US embassy cable - 04PARAMARIBO183

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000183 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - MSEIBEL, HAITI MONTORING TASK FORCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, NS 
SUBJECT: SURINAMESE MINISTER OF DEFENSE DISAVOWS PRESS 
REPORTS OF GOS WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT HAITAIAN REFUGEES 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1.  (U)  SURINAMESE DEFENSE/ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER RONALD 
ASSEN DISAVOWED TO THE EMBASSY A HEADLINE STORY IN THE 
FEBRUARY 25 EDITION OF THE LOCAL DAILY DE WARE TIJD, IN 
WHICH HE REPORTEDLY DECLARED SURINAME'S WILLINGNESS TO 
ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES IF THE SITUATION IN HAITI 
DETERIORATES.  CONTRARY TO WHAT WAS REPORTED IN THE PRESS, 
ASSEN TOLD THE EMBASSY THAT HE HAD ONLY EXPRESSED SURINAME'S 
WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER A REQUEST BY THE INTERNATIONAL 
COMMUNITY TO ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES.  (NOTE.  IN 1996, 
SURINAME PARTICIPATED IN THE US-LED OPERATION DISTANT HAVEN 
AND MADE RUDIMENTARY PREPARATIONS FOR A MAKESHIFT CAMP NEXT 
TO THE AYOKO MILITARY COMPOUND, LOCATED NEAR THE 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FOR AN INFLUX OF HAITIAN REFUGEES, 
WHICH NEVER MATERIALIZED.  TODAY THE "REFUGEE CAMP" AMOUNTS 
TO A GRASSY FIELD WITH CONCRETE SLABS, WHICH LACKS THE 
NECESSARY INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT A REFUGEE POPULATION. 
END NOTE.) 
 
2.  (SBU)  COMMENT.  THE MISINTERPRETATION BY THE PRESS OF 
MINISTER ASSEN'S STATEMENTS CONCERNING SURINAME'S 
WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT HAITIAN REFUGEES IS YET ANOTHER 
EXAMPLE OF THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE EMPLOYED BY SURINAME'S 
UNDERDEVELOPED PRESS.  THE STATEMENT BY ASSEN THAT SURINAME 
WOULD CONSIDER ANY REQUEST BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO 
TAKE IN HAITIAN REFUGEES IS A FAR CRY FROM THE ASSERTION 
    THAT SURINAME IS WILLING TO ACCEPT REFUGEES.  ASSEN AND 
OTHER GOS OFFICIALS CAN LIMIT SUCH PRESS GAFFES BY SPEAKING 
LESS FREELY WITH THE PRESS.  END COMMENT. 
 
3. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
 
BARNES 
 
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            2004PARAMA00183 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED 
 
 
 
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