VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHDG #0017/01 0152115
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 152115Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0535
INFO RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHEHWSR/WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEHBH/AMEMBASSY NASSAU
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0017
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0053
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000017
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID DR AMGT ASEC HA
SUBJECT: SDO Earthquake SitRep 4
REF: A) SDO 11; B) SDO 80; C) SDO 88
1. (U)Embassy Santo Domingo Earthquake Sitrep 4, further to
reftels:
Communications with U.S. Embassy PAP
2. (U) Normal communications established between Port-au-Prince and
Santo Domingo, including ClassNet, OpenNet, VPN (including IVG).
Post has not had communications with HF radio system. Officers from
RIMC Ft. Lauderdale were provided transportation to Port-au-Prince.
Transportation arrangements have been made for the Managua IPO and
the RIMC rover to arrive to Port-au-Prince on 1/15 in the
afternoon. RIMC rover will be bringing additional communications
equipment, including 12 laptops.
Receiving Center, San Isidro Airport
3. (U) Volunteers from the Mission are staffing a receiving center
for evacuees at San Isidro airport. The IRM section set up 22
phone lines (with phones), computer setups for ACS and AGS
processing, travel services, FMO services (with 42" plasma displays
at each station), each with internet connectivity, two television
setups and robust announcing systems.
NIV Section Suspends Services
4. (U) Santo Domingo's NIV Section will suspend non-immigrant visa
issuances on 1/19 and 1/20 to support relief efforts. Three Santo
Domingo Consular Officers have already arrived to Port-au-Prince in
order to further support Embassy PAP operations and to assist
American citizens.
Haiti-DR Border
5. (SBU) The International Organization for Migration (IOM)
reported the following: (a) there is a steady increase of Haitian
arrivals in Jimani; and (b)many Haitians in Port-au-Prince are "on
the move with [their] bags" not sure where to go. IOM noted that
there is a likelihood of a significant increase of Haitians seeking
to cross the border, and IOM is planning to set up camp sites,
inside the border with Haiti, to deal with this potential issue.
The director of IOM will meet with UN reps and GoDR's Secretary of
Defense upon return to Santo Domingo on 1/15 to discuss finding
tents, transportation, etc. IOM also said that there are
"distribution troubles" with the supplies, brought in from the DR,
on the Haitian side. The Emergency Operations Center in Jimani also
foresees an immediate shortage of fuel along the border area in
next few days.
6. (SBU) GoDR has also announced that it plans to ease some of its
immigration laws with respect to Haiti in order to better
facilitate the flow of people and aid to and from Port-au-Prince.
According to Dominican media sources, the GoDR announced that it
would allow undocumented Haitians who reside in the DR to see their
families and travel to Port-au-Prince and be allowed to return to
the DR.
7. (SBU)Military sources have also indicated somewhat orderly
control at the border near Jimani. All injured persons have been
allowed to pass into the DR without incident. The German Ambassador
has expressed concern about the growing insecurity within Haiti. A
second German convoy was sent to Haiti, which included a 4-man
emergency response team. The first convoy withdrew the families of
two German Embassy staff in Haiti.
Non-US Offers of Assistance
8. (SBU) The UNDP has agreed to take up the task of facilitating
request by other countries to bring personnel or other assistance
into Haiti. Thus far, US Embassy Santo Domingo has assisted or
received requests for assistance from the UK, France, Germany, and
Morocco, among others. The UNDP POC in Santo Domingo will now be:
Mr. Pavel Isa (pavel.isa@undp.org), cell: 809-307-5848.
GoDR Continues to Offer Help
9. (U) In a meeting with Haiti's President Rene Preval on 1/14,
President Leonel Fernandez said the GoDR would assist in helping to
reestablish telecommunication as well electrical systems in Haiti.
The Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago also announced that it has
sent a medical team to Haiti to assist those affected by the
earthquake. There was widespread media coverage of President
Obama's phone call to President Fernandez on 1/14 and their
discussions about aid to Haiti.
DR Public Schools Affected By Earthquake
10. (U) GoDR announced 111 public schools were affected by the
earthquake that occurred on 1/12 in Haiti. Two of the schools were
reported to be seriously damaged, while other schools only suffered
cracks and other minor infrastructure damages.
Other
11. (U) Post will continue to facilitate the provisions of
assistance, help Amcits arriving from Haiti to the DR, liaise with
the GoDR at all levels to support relief efforts to Haiti, and
report and monitor on any new developments.
12. (U) Minimize considered.
Lambert