Cablegate: Tfha01: Haiti Earthquake Task Force Situation

VZCZCXRO8236
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #2201/01 0380410
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 070403Z FEB 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 2654
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY IMMEDIATE 3491
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE IMMEDIATE 0728
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC//USD:SOLIC// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/COMFIFTHFLT IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/COMSIXTHFLT IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/NGA HQ BETHESDA MD IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RHHJJAA/JICPAC PEARL HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USJFCOM NORFOLK VA IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAPE:PRO/DAPE-PRR-/DAPE:MO// IMMEDIATE
RUEADWD/DA WASHINGTON DC//DAMO-AOC-CAT//PCC// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USSTRATCOM OFFUTT AFB NE IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//TWC// IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J-3:JOD/J-1// IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 8025

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 012201

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC KFLO MARR PREL PINR AMGT HA
SUBJECT: TFHA01: HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE SITUATION
REPORT NO. 61

STATE 00012201 001.2 OF 003

VIP TRAVEL
----------

1. (SBU) Ambassador Merten reports former President Clinton
and Counselor Mills had a successful visit in Port-au-Prince
February 5, including good meetings with President Preval and
UN representatives. Both former President Clinton and
Counselor Mills have departed Haiti. (TF1/Interagency
Conference Call, TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

2. (SBU) PM Bellerive visited USS Bataan February 6.
(TF1/NAVSOUTH telcon)

EVACUATIONS/AMERICAN CITIZEN ISSUES
------------------------------------

3. (SBU) Two hundred fourteen American evacuees and family
members have departed Port-au-Prince since February 5 at 2000
EST; a total of 15,491 have been evacuated to date. A total
of 22,500 potential evacuees have been accounted for. There
are 50 American evacuees at the airport. (TF1/Embassy Port-
au-Prince e-mail)

4. (SBU) As of 1200 EST February 6, there are 77 confirmed
American citizen fatalities, with another 28 American citizen
deaths reported. (TF1/Embassy Port-au-Prince e-mail)

5. (U) Former President Clinton urged the Haitian and U.S.
governments to resolve the case of 10 American citizens
accused of trying to take children illegally out of Haiti.
(Reuters)

6. (U) A lawyer representing the 10 American citizens told
the press his clients did not receive conditional release.
The men will be held at the national prison, and the women at
Petionville women's prison. (AFP)

7. (SBU) PM Bellerive approved a list of 17 adoptees for
departure February 5; another list of 54 adoptees awaits the
PM's review. The Embassy plans to present a consolidated
list of pending cases early next week to streamline the
approval process. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

8. (SBU) The Bureau of Consular Affairs hosted a call with
the families of Hotel Montana victims to explain the lengthy
process of identification, and underscore the importance of
confirming positive identifications before notifying
families (TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

HUMANITARIAN UPDATE
-------------------

9. (SBU) NGOs distributed food at all 16 distribution sites
in Port-au-Prince February 5 without incident.
(TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

10. (SBU) WFP and NGOs will adjust aid levels at food
distribution sites to better address each area's population
density and magnitude of need. At Cite Soleil, for example,
the lead NGO will assist as many as 3,400 families, which is
twice the number of recipient families at other sites.
(USAID-OFDA Haiti EQ SitRep #47)

11. (SBU) USAID/DART team members in Petit Goave and Grand
Goave reported water access among displaced persons in
spontaneous settlements remains poor, though NGOs are
distributing bottled water and filling a limited number of
water bladders. USAID/DART estimates water availability and
access remain comparable to pre-earthquake levels in many
rural communities. (USAID/DCHA Haiti Fact Sheet #24)

12. (SBU) The Haitian government reportedly identified four
new settlement sites that may house up to 5,500 people.
Additional sites pending approval could potentially host up
to 80,000 people. Land tenure issues are complicating the
establishment of temporary settlements. (USAID/DCHA Haiti
Fact Sheet #24)

13. (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM)
and partner agencies have identified 315 settlement sites in
Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, hosting more than
500,000 persons. IOM also notes more than 1,000 Haitians
cross into the Dominican Republic via the Jimani border
crossing point daily. (USAID/DCHA Haiti Fact Sheet #24)

14. (U) Haitians who fled the capital are starting to return.
(AP)

MEDICAL RESPONSE
----------------

15. (SBU) Canada is developing procedures to treat Haitian
medevac patients and would welcome information from the
United States and other countries regarding visas and
financial expenditures. (Ottawa 55)

16. (SBU) The Colombian government expressed willingness to
accept a small number of Haitian patients and offered to
increase its MINUSTAH contingent in Haiti from 27 to 35.
(Bogota 167)

17. (SBU) The U.S. Interim Aftercare Facility has 20 medical
personnel on staff, and the first three patients have arrived
from USNS Comfort. (SOUTHCOM HADR SitRep)

SECURITY/INFRASTRUCTURE
-----------------------

18. (SBU) SOUTHCOM reports repairs on the Port-au-Prince pier
are scheduled to begin February 7 with an estimated
completion date of April 15. (DHS Senior Leadership Brief)

19. (SBU) The security situation remains stable with sporadic
incidents of violence. (Port-au-Prince 130)

20. (SBU) Approximately 700 women demonstrated in front of
the Presidential Palace and UN Headquarters Compound.
Protestors reportedly called for more medical assistance and
a smaller military presence. (SOUTHCOM Intelligence Summary)

21. (SBU) Canadian officials reportedly witnessed the extra-
judicial killing of prisoners by Haitian National Police in
the south. (Port-au-Prince 130)

22. (SBU) U.S. military personnel defused criminal activity
east of Port-au-Prince when a groups of individuals attempted
to steal humanitarian assistance from the back of a NGO
vehicle stopped in traffic. U.S. military personnel secured
the scene until the Haitian National Police arrived.
(SOUTHCOM HADR SitRep)

23. (SBU) Police officials began distributing paychecks to
officers late the evening of February 4, and distribution
continued February 5. Normally a five-day process, paycheck
delivery likely will take longer under the current
circumstances. (TF1/Interagency Conference Call)

24. (U) UN officials report only 85 of 1,500 schools in
Haitian areas hit by the earthquake survived without major
damage. UNESCO requested international assistance for school
reconstruction and teacher training. (upi.com)

25. (U) The Colombian National Police offered to host
children of Haitian police officials to study in Colombia for
one year. (Bogota 167)

OTHER MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS
----------------------

26. (SBU) USS McClusky briefly entered Colombian territorial
waters to recover one of the ship's helicopters, which
declared an in-flight emergency due to mechanical problems.
The U.S. military immediately notified the GOC, and the
Colombian response was positive. (Port-au-Prince 120)

27. (U) Additional updates are available through our
classified Intellipedia portal at
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Cris is_HAITI.

27 . (U) Minimize considered.
CLINTON

© Scoop Media