VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0066/01 0192208
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 192206Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0231
INFO HAITI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000066 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA PGOV AID
EAID 
SUBJECT: TFHA01: EMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE EARTHQUAKE SITREP as of 1600, 
Day 8 
 
¶1.       (SBU)  Summary:  Despite hardships in devastated 
neighborhoods, residents appear to be calm and civil, though 
isolated reports of roving armed gangs continue.  A survey of 
regional police stations shows that most are operational, though 
many are damaged.  A survey of regional prisons reveals that most 
prisons were damaged and that a majority of the prisoners have 
escaped.  The private sector, including the banking industry, is 
organizing and attempting to reinvigorate the economy.  Some gas 
stations are open, but with long lines.  Street vendors are 
becoming more visible and are now selling fresh fruits and 
vegetables.  Most arterial streets are passable, though secondary 
streets remain blocked.  Parliament is meeting at the Police 
Academy.  In their first meeting, members of Parliament unanimously 
opposed the President's decision to form emergency commissions. 
The legal mandate of Parliament, and its effectiveness, remains in 
question.  Twenty-four bodies have been recovered from the old 
Parliament building, 22 staff and two senators. 
 
 
 
POLOFF OBSERVATIONS 
 
 
 
¶2.      (SBU)  Poloff visited severely damaged neighborhoods, 
accessible only on foot, where 90-100 percent of the homes were 
destroyed.  Residents were residing in made-shift camps in 
available open areas, and they had not yet received any 
humanitarian supplies from relief organization.  Nonetheless, the 
residents were civil, calm, polite, solemn and seemed to be 
well-organized while they were searching for belongings in the 
ruins of their homes.  However, isolated reports continue of roving 
armed gangs engaged in looting and robbery.  After dark, when the 
work ends, the sounds of groups chanting and singing religious 
songs continues until the early hours of the morning.  The odor of 
rotting cadavers is now permeating the air all over the city. 
 
STATUS OF PNH COMMISSARIATS 
 
 
 
¶3.      (SBU)  A NAS team reported on its survey of certain PNH 
police stations on January 17: 
 
????         DCPJ buildings:  Functional with damage.  The Government 
is using this building as its primary meeting place. 
 
????         Delmas 33:  Collapsed and debris removed as of 17 
January.  No PNH was present.  It is reported that a tent has been 
requested to reopen the commissariat.  The small juvenile detention 
facility behind the commissariat appears intact, but should be 
surveyed by a technical evaluation team. 
 
????         CIMO building: Damaged, but PNH is working out of that 
portion of the area that is secure 
 
????         Cafeteria (downtown):  Collapsed.  PNH have been seen 
working traffic control in the area as well as working with 
search/rescue crews.  Also, PNH vehicle 1-415 crushed in the debris 
nearby. 
 
????         Vehicle Workshop:  Not functional. 
 
????         Circulation (traffic):  Some damage but building is 
functional. PNH are working. 
 
????         Delmas 3:  No damage observed. PNH working. 
 
????         Cite Soleil Main Commissariat:  Damage to the rear wall 
(collapsed). Minor damage to the interior, but non-structural.  PNH 
present and working.  Out of all the commissariats visited, this 
commissariat had the most PNH present who were actively and 
effectively working and assisting citizens.  Detainees were still 
in cells.  The situation was calm and no incidents observed.  Razor 
wire must be installed to secure the flank of the station. The 
Commander somehow managed to acquire a lite-all unit and fuel, 
giving excellent perimeter lighting to the commissariat and the 
citizens - many of whom are camped outside the station. 
 
????         Cite Soleil Wharf:  Minor damage (driveway and one 
column), but functional.  Ready to be put in use. 
 
 
????         IG Building (under construction):  Damaged and will not 
be ready anytime soon. 
 
????         Portal Leogane:  No damage observed.  PNH working. 
 
????         Tabarre (BIM):  Some structural damage.  PNH working. 
PNH also were working at a park nearby where thousands of refugees 
have now gathered.  PNH were actively working with the people. 
 
????         Cazeau:  No damage observed. PNH present and working. 
 
????         Police Academy:  Most buildings in good shape.  The 
Haitian Parliament used the Academy for its session on January 18. 
 
¶4.      (SBU)  The following is a recap of a Poloff survey of other 
commissariats on January 15: 
 
????         Petionville:  Operational with PNH present and working. 
Jail facilities intact. 
 
????         Canape Vert:  Damaged but operational.  PNH present and 
working, but few in number. 
 
????         Pacot:  Damaged but operational.  PNH present and 
working, but few in number. 
 
 
 
PRISON SITUATION ON January 15: 
 
 
 
¶5.      (SBU)  Embassy NAS Director met GOH Director of Prisons on 
January 18.  He acknowledged that most prisoners escaped when 
guards abandoned their posts.  He also said that a formal request 
for USG assistance to the corrections sector will be forthcoming. 
 
¶6.      (SBU)  Post has received the following survey of prisons in 
the region: 
 
????         National Prison:  Four inmates died within the prison 
and 
the rest escaped.  We were not able to confirm this information as 
prison officials did not permit him to enter. 
 
????         Carrefour:  150 inmates escaped from a population of 
¶271. 
The 121 inmates who remain in the prison are without water or 
electricity.  There is enough food for a few days. 
 
????         Petionville:  Although there were no escapes, the 
inmates 
destroyed their cells and are currently in the yard.  They refuse 
to return to their cells and have been sleeping in the yard. 
 
????         Arcahais:   All 249 inmates escaped. 
 
????         Delmas 33:   211 youths escaped while three decided to 
stay put.  Eighty-one adult inmates in the new building built by 
MINUSTAH as a temporary measure to relieve the population pressures 
at the Gonaives Commissariat also escaped.  These adults freed the 
youths at the time of the escape.  The previously existing prison 
shows signs of cracking, but the new building appears to have 
maintained its structural integrity. 
 
????         Jacmel:  80 inmates escaped.  An assessment of the 
facility will be completed in the next few days. 
 
????         St. Marc:  None of the inmates escaped.  An assessment 
of 
the facility will be completed in the next few days. 
 
PRIVATE SECTOR AIMS TO RESUME BUSINESS 
 
 
 
¶7.      (SBU)  On January 17, members of Haiti's private sector 
began discussions on how to contribute to relief efforts, resume 
business operations and begin rebuilding the Haitian economy. 
Charles Castel, Governor of Haiti's Central Bank (BRH) told EmbOff 
on January 16 that priorities in addressing Haiti's current "broken 
economy" include ensuring the safety of the banking system and 
empowering small debtors "to get the people in all strata of 
society back on their feet."  Georges Sassine, President of the 
Haitian Association of Industry (ADIH), said that SONAPI, one of 
Haiti's major national industrial parks, is largely intact. 
Garment factories aim to recommence apparel production on January 
25 and export to the U.S. through the Dominican Republic.  Business 
leaders will also be meeting with Ambassador Merten January 19. 
 
¶8.      (SBU)  BRH and the Professional Association of Banks (APB) 
announced in a radio statement on January 16 that they were meeting 
and working for a gradual reopening of all banks in a professional 
manner and a secure environment.  BRH opened for the morning of 
January 18, only for special operations, such as the purchase of 
fuel and pharmaceuticals.  Most banks that are able to open plan to 
re-open on January 21. 
 
¶9.      (SBU)  Some gas stations were dispensing gas, but the lines 
were long. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Poloff observed that the number of roadside merchants 
is increasing, selling a variety of local fruits and vegetables 
along with the usual staples of pasta, rice and some bread. 
However, the number of vendors is about half the usual amount.  The 
fruits were fresh and of excellent quality, indicating that the 
transport of such items into Port-au-Prince is working.  Bottled 
water is also available for sale on the street.  Vendors are 
hampered by the lack of fuel for transport vehicles and by streets 
that are still blocked by collapsed buildings and walls.  While 
most of the arterial streets are passable (if only by one lane), 
most secondary streets remain blocked. 
 
GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENTS 
 
 
 
¶11.  (SBU)  A radio talk show host blasted President Pr????val on 
Signal FM on January 18 for hesitating to authorize the U.S. 
military to deploy.  Citizens also complained about Pr????val 
ordering 
the police not to shoot the looters who are themselves shooting at 
police and are attacking stores, supermarkets and residents 
downtown and in the Port-au-Prince suburbs.  Hundreds of calls from 
angry citizens poured into the studio of Radio Signal FM to 
denounce the government. 
 
¶12.  (SBU)  According to USAID contractor David Payne: 
 
????         Parliament requested security for the destroyed 
Parliament site to prevent the looting of safes and wallets (from 
deceased victims). 
 
????         Parliament is preparing to use the Police Academy as a 
meeting site, which is suitable for immediate needs.  Security at 
that location is excellent.  Parliament requested a small space in 
the old U.S. Embassy for parliamentary leadership. 
 
????         Twenty-four bodies have been recovered from the 
collapsed 
Parliament building, including 22 staff and two members of 
Parliament.  Senator Michelet's body was remitted to his family. 
It is reported that Senator Wilbert also perished (unconfirmed). 
One survivor was extricated and sent to a field hospital.  There 
were no known MPs in the building. 
 
????         Speaker Kelly Bastien has been transported to Miami for 
medical treatment.  According to public radio reports, Bastien  was 
originally transferred to a hospital in Santiago, DR where he was 
successfully treated for a broken leg and a broken ankle, but then 
blood appeared in his urine. 
 
????         Armed looters are loitering in the area of the 
Parliament 
building.  While working in the vicinity, Payne was stopped in his 
vehicle at gunpoint and robbed on January 13.  His vehicle was also 
damaged by the attackers. 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Parliament has been meeting at the Police Academy, 
including the morning of January 19.  Payne reported that security 
at the Academy is excellent.  Radio reports indicated that 
parliamentarians unanimously opposed the President's decision to 
form emergency commissions in their first meeting after the 
collapse of the legislative building.  There has been a debate as 
to whether the current legal mandate for Parliament has expired. 
Despite an electoral law that allows parliamentarians to stay in 
function until May 2010, others point out that this violates the 
Haitian constitution. 
 
¶14.   (SBU)  Comment: Following the earthquake, Parliament's 
relevance has been diminished significantly.  Its relevance and 
credibility is being further undermined its by opposition to the 
formation of emergency commissions, which is viewed as a petty 
political maneuver and typical of parliamentary game playing. 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
MERTEN