US embassy cable - 05PORTAUPRINCE1786

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 001786 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INFO HAITI COLLECTIVE 
INFO HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL 
INFO AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 
INFO AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
INFO AMEMBASSY QUEBEC 
 
FOR WHA/CAR-BNICHOLS, WHA/PDA-RQUIROZ 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, PGOV, PREL, HA 
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S JULY 4 SPEECH: HAITIAN TERRORISTS 
WILL NOT SUCCEED 
 
 
1. (U) Summary: In his speech at the embassy's annual 
Independence Day reception, Ambassador Foley rallied guests 
by insisting that politically motivated violence against 
civilians would not succeed in derailing the elections. He 
encouraged Haitian unity against violence and called all 
Haitians not only to register to vote but also to demand 
programmatic platforms from political parties. The speech 
continues to receive widespread coverage in radio and 
television outlets and has sparked positive commentary. 
e commentary. 
English translation follows. End Summary 
 
AMBASSADOR FOLEY'S INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH 
 
2. (U) Minister Bazin, members of the government and the 
diplomatic corps, distinguished guests, dear friends, I 
thank all of you for coming to share our celebration of the 
229th anniversary of the independence of the United States. 
I believe it is particularly important that we are gathered 
here together  Haitians, Americans and our friends from 
the international community  to demonstrate our solidarity 
with the Haitian people in one of the most painful moments 
of their history. The history of my own country has also 
been punctuated by difficult trials: a civil war, two world 
wars and the struggle against racial discrimination in our 
society. Since September 11, 2001, we have found ourselves 
once again confronted by a major challenge. That day we 
were struck by the biggest terrorist attack ever known. But 
the American people have not shirked from this challenge; 
; 
they remain determined to vanquish this scourge regardless 
of the cost for us and regardless of how long it takes. 
 
3. (U) This experience has made us extremely aware of the 
difficulties the Haitian people are currently experiencing. 
Today in Haiti, people are burning homes; they are burning 
stores; they are attacking transportation and communication 
links; they are kidnapping people of all social classes; 
they are assassinating, torturing and raping. The June 1st 
attack on the Tete Boeuf market was unimaginably savage; 
the attackers shot at people so that they would perish 
inside the market that they had torched. 4,000 merchants 
and employees lost their livelihoods. 
 
4. (U) All of this has a name. The use of violence against 
civilians for political purposes is the very definition of 
terrorism. The difference with our experience is that in 
Haiti this is happening silently, daily and secretly. The 
terrorists do not dare to reveal themselves; they do not 
dare to claim responsibility for their actions. There are 
certainly criminal and shadowy elements who have aligned 
with the political masterminds, and whose participation 
only makes the political aims all the more illegitimate. 
But for the most part we know what is involved and who is 
involved. That is why Ambassador Valdes condemned certain 
so-called political representatives who attend meetings 
with the United Nations while at the same time planning 
violence against the United Nations forces. 
 
5. (U) The people responsible for the violence can 
certainly still do more harm. They are strong when it comes 
to destruction. However, they are incapable of building 
anything. In fact, their use of violence is a sign of 
weakness. They claim to represent many Haitians, but in 
fact they terrorize them and hold them hostage, preventing 
any possibility of an economic recovery that would benefit 
the population. They claim to be popular, but in reality 
they are afraid of the elections. They commit terrorist 
acts in order to destroy the electoral process and retake 
power to serve their own interests. Above all they seek to 
prevent the people from freely choosing their next leaders. 
 
6. (U) But they will not succeed. First of all because they 
need anonymity, and this they no longer enjoy. There is not 
a single responsible government in the world that will 
treat with those spreading terror in Haiti. In continuing 
with their campaign of destruction and destabilization, 
they are excluding themselves politically. 
 
7. (U) They will not succeed as well because they do not 
have the support of the people. The people want peace and 
economic progress. This requires a return of tranquility, 
which is the only way to profit from international 
assistance and to attract investments critical to economic 
recovery. 
 
8. (U) They will not succeed, finally, because the 
international community will not give in to terrorist 
pressure. The solidarity of the international community 
will be manifested. MINUSTAH and all the members of the 
United Nations that support it will create the climate 
necessary for holding free and independent elections in 
Haiti. 
 
9. (U) However, to succeed we also need the support of all 
elements of Haitian society. There needs first of all to be 
a surge of national unity against violence and in favor of 
the rebuilding of the country. The reshuffled transition 
government now has the road map of the Council of Wise Men, 
supported by civil society, to implement. What is needed is 
to make rapid and concrete progress in the areas of 
security, elections preparation and in the struggle against 
misery in the most afflicted neighborhoods. The Provisional 
Electoral Council also must bestir itself and finally play 
effectively its role in preparing the elections. And the 
political parties themselves have a great responsibility in 
the success of the transition. They should seek to 
establish unity on behalf of the supreme interests of the 
nation  first by condemning, without exception, the use of 
violence for political ends; and then by working for the 
amalgamation of political parties and candidacies in order 
to give the people coherent and viable choices at the time 
of the elections. 
 
10. (U) Here this evening, the theme of our celebration is 
Democracy for all. Around this theme we have organized an 
exhibit of democratic movements around the world  in Asia, 
Europe, the United States and Haiti. Each photo bears 
witness to the desire of every human being to shape his 
destiny by voting for the candidates of his choice. 
 
11. (U) On this occasion I therefore launch an appeal to 
all Haitians to go register for the elections so that you 
can indeed shape your destiny. I know that in the present 
circumstances it is very difficult to see a way out of the 
current situation. But the key to change is in your hands. 
You not only have to register, but you should also mobilize 
yourselves to demand specific plans from the political 
l 
parties and eventual candidates as to how they would change 
the country. You have had too much experience with 
politicians who make promises that they do not keep, and 
who seek power in order to profit themselves from power. 
 
12. (U) Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to close by 
recalling the recent visit to Haiti of a great American, 
Ambassador Andrew Young, whose personal witness and 
experience are relevant to the current situation in Haiti. 
Ambassador Young was a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr.; he was present at his assassination. He 
explained to us how he and his other colleagues decided to 
forego vengeance and instead continue on a peaceful path to 
obtain the changes for which Dr. King gave his life. He 
also explained how as mayor of Atlanta he managed to bring 
together all the social classes to work for the common 
good. He was able to persuade the wealthy that it was in 
their interest that the economy benefit the whole 
population, even in the most underprivileged communities. 
Today, the remarkable prosperity of Atlanta is the result 
of the reconciliation and collaboration among all social 
classes that Ambassador Young was able to foster, so that 
the American dream would become accessible to all. 
 
13. (U) There is a need for this kind of dream in Haiti 
today. There needs to be an outpouring of solidarity among 
brothers and sisters of this country in order to finally 
end the violence that has blighted the history of Haiti; to 
turn the page on these most difficult past 20 years; and to 
go forward towards democracy and economic progress for all. 
The United States is linked forever to Haiti. You can count 
on the American people to help you and to accompany you all 
along this difficult but unavoidable path. 
 
FOLEY