US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO1361

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR TF1 - HAITI AND FOR WHA/CAR, WHA/PA, INL, PA; 
SOUTHCOM FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, HA, DR 
SUBJECT: CANARD; ALLEGED TRAINING OF HAITI INSURGENTS IN 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
1.  Embassy advises that Boston Globe reporter Bryan Bender 
(e-mail bender@globe.com, tels 202-857-5060, cell 
202-369-6856) drafted on February 29 a text based on 
allegations of unidentified sources (including one "Haitian 
official") that Haitian insurgents received training and 
weapons from U.S. Southcom/Special Forces training teams in 
Santo Domingo in 2003 during the Operation Jaded Task. Some 
were supposedly "under cover" of building hospitals and 
clinics.  Allegation is that U.S. military shortly afterwards 
delivered 20,000 M-16s to the Dominican army and some were 
smuggled across to Haiti. 
 
2.  We understand that an intel agency referred this story to 
Southern Command public affairs for reply. 
 
3.  This story is close to 100 percent false.  For the record 
and after checking within the Embassy, we note: 
 
- - Operation "Jaded Task" was scheduled for March 2003. 
This special forces training exercise is carried out every 
other year in a partner country in the hemisphere.  The 2003 
exercise was scheduled for Peru but when Peruvian authorities 
were unable to host, venue was changed to the Dominican 
Republic.  Though some initial survey work was done, in fact 
the exercise did not repeat not take place. 
 
- - Two clinics and two schools were in fact repaired or 
built in May 2003 by Seabees on exercises in operation "New 
Horizons." 
 
- - Under the U.S. program for Foreign Military Financing 
(FMF), the U.S. has arranged to provide the Dominican 
military with 20,000 reconditioned M-16 A1 rifles, previously 
used by the U.S. National Guard.  None of these -- repeat 
none -- has yet been delivered. 
 
- - The United States military has not at any time provided 
military training in the Dominican Republic for Haitians or 
for private contractor paramilitaries. 
 
- - It is true that in early 2003 Foreign Minister Tolentino 
Dipp asked the Embassy for details about planned military 
training, and the Embassy furnished this information.  This 
occurred in the context of unfounded press reports alleging 
that U.S. forces would number in the thousands and that they 
would be engaged in tasks other than training. 
 
 
KUBISKE