VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0983 3521438
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181438Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0106
INFO HAITI COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0024

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000983 
 
SENSITIVE 
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 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PASS TO AMCONSUL QUEBEC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KCRM ASEC HA
SUBJECT: DAY OF INACTION: LAVALAS FAILS TO MOBILIZE ITS BASE 
 
REF: 09 PAP 000996 
 
¶1.      (SBU) A small group of Fanmi Lavalas (FL) supporters 
gathered on December 16 for a "Day of Action" commemorating the 
1991 exile and 1994 return of former president Jean-Bertrand 
Aristide to Haiti.  Protestors also used the occasion to demand the 
return of Aristide and called for the ouster of current members of 
the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).  Although some protestors 
were observed committing petty robberies after the march concluded, 
the demonstration was smaller than anticipated and largely 
uneventful. 
 
 
 
¶2.      (SBU) Protestors circled Port-au-Prince's Bel Air 
neighborhood to drum up support before attending a press conference 
held by Lavalas spokesperson Maryse Narcisse and then marching on 
CEP offices in Delmas.  Heard yelling, "Down with Preval!" and 
"Today is our day we celebrate!" the crowd of approximately 150 
persons marched around downtown before heading to the electoral 
authority's offices.  The Haitian National Police were prepared and 
present for the event; there were no noteworthy police actions 
against the marchers. 
 
 
 
¶3.      (SBU) Comment: This demonstration was markedly different 
from the late 1990s when Lavalas could easily fill the streets with 
thousands of protestors, and indicates the extent to which the 
party has lost its power.  Even two years ago, party organizers 
could count on two thousand supporters to take to the streets. 
Fanmi Lavalas has lost much of the popular support it enjoyed after 
the fall of Jean Bertrand Aristide and the party suffers from 
long-standing differences between its pro-Aristide and moderate 
branches.  Many former Lavalas candidates opted to register under 
different political movements (Inite, Veye Yo and Lavni) in order 
to participate in the elections.  The CEP's successive exclusions 
of FL from the legislative elections, combined with Preval's 
co-opting several key Lavalas sympathizers into his political 
movement (including Yves Cristalin and Marjorie Michel), has 
significantly weakened the already struggling Fanmi Lavalas. 
MERTEN