US embassy cable - 03SANTODOMINGO7427

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 007427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, WHA/EPSC, WHA/PA, EB; DEPT PASS USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, OVIP, EAID, DR 
SUBJECT: ASSISTANT SECRETARY NORIEGA HEARS CONCERNS OF 
DOMINICAN CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS 
 
REF: A. A) SANTO DOMINGO 7304 
 
     B. B) SANTO DOMINGO 4249 
 
1. (U) Summary: WHA Assistant Secretary Noriega heard leaders 
of Dominican civil society groups express deep concern about 
weak institutions and the GODR's apparent disregard for law. 
They see risks in the presidential election process, 
especially given the politicization of the Elections Board 
and the pugnacious determination of President Mejia to be 
re-elected, perhaps at any cost.  The Assistant Secretary 
stressed U.S. interest in clean elections and impartiality 
among the candidates.  The civil society leaders requested 
continuing U.S. involvement before, during and after the May 
16 election.  End summary. 
 
2. (U) On December 11, just before his departure to call on 
the Dominican Central Elections Board (JCE), Assistant 
Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) Roger Noriega 
 
SIPDIS 
spent an hour with civic society leaders from the business 
community and NGOs. 
 
3. (SBU) Speaking with the Assistant Secretary were: 
 
Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collada, Rector of the Catholic 
University (PUCMM), who heads the "Elections Follow-up 
Commission," a watchdog/mediation group of notables formed 
for every national election since 1994; 
 
Elena Viyella de Paliza, President of the National Council of 
Private Enterprise (CONEP), the leading private-sector 
association in the country and an incisive voice for 
business, often critical of the Mejia administration; 
 
Celso Marranzini, businessman, President of Action for Basic 
Education, Inc. (EDUCA) and former president of CONEP, 
associated with the PLD; 
 
Frank Castillo, CONEP Executive Vice President; 
 
Marisol Vicens, President of the National Association of 
Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE), an articulate, engaged young 
lawyer; her widely reported address the previous day to the 
AmCham presented a devastating "list of Christmas wishes" 
that advocated replacement of the entire economic team of the 
GODR and a "return to respect for the rule of law"; 
 
Miriam Diaz Santana, Coordinator General of Participation 
Ciudadana (PC), a 10-year-old NGO focused on citizen 
engagement and monitoring of political process and rule of 
law; 
 
Javier Cabreja, Executive Director of PC; 
 
Juan Bolivar Diaz Santana, Member of PC; 
 
Francisco Alvarez Valdes, Member of PC who raised the issue 
of bilateral cooperation in recovering illegally acquired 
assets transferred overseas (from Baninter, for example); 
 
Fausto Rosario, Member of PC who warned that there are many 
people who do not believe in the democratic process; and 
 
Jose Alfredo Rizek, Executive Director of the Foundation for 
Institutionalism and Justice (FINJUS), the NGO that monitors 
performance of the Dominican justice system and advocates 
reform; Rizek is a full partner in the firm that employs 
Marisol Vicens (above) and writes a weekly column on judicial 
matters in leading daily "El Caribe". 
 
THE LONG ROAD TO A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION 
 
4. (U) Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collada, given the chance to 
open the discussion, launched into a history lesson on the 
positive effects of USG attention to the problematic 
elections of 1986, 1994, 1996 and 1998. He recalled USAID 
assistance in establishing the Central Elections Board (JCE). 
 Mons. Nunez welcomed Ambassador Hertell's widely publicized 
message of USG neturality in the election. "It is evident, 
however, that political parties are using their power to 
influence the election outcome."  The composition of the JCE 
was voted by the Mejia-dominated legislature and was heavily 
slanted in the President's favor.  Of the 9 JCE judges, 6 
belong to the ruling PRD party, 5 of them to President 
Mejia's PPH faction.   The JCE's technical preparation should 
be a priority, said Nunez, but the JCE has not abided by 
certain terms of an agreement with the commission and the 
political parties on selecting technical directors of 
computer systems and identity card issuance. 
 
5. (U) Participacion Ciudadana General Coordinator Miriam 
Diaz argued that the entire electoral process is weak and 
"the political framework in the Dominican Republic tends to 
breed dictators."  Diaz found President Mejia's bid for a 
second term in keeping with this authoritarian tradition. The 
real challenge, she contended, was establishing sustainable 
commitment to democracy.  Civil society needs international 
support to prepare for a "time of disequilibrium in the 
Dominican Republic".  Civil society is exasperated and 
confused by the many dire institutional issues; the bank 
failures and scandals are only one aspect of irregularities 
which cause the citizens to trust no one -- not the JCE, not 
business, not political parties and certainly not the 
government.  Mejia trails so far behind the front runner in 
the polls that many Dominicans expect his supporters to 
cheat.  In these cirumstances, the prospect of a free and 
fair presidential election is in doubt. 
 
NEED FOR CIVIC EDUCATION 
 
6. (U) CONEP President Elena Viyella, PC Executive Director 
Javier Cabreja and ANJE President Marisol Vicens each 
emphasized that most Dominicans do not understand their civic 
duties.  Viyella suggested that civil society join forces to 
launch a public education campaign (which her organization 
would support) to explain citizens' rights, such as the right 
to vote and to be heard.  Javier Cabreja echoed that 
suggestion. He noted a direct historical link between 
political contributions and bank scandals -- events to which 
most Dominicans have simply grown accustomed.  Vicens 
lamented a lack of respect for the Constitution in a "culture 
of lawlessness".  As a result, citizens accept corrupt 
behavior as the norm instead of pressing for change. 
 
IT'S THE ECONOMY ...OR IS IT? 
 
7. (U) EDUCA President Celso Marranzini and FINJUS Executive 
Director Jose Rizek agreed that the overall crisis in the 
Dominican Republic arises from institutional problems, not 
just economic factors. Marranzini blamed the GODR economic 
team for lack of coordination (ANJE President Marisol Vicens 
made a similar point, noted in para 3).  Congress got its 
share of the blame.  Marranzini and Rizek cited the August 16 
violence at the Chamber of Deputies (in which shots were 
fired to prevent a new speaker from taking office, ref B) as 
an example of weak institutions.  Rizek stressed that to 
date, patronage has always won out over institution building. 
 Social consciousness of and respect for institutions -- not 
corruption -- should be the basis on which to build a strong 
economy.  But this message has not yet reached the masses. 
 
 
8. (SBU) Assistant Secretary Noriega stressed that civil 
society participation is critical to development in any 
country, and all the more so in the Dominican Republic "where 
the United States wants to help create a society that is 
stable, transparent and ethical."  The Ambassador welcomed 
ongoing collaboration with civic leaders and entrepreneurs. 
 
9. (SBU) Comment.  Civil society leaders spoke frankly and 
even harshly about the politicization of the JCE and clearly 
were worried about the potential for violence. They asked 
urgently for U.S. involvement before and during the election, 
and after the dust settles - - when a new president is 
elected and the real work of rebuilding a vulnerable society 
begins. 
 
10. (U) This message was not reviewed by Assistant Secretary 
Noriega. 
HERTELL