduated February 27 were deployed at the event.  Poloff 
observed February 24 the HNP wearing brand new, highly 
visible florescent colored duty gear provided through 
assistance from INL/NAS. 
 
¶8.  Unlike last year, HNP controlled all aspects of security 
both in and outside the main Carnival routes.  MINUSTAH 
played no direct role.  According to Commissar Destorel 
Jermain, the Central Director for Administrative Police, a 
total of 853 police officers were mobilized; 703 
administrative police officers; and 150 CIMO (SWAT) officers. 
 Seven hundred Police Academy cadets were deployed along-side 
regular certified police.  Multiple HNP officers were 
stationed at each of thirteen check points within the main 
parade areas.  One roving patrol continuously monitored each 
checkpoint using hand magnetometers (metal detectors) to 
check suspicious individuals.  Within the CIMO compound near 
the National Palace, the HNP placed a ''quick response 
force'' on duty for emergencies.  For the first time, HNP 
Director General Mario Andresol arranged for VIP parking and 
police-escorted shuttles to transport VIP's and members of 
the diplomatic community to the official government stands. 
Around greater Port-au-Prince, HNP positioned 172 
checkpoints, each manned by four officers.  Last year, 
MINUSTAH operated most of these checkpoints in the outer 
cordon. 
 
¶9.  HNP spokesman Gary Desrosie reported 685 injured in 
Port-au-Prince, although news sources placed the number as 
high as 750.  The one death occurred when a fifteen-year-old 
girl fell off a truck carrying the popular Creole rap group 
''Barikad Crew'' and was crushed under its wheels.  Chief 
Prosecutor Joseph Manes Louis told Poloff February 27 that 
between February 22-24, police arrested 95 
persons for minor crimes, and 32 for violent crimes, 
committed with knives, batons, broken bottles and ice picks. 
One person was arrested carrying an ice pick stuffed into a 
baguette.  A five-year-old girl was reportedly raped and 
seven kidnappings occurred both in and outside of the 
capital.  There were at least ten house robberies which 
occurred while residents were 
away from home during the Carnival events. 
 
¶10.  Historian Georges Michel and sociologist Roselyne 
Benjamin issued a media statement days before Carnival began 
urging revelers to refrain from violence -- notably the use 
of knives, machetes, and other non-firearms.  A February 27 
HNP review of events notes an increase in violent crimes 
committed at this year's Carnival.  (Note:  Embassy has no 
statistics from last year, but notes an approximate 35 
percent increase in injuries in Port-au-Prince over last 
year.  End note.) Pierre Esperance, Director of the 
Haitian-based National Network for the Defense of Human 
Rights (RNDDH) concurred, saying February 25 that violence 
has become more commonplace at Carnival events and is calling 
for new 
legislation that would punish those who commit crimes during 
public festivities. 
 
¶11.  Comment:  Despite a marginal increase in violence, and 
the complaints of poor organization, the overall spirit of 
Carnival 2009 was positive.  The HNP is continuously refining 
its security techniques for handling mass public events. 
After fielding more officers at this event every year, it 
finally assumed full responsibility for Carnival 2009 
security for the first time since MINUSTAH arrived in Haiti. 
Earlier indications that the political party Fanmis Lavalas 
would seek to disrupt Carnival events to protest its 
exclusion from upcoming Senate elections failed to 
materialize.  Embassy EAC determined that security was 
 
PORT AU PR 00000250  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
sufficient to allow mission employees to participate in 
Carnival events on a limited basis.  However, there is room 
for improvement in the future, given the public's higher 
expectations of local and national government for this most 
popular Haitian event. 
TIGHE