VZCZCXYZ0018
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0142/01 0400051
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 090048Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0334
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
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000142 
 
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 1800, 
February 8, 2010 
 
¶1.                  (SBU) Summary: President Preval departed 
February 8 to Ecuador for a UNASUR summit, reportedly planning to 
return February 10.  The Canadian Government has proposed to build 
a temporary administrative complex for the GOH.  Commercial air 
traffic could partially resume as early as February 20.  The 
National Police and Ministry of Justice are working to portray a 
pro-active approach to tracking down fugitives, while peaceful 
protests (up to several hundred people) continue and people start 
returning to Port-au-Prince.  Parliament has upped its criticism of 
the GOH, but is unlikely to influence President Preval's ways.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
 
GOVERNMENT NEWS 
 
 
 
¶2.                  (SBU) President Preval is expected to attend 
the UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) summit in Ecuador, at 
the invitation of Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa (Note: Correa 
visited Port-au-Prince on January 29).  During a press conference 
over the weekend, Preval urged the population to remain patient and 
calm despite frustrations with aid deliveries. 
 
 
 
¶3.                  (SBU) The Canadian Government proposed to build 
a temporary administrative complex to house various government 
ministries destroyed during the earthquake.  A site has already 
been selected in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, east of 
Port-au-Prince. 
 
 
 
COMMERCIAL AIR TRAFFIC 
 
 
 
¶4.                  (SBU) American Airlines (AA) is in the process 
of finalizing its request to the Federal Aviation Administration to 
resume commercial flights to Port-au-Prince.  Minister of Finance, 
Ronald Baudin, announced on February 6 that flights would be 
resuming soon, but would not confirm a date.  The initial plan 
would be for up to four AA flights a day to arrive during daylight 
hours, which would allow the airport to support relief and U.S. 
sustainment flights during the evening.  The burden is on AA to 
prove that Port-au-Prince airport meets U.S. safety and security 
standards.  AA commercial flights could resume as early as February 
19-20. 
 
 
 
POLICE AND SECURITY 
 
 
 
¶5.                  (SBU) The National Police announced it will 
post pictures of escaped prisoners around town starting this week. 
An internal government proposal was floated to form a fugitive 
pursuit team, of HNP officers with international support, to begin 
focusing on making arrests.  The Ministry of Justice has attempted 
to demonstrate its pro-active efforts by focusing on the fugitives 
and pursuing the case of ten American citizens arrested for alleged 
child trafficking. 
 
 
 
¶6.                  (SBU) Peaceful protests (up to several hundred 
people) continue sporadically, including in the southern city of 
Jacmel, where protesters denounced the way NGOs are distributing 
aid bypassing local and national government structures.  Canadian 
Embassy officials in Jacmel told PolOff of their doubts about the 
capacity of local authorities, including the mayor, to manage the 
delivery of relief. 
 
 
 
¶7.                  (SBU) As aid delivery and cash for work 
programs remain targeted in and around Port-au-Prince, people who 
had initially fled to rural areas have begun returning to the 
capital, adding to existing pressures on infrastructure and 
humanitarian aid needs.  The risk of violence springing from IDP 
camps remains.  For example, the spontaneous settlement in Champs 
de Mars, in the National Palace area, comprises up to 20,000 people 
from different neighborhoods with concerns that gang and 
neighborhood rivalries could emerge if basic needs cannot be 
continually met through humanitarian aid. 
 
 
 
PARLIAMENT 
 
 
 
¶8.                  (SBU) A preliminary report in the Chamber of 
Deputies criticized the government's lack of leadership and deemed 
aid delivery to be inefficient.  Prime Minister Bellerive and some 
key ministers are expected at the Lower Chamber on February 9, one 
week after their appearance at a Senate hearing.  Concurrently, 
Senator Youri Latortue called for the creation of a new consensus 
government on a radio show, citing the inadequacy of the 
government's leadership. 
 
 
 
¶9.                  (SBU) Comment: Parliament is increasing its 
criticism of the aid delivery mechanisms, targeting the GOH and 
NGOs.  Parliament would have to approve an extension to the state 
of emergency instituted by President Preval beyond the initial 30 
days (expiring February 16).  This appears unlikely, unless Preval 
makes concessions to parliamentarians' demands for changes in 
government or increased control of the relief delivery mechanisms. 
Preval may choose to confront Parliament by pointing out its 
contested legitimacy (parliamentarians' mandate expired in 
mid-January, but was extended until mid-may by a Lower Chamber 
vote, deemed unconstitutional by observers).  Preval may be 
inclined to continue conducting government affairs under a "de 
facto" state of emergency without official parliamentary approval, 
while making concessions only on a limited basis.  End Comment. 
MERTEN