VZCZCXRO6085
PP RUEHQU
DE RUEHPU #0893 1351943
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151943Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6104
INFO RUEHZH/HAITI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 1535
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1354
RUEHQU/AMCONSUL QUEBEC PRIORITY 0809
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1220
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000893
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
WHA/EX PLEASE PASS USOAS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM HA
SUBJECT: ATTACKS ON JUSTICE MINISTER GENERATES PUSH-BACK
REF: A. PORT-AU-PRINCE 869
B. PORT-AU-PRINCE 848
1. The chamber of deputies' special committee of special
enquiry on May 11 released a report concluding that Justice
Minister Rene Magloire had lied about summoning the deceased
judge Hughes St. Pierre to Port-au-Prince. The committee's
report cited six interviews with St. Pierre's family members
and colleagues in Gonaives who claimed that St. Pierre told
them that he was traveling to Port-au-Prince at the
minister's request. In response, Prime Minister Jacques
Edouard Alexis denied that St. Pierre's death had any
connection to the La Scierie case (reftels) and called for an
independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding
the judge's death. Other deputies criticized the manner in
which the special committee released its findings. Laurore
Edouard (UNION) declared that the special committee does not
have official standing since the procedures to appoint such a
committee were never initiated in the lower chamber. Eloune
Doreus (OPL) concurred that an inquiry may be appropriate,
but insisted that the special committee cannot be seen as an
official organ of the lower house.
2. Comment. Apart from trying to link the judge's death to a
government conspiracy to absolve the La Scierie defendants,
Youri Latortue and his allies in the Senate appear to be
using this opportunity to derail justice reform legislation.
Latortue has already publicly stated that the minister's
proposed legislation is "chaotic," and is reportedly
preparing an alternative proposal. (Post will report fully
on the status of justice reform septel) Under the current
circumstances, Magloire is unlikely to appear anytime soon
before the parliament for any reason, whether to answer
questions relating to St. Pierre or to push for reform. In
the meantime, if his opponents can damage his credibility,
that damage is likely to rub off on his proposed legislation
as well. End comment.
SANDERSON