Haiti and UN Peacekeeping Missions

Haiti and UN peacekeeping Missions The latest era of the UN presence in Haiti started during September 1991 at the time when President Aristide's democratically elected administration was ousted a military government under the leadership of General Raoul Cedras and compelled to flee. The reaction of the international community was quick and started a three-year process of sanctions and negotiations with the military government prior to President Aristide's ultimate return to power during 1994.

The reaction of the Organization of the American States -- OAS and the Caribbean Community -- CARICOM was particularly strong, prompted by the OAS's fresh dedication to the strengthening of the representative democracy in the region and the important contribution of the two organizations in easing and supervising the election in which Aristide had emerged triumphant. The OAS quickly put an embargo on all aid in favor of Haiti save for humanitarian assistance.

However, following several days when the OAS entrustment parleying with the military government was given orders to depart from the nation, the organization asked the members to put a trade embargo. (Kumar, Chetan; Reinner, 12) In the meantime, a severe onslaught on the political opposition by the military administration triggered a mass evacuation from Haiti to the U.S. UN Secretary General, Boutros Ghali during the autumn of 1992, gave orders for a joint OAS/UN mission to Haiti to start negotiation with the government.

An OAS special envoy for Haiti, Dante Caputo was appointed thereafter. General Cedras and the Prime Minister of Haiti, Marc Bazin stated that they desired to cooperate. Giving a memorandum to Caputo during January 1993, they accepted a proposal to start a joint OAS/UN civilian mission in order to monitor human rights. Delving a little deeper into history, it reveals that the most vital matter to comprehend regarding present Haiti is that it is the sole country in history that have been founded by slaves who defeated their masters.

This distinctive aspect of the history of Haiti is regarded as an asset as also a liability. Because of the delight in their momentous triumph permits Haitians to regard them as a single nation, regardless of the deep social gap that separates the top from the bottom, this same delight also builds an inward concentration that checks a lot of Haitians from learning from others.

Majority of the officials from the international arena those who have dealt with Haiti will definitely remember the trying occasion in which they started to recommend solutions for Haiti's concerns on the basis of experience of other developing nations, they were told again that their recommendations were motivating from the intellectual standpoint, however it was not applicable as Haiti was a something different.

(Kumar, Chetan; Reinner, 12) During July, 1994, the Security Council ordered the positioning of a multinational force of 20,000 to help in quick return of the rightful Haitian administration, upkeep a safe and stable government in the nation and foster the statute of law. After the multinational force, a number of subsequent UN peacekeeping missions continued from 1994 to 2001, inclusive of UN Support Mission in Haiti -- UNIMIH that started its complete functioning in March 1995, the UN Support Mission in Haiti -- UNSMIH and the UN Civilian Mission in Haiti -- MIPONUH.

Taking action on the recommendations of the Secretary-General, the Security Council approved resolution 1542 dated 30th April 2004, instituting MINUSTAH for a first six-month period, and called for that the power be shifted from the MIF to MINUSTAH on 1.6.2004. Starting on the state of affairs in Haiti on 18.11.2004 few days before ending of the 30.11.2004 of the mandate of MINUSTAH, the Secretary General explained the development made in the Mission's positioning since its beginning on 30 April.

Because of the approaching of deadline for the forthcoming elections due to be held in Feb 2006, it was recommended by the Secretary-General that the Council extend the Mission's mandate for an additional period of 18 months, until 31 May 2006, with certain alterations within the framework of the general structure.

(Haiti - MINUSTAH - Background) The Secretary General made proposals for adjustments which are as follows: putting up more formed police unit of 125 officers for a short-term period for positioning in Port-au-Prince, in order to give more support to the Haitian National Police, and to reinforce security systems in the capital; executing, past the Mission's first year, rapidly influencing projects of humanitarian type, improving MINUSTAH's ability to formulate disarmament, demobilization and reintegration --DDR projects in the community, and reinforcing MINUSTAH's potential to monitor and evaluate the legal and institutional perspective for DDR, inclusive of small arms control and added sector-associated laws; putting one extra engineering company to the Mission's military component, with the work of doing repairs for roads and bridges used by Mission staff at the time of implementation of their mandate: and reinforcing humbly the humanitarian and development management strengths of MINUSTAH in the wake of Haiti's susceptibility to natural disasters.

(Haiti - MINUSTAH - Background) After understanding that the state of affairs in Haiti persisted in posing a danger to global peace and safety in the area and as per provisions contained in Chapter VII of the UN Charter, the Security Council by its resolution 1542 of 30th April 2004, took a decision to set up the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti -- MINUSTAH and appealed that the authority be shifted from the Multinational Interim Force -- MIF, sanctioned by the Security Council during February 2004, to MINUSTAH on June 2004.

(Haiti-MINUSTAH-Mandate) The mission was set up with the mandate as follows: (i) secure & stable environment: (a) with the assistance of the Transitional Government, to guarantee a safe and established atmosphere in which the constitutional and political process in Haiti can happen.

(b) to help the Transitional Government in supervising, streamlining and modifying the Haitian National Police, in keeping with the democratic policing criteria, inclusive of selection and authorizing of its staff, counseling as regards on its redeployment and training, inclusive of gender training, as also monitoring / mentoring members of the Haitian National Police.

- to support the Transitional Government, especially the National Police of Haiti, with all-round and sustainable Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration -- DDR programs meant for all armed groups, inclusive of women and children linked with such groups, as also weapons control and public security initiatives; (d) to help in the restitution and upkeep of the rule of the law, security of common people and public order in Haiti through the provision among other things of functional support to the Haitian National Police and the Haitian Coast Guard, as also with their institutional reinforcement, inclusive of the reestablishment of the corrections system; (e) to safeguard UN staff, units, machineries and devices and to guarantee the security and sovereignty of movement of its personnel, considering the main responsibility of the Transitional Government in that aspect.

(f) to safeguard civilians under possible threat of physical violence, inside its potential and regions of installation, without unfairness to the responsibilities of the Transitional Government and of police administration.

(Haiti-MINUSTAH-Mandate) ii) Political Process: (a) to assist in the constitutional and political process which is continuing in Haiti, including by means of good offices, and promote values and democratic rule and development of institutions; (b) to help the Transitional Government in its endeavor to usher in a process of discussion at the national forum and reconciliation; - the help the Transitional Government in its endeavor to manage, evaluate, and undertake free and fair municipal, parliamentary and election to the office of the President as soon as possible, especially by means of provision of technical, logistical, and administrative assistance and long-term security, with right support to an electoral process with participation of voters which is representative of the national demographics, inclusive of women; (d) to help out the Transitional Government in extending State authority across Haiti and assist in good governance at the regional levels.

(Haiti-MINUSTAH-Mandate) iii) Human Rights: (a) to help the Transitional Government as also Haitian human rights institutions and groups in their endeavor to foster and safeguard human rights, especially of women and children, so as to guarantee personal responsibility for violation of human rights and seek remedy for the sufferers; (b) to evaluate and report on the situation of human rights, in assistance with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, covering as regards the condition of returned refugees and displaced individuals.

Besides the Council also appealed that MINUSTAH take steps for cooperation and coordination with the Organization of American States -- OAS and the Caribbean Community -- CARICOM in implementing its mandate. (Haiti-MINUSTAH-Mandate) The Security Council in its 15 Oct 2007 resolution extended the MINUSTAH through the middle part of October 2008 while minimizing its military constituent and augmenting police so as to adapt to the changing situation in the nation, in which civil unrest continues to be a threat, nevertheless gang violence has been significantly been lowered.

Through the collectively adopted resolution, the Council placed recommendations made by the Secretary General in its recent report on Haiti that ordered the peacekeeping force's military to augment its potential in border control, engineering and movement, whereas lowering its infantry forces. The Council supported Ban's suggestions to minimize the Mission's military force level by one company, or 140 troops while raising the police constituent with an additional formed police constituent of up to 140 officers for a net authorized force of 2091 police.

The final objective is to shift responsibilities to Haitian counterparts and to help the National Police of Haiti involvement in usual law and order responsibilities. (Extending UN's Haiti mission, Security Council adjusts forces to reflect changes) On the military camp, the rest 7060 armies will be configured again based on a latest threat assessment. Ban gave a warning in his report that there are chances of civil unrest in the continuance of an intense socio-economic divide. Apart from that, the capability for fresh clashes inside the nation remains a possibility.

He warned while the illegal drug business persists to weakening impact on Haiti. In answer to that the Mission will lower its military presence in urban areas wherein more Haitian and international policing potential would help in the shifting of some elementary patrolling duties, and will reinstall military personnel to set up patrols within maritime and also in regions where there are land borders, in assistance with the Haitian National Police and MINUSTAH police.

(Extending UN's Haiti mission, Security Council adjusts forces to reflect changes) During the period when U.S. occupied Haiti from 1915 till 1934, it was in answer to a danger to an apparent strategic concern. The concern, initially mentioned by President James Monroe in the principle by his name, was that the fresh colonization of any portion of the Americas by a European force endangered the security of the U.S. The assumption of President Theodore Roosevelt, that in order to ward off the European forces off, the U.S.

is required to take upon the role of regional policeman, was executed in Haiti by his following successor Woodrow Wilson. The Latin American procedure of strategic negation identified the region's capability to be a total risk to the security of the U.S. lest any portion of it comes under the control of a hostile force. Concurrently with the turning of the century, the evaluation of the danger's possibility lowered such that it became reasonable to consider the area as an economy of Force Theater.

This became the situation at the time of both World Wars I and II as well as during the Cold War. (Fishel, 35) Critical Appraisal of the MINUSTAH Mission: In case the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti -- MINUSTAH is required to get any credence with a local population more and more bothered by a the absence of the most fundamental security, it is apparent that a fresh mandate must give a higher control for the mission to tackle a nation on the brink of mayhem.

The argument over the fresh mandate also arrives in the midst of rising regional opposition with antagonism by a lot of Haitians against the U.S. mission for what they consider as its passivity while handling the security situation from the period when the erstwhile President Jean-Bertrand Aristide ran away from the nation some 15 months back. The situation has come to be so bad that some Haitians are also warming to the suggestion that it is opportune moment for Haiti to assume some type of international protectorate.

Concurrently, the undermanned Haitian National Police whose numerical strength is less than 4,000 for a nation of 8 million is considered as incompetent as well as corrupt, and some constituents themselves embroiled in criminal activity. While the Security Council argument initiates on the renewal of the MINUSTAH, it is under rising pressure both from outside as also inside Haiti, not just to accord the mission higher discretion in handling with the security issue, but also a longer term mandate.

Most importantly, MINUSTAH's fresh mandate should hand over it the needed military and police capability to deal with these problems. (Bohning, 7) The most fundamental problem remains that the U.N. peacekeeping forces are often under the compulsion to discharge their policing function against innocent people crammed into the slums and narrow alleyways of Port-au-Prince and other Haitian towns.

The very fragile dividing line between peacekeeping and arbitrary repression can become perilously distorted in the Port-au-Prince regions of Bel-Air, Cite Soleil and Carrefour or the Northern city of Gonaives, which is recognized as the most tumultuous zones in the nation. A lot of incidents have started in the capital and northern Haiti in which no action has been taken to the heavy application of force, as narrated by the MINUSTAH officials.

The association between the UN forces and local residents in these regions of the nation are not that harmonious, as acknowledged by them. However, on the average, peace and caution have continued in spite of the confusion challenging the military force of the UN mission, constituting of 6,700 forces across 12 nations.

(UN Mission Walks Thin Line between Peacekeeping and Repression) As a matter of fact the interim Prime Minister of Haiti, General Latortue implied in a press conference with the Uruguayan delegation that there is urgency for more force on UN peacekeeping mission. But he refrained from stating this openly and just stated that UN Security Council has to redistribute its forces or augment its presence in the most aggressive regions of the nation.

It has been seen that forces function in places in which gang members take the help of devious procedures such as using children or women as human shields in their assaults. Nevertheless, the UN mandate to honor human rights is very apparent and will be adhered to in complete.

The proliferation of armed groups, political splinter groups and also criminal gangs carrying out their activities in Haiti and the often blurring of the dividing lines between these sectors, as regards motivations and actions renders the UN mission mandate to foster disarmament, stability and peace a very complicated task. (UN Mission Walks Thin Line between Peacekeeping and Repression) In Haiti, no defined forces are present with which there would be likelihood of negotiation, as opposed to other nations which is overwhelmed by internal quarrels.

Following decades of violent dictatorships under the regime of Duvalier, Haiti as been governed by a series of frail democratic governments, in which there were regular military coups, and every coup has left a residue of paramilitary groups, apart from criminal gangs of drug traffickers and speckled members of the armed forces that has been disbanded in 1994. This violent mixture of armed, aggressive factions came to the forefront with the ousting of President Jean Bertrand Aristride, now staying in exile in South Africa.

The real absence in Haiti in the present era is most severely shown by the diminished police force, which is constituted of nearly 5,000 substandard armed officers, whereas according to experts at the minimum 1, 00,000 are required to maintain law and order in the nation of approximately 8.5 million citizens, 50% of whom are crammed into Port-au-Prince.

(UN Mission Walks Thin Line between Peacekeeping and Repression) Previous UN Peacekeeping Missions to Haiti: i) the UN Mission in Haiti- UNMIH (Sept 1993 to June 1986): UNMIH was initially set up by the Security Council Resolution 867 (1993) of 23 September 1993, in assisting to carry out some of the provisions of the Governors Island Agreement approved by the Haitian parties on 3rd July 1993. Its mandate was helping to modernize the armed forces of Haiti and setting up a new police force.

but, due to lack of cooperation of the military rule of the Haiti, UNMIH was unable to be completely deployed during that period and implement that mandate. Following restoration, in October 1994, of the Haitian Constitutional Government with the assistance of a multinational force spearheaded by the U.S.

And permitted by the Security Council, UNMIH's mandate was revised by the Security Council in resolutions 940 of 1994 and 875 of 1995 to help the mission to help the democratic government of Haiti in meeting its obligations as regards maintaining a safe and even environment set up at the time of multinational phase and safeguarding the worldwide workforce and important installations; and the making the armed forces of Haiti professional enough and building of a distinct police force.

(Haiti: Mandat) UNMIH is also required to assist the rightful constitutional authorities of Haiti in setting up of an environment favorable to conducting legislative elections in a free and fair manner. UNMIH embarked its activities on 31st March 1995 completely. Democratic legislative elections were conducted in the summer of 1995. The Presidential elections were conducted in a successful manner on 17th December 1995 and the shifting of power to the incumbent President happened on 7th February 1996.

Following the receipt of the appeal of the President of Haiti, UNMIH's mandate was extended by the Security Council resolution 1048 of 1996 for the final phase till 30th June 1996. (Haiti: Mandat) ii) the UN Transition Mission in Haiti: UNTMIH (Aug to November 1997): UNTMIH was the third in the chain of UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti which was set up under Security Council Resolution 1123 of 1997 of 30 July 1997 for a lone four-month period culminating on 30 Nov 1997. The objective was to help the Govt.

Of Haiti by backing and playing a role in making the Haitian National Police -- HNP professional. Responsibilities of UNTMIH's police element covered extending training HNP facilities in crowd control, the rapid reaction force and Palace security, and regions regarded to have importance. The moment it is strengthened, these units would significantly better HNP's efficiency while it carried out its own growth. UNTIMIH and the UN Development Program persisted development of an assistance program to extend HNP with legal enforcement knowledge.

The responsibilities of UNTMIH's military security element comprised making sure, under the control of the Force Commander, the safety and freedom of movement of the UN staff executing the mandate. The Special Representative went on coordinating the activities of the UN system to foster institution building, national reconciliation and economic reconstruction. The report of the Secretary General mentioned that Haiti has undertaken important steps for the better. (United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti: UNTMIH) However, the nation has been encountering intimidating political and economic problems.

The fundamental unanimity among the people of Haiti for the improvement needed to reinforce democratic institutions, produce economic growth and make new jobs is yet to be launched. Development has also been undertaken in connection with the establishment and training of the new police force.

Nevertheless, the pace of work was sluggish, and the Secretary General shared the opinion of Haiti's political leaders that, in the absence of continued and long-standing help from the international community, the Police force might not be able to deal with severe accidents, posing a threat to the worsening security position. The Security-General subscribed to the same opinion stated in November 1996 by the President of Haiti, Mr.

Rene Preval that the HNP would need a whole year to be capable of guaranteeing a safe and calm environment in the absence of worldwide support. Against that setting, the Secretary-General suggested that the Security Council keep up UN support of HNP for an additional period of four months which is from July till November 1997. (United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti: UNTMIH) iii) United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti MIPONUH: This mission was set up to help the Government to bring about professionalism in the National Police.

The mission accorded special importance on support at the supervisory level and also on training specialized police units. Besides, there are other activities that comprised of mentoring police performance, giving guiding assistance in the routine duties and upkeep of close coordination with the technical advisors to the Police financed by the UNDP and other bilateral donors. The MIPONUH accomplished its mandate on 15 March 2000. MIPONUH's special police unit was given the responsibility of giving assistance to MIPONUH staff and safeguarding its property.

Following MIPONUH was the new International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti -- MICAH on 16 March 2000. The setting up of MICAH was endorsed by the General Assembly on their resolution a/54/193 of 17 December 1999. MICAH's mandate was to integrate the outcomes attained by MIPONUH and its antecedent missions of the United Nations in Haiti as also by the International Civilian Mission in Haiti -- MICIVIH which was a collective undertaking of the UN and the Organization of American States -- OAS to foster reverence for human rights in Haiti.

(United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti: MIPONUH) The new mission is assigned with promoting human rights in a bigger way and strengthening the institutional efficiency of the Haitian police and the judiciary, and with harmonizing and facilitating the discussion of the international fraternity with political and social functionaries in Haiti. The authorized strength constituted 300 civilian police people, inclusive of a special police unit, given support by a civilian establishment of close to 72 international and 133 local staff and 17 UN volunteers.

While the UN has accomplished a number of peacekeeping missions in Haiti, the ultimate one among them is known as the UN Civilian Police Mission in Haiti -- MIPONUH. As opposed to the three earlier missions, MIPONUH did not have any military component. It was given the mandate to maintain the work of the UN to support the Haitian National Police and to play an important role in its professionalism.

(United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti: MIPONUH) Comparison of MINUSTAH with the previous missions: In comparison to other UN missions, MINUSTAH has witnessed the longest extension. According to Brian Nichols, Director, U.S. State Department's Office of Caribbean Affairs, the decision to extend the UN Mission proves the international community's resolve to present the Haitian people with the security and stability which will let them to reinforce their democracy and allow global help to assume beginning.

In a collective resolution, members of the Security Council consented to extend the U.S. supported force consisting of nearly 8,400 forces and police to assist in establishing stability in Haiti which is acknowledged as the most poor nation in the Western hemisphere. The U.S. has deployed a small military group in Haiti as part of MINUSTAH that saw the formation by a Security Council Resolution on April 30, 2004. (United States Applauds Extension of U.N.

Mission in Haiti) The original mandate of the mission was to stay in Haiti lasting for six months. But it has been extended a number of occasions since its first approval. U.S. being the largest single-nation donor to Haiti have given in excess of $640 million in the shape of assistance to Haiti since 2004.

Although there are some who are opposing the extension of MINUSTAH, the majority of the population of Haiti supports the mission, especially as it is assisting the nation to progress forward and gain more peace following the past six years of genuine instability. The mission has been so profitable compared to other mission, that in the absence of MINUSTAH, Haiti could possibly go down into one more cycle of bedlam and aggression.

Even though the past instances of MINUSTAH have been mixed, the mission has performed a very concrete responsibility in view of the resources available to the mission, and the settings in which it sees itself. Over the period of the mission, MINUSTAH's endeavor to shift its importance slightly away from peacekeeping operations and in the direction of supporting the Haitian police calm down the neighborhoods wherein gangs have been scaring the local population. (United States Applauds Extension of U.N.

Mission in Haiti) The Security Council resolution giving authority for the extension of MINUSTAH particularly requests that the UN mission carry on with the rising pace of operations in support of the Haitian national police against armed groups as thought important in order to resume security in the region, particularly in the Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince.

In the opinion of Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Haiti has a stable democratic government with plans and projects in the works that is highly challenging the security concerns. The most important challenge for Haiti and for the international community favoring Haiti is to put an end to the continued violence, thereby stimulating investment which will assist in the generation of employment in the nation. (United States Applauds Extension of U.N.

Mission in Haiti) Meanwhile under extension for six months, the Security Council impressed the authority of Haiti to complete the run-off elections in places where the electoral process was upset or requests were upheld as early as feasible, and called upon the mission to extend all suitable assistance.

In added support of the precedence established by the UN Secretary General in his latest report on Haiti, the Council adopted that MINUSTAH would comprise of a military constituent of up to 1951 officers and moreover impressed upon the Member States to extend properly qualified police personnel with specific expertise in, among other things anti-gang functions. The Mission was also asked to reshape its disarmament, demobilization and endeavors towards reintegration in the direction of a community violence reduction program, in which it would help out the Govt.

Of Haiti and the donor community on initiatives to extend employment opportunities to erstwhile gang members as also youths who are at risk. The Mission would also support and inform Haitian authorities to restructure and reinforce the justice sector, by means, among others, the review of laws and through identifying procedures to deal with congestion in prisons.

(Security Council Extends United Nations Mission in Haiti until 15 February 2007, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 1702 (2006)) The Security Council Report which has cited the major developments during the period from 2nd February 2006 till 15th July, 2006 states that with the successful ending of the national elections, a fresh chapter in the History of Haiti has been written. As of now, the people of Haiti have an exclusive scope to shed the chain of violence and poverty and gravitate towards a future of stable and peaceful growth.

Under this, they shall be spearheaded by a new leadership that emanated from a free, fair and inclusive electoral mechanism, undertaken in safety and dignity. It is all to acknowledge that President Preval has displayed an admirable resolute to reach out to every political and social forces in Haiti in a spirit of reconciliation and dialogues, leaving behind years of tension and exclusion.

The institution of a broad-based Government under Prime Minister Alexis and the implementation by the Haitian government of a determined, yet balanced, policy program have instituted the foundation for the recovery of Haiti and renewal. The execution of the reform agenda, the modernization of the State and wealth creation could profit from the improved partnership with that of the international community, inclusive of MINUSTAH and the UN country team.

(Security Council Extends United Nations Mission in Haiti until 15 February 2007, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 1702 (2006)) In the final analysis, nevertheless, the Haitian administration and the people will require to enthusiastically assume ownership of that agenda so as to guarantee its long-term success. Presently, Haiti is unable to tackle the internal problems on its own and the International partners must, extend timely, sufficient and consistent support to the new authorities.

MINUSTAH as a constituent of an international division of labor appears ready to present before the Haitian authorities targeted assistance, founded on the comparative advantages, in guaranteeing a stable environment to permit the political process to persist and in providing support on the institutional level to rule-of-law reforms and also to institutions of governance. The Mission will also extend support for the executing the remaining elections, that.