An open letter concerning the climate of insecurity in Haiti and the mandate of MINUSTAH

AN OPEN LETTER

Montreal , 27 January 2006

Kofi Annan
United Nations Secretary General

Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga
President of the United Nations Security Council
201 East, 42 nd Street , ( 675 3 rd Avenue ) Suite # 1700
New York , N.Y. 10017
tzny@tanzania-un.org

Allan Rock
Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations

The Quebec non-governmental organizations that form the Concertation pour Haïti (CPH) – a Round Table on Haiti – and Rights & Democracy recognize the efforts of the United Nations to advance the reconstruction of a democratic society in Haiti. However, we are extremely anxious about the climate of insecurity which continues to prevail in Haiti , especially in Port-au-Prince. Every day there are kidnappings, rapes, torture and murders. The list of victims is becoming longer and longer. In the domain of human security, it is evident that MINUSTAH is obtaining very poor results.

The CPH and Rights & Democracy always believed that the presence of MINUSTAH was necessary in Haiti given the uncontrollable violence of armed gangs after the departure of the ex-president. However, we find it difficult to understand how MINUSTAH, which has been on the ground for nearly two years with a force of thousands of soldiers, hundreds of police and a strong infrastructure, seem unable to fulfil their mandate of re-establishing order and security in the country as well as moving towards disarmament.

It is with deep concern and worry that we highlight the following problems relating to the intervention of MINUSTAH:

• There are several reports of the non-involvement of members of MINUSTAH when acts of violence are committed in front of them or when individuals carrying prohibited weapons move freely among them.
• On several occasions, blunders have been made by contingents of MINUSTAH such as mistaken attacks on businesses and even on National Police Force of Haiti (PNH) patrols.
• There is a flagrant lack of cooperation and coordination, almost hostility, between the forces of MINUSTAH and the PNH.
• No significant disarming of armed gangs has been effected until now.

It seems to us that it is highly regrettable that these repeated acts lead the population and several organisations in civil society to question the real motives of the presence of MINUSTAH and to wonder if the “Blue Helmets” are there to protect the armed gangs rather than to establish order and put an end to violence. These facts have caused the general population to withdraw their collaboration which was so freely given at the outset.

The CPH and Rights & Democracy are all the more worried about this situation as the first round of elections approaches. We believe that the holding of these elections constitutes an indispensable step towards restoring democracy and stability in Haiti . However these elections will be credible if they take place in an atmosphere of security. Therefore, it seems we find ourselves facing a grave contradiction. On the one hand the international community insists on holding these elections on February 7 and on the other hand, MINUSTAH, which is the visible expression of the international community, does not seem to be taking the necessary steps to ensure a climate of security during the elections.

Faced with this situation the CPH and Rights & Democracy insist that the following measures be taken:

• To tighten the civil and military command structure of MINUSTAH to ensure a greater consistency in the strategies and behaviour of the various contingents of the mission, especially the police and army. It is important to make sure that all have the same understanding of their mandate and the same grasp of the situation.
• To establish rules of engagement when faced with violent situations to end the passivity of the “Blue Helmets”. The various contingents must know and respect these rules.
• To bring about greater cooperation and more coordination between the “Blue Helmets” and the police (PNH).
• To control the arms traffic in the country.
• To bring about the disarmament of the armed gangs and to free the population who are captives of these bands in various neighbourhoods.
• To ensure security when the votes are being counted.

Only these drastic measures will ensure that MINUSTAH fulfils its mandate and establish a climate of security and stability which will lead to the reconstruction of democracy in Haiti .

c.c. Juan Gabriel Valdès, Representative of the Secretary General and Head of MINUSTAH

Pierre Pettigrew, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister

Claude Boucher, Canadian Ambassador to Haiti