United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

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The United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti (French: Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti), also known as MINUSTAH, an abbreviation of the French translation, is a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti that has been in operation since 2004.

Contents

[edit] Background

See also: 2004 Haiti rebellion
Brazilian MINUSTAH soldier with a Haitian girl.
Brazilian MINUSTAH soldier with a Haitian girl.

According to its mandate from the UN Security Council, MINUSTAH is required "to concentrate the use of its resources, including civilian police, towards increasing security and protection during the electoral period" and "to assist with the restoration and maintenance of the rule of law, public safety and public order in Haiti." [1] Critics argue that the mission's main purpose is to suppress popular opposition to the interim government and to give an impression of legitimacy to the imperialist agenda of France, Canada, and the U.S., the three countries responsible for orchestrating the overthrow of the Aristide government in 2004. MINUSTAH was established by UN Security Council Resolution 1542 on 30 April 2004 because the Security Council deemed the situation in Haiti to be a "threat to international peace and security in the region."

In the recent past, independent human rights organizations have accused MINUSTAH and the Haitian National Police (HNP) of collaborating in numerous atrocities against civilians. [2] [3] [4] The UN, after repeatedly denying having taken the lives of any civilians, later admitted that civilians may have been killed, but argued that this was not intentional, and that it occurred as a by-product of their crackdown on what they call "gangs". [5] [6]

In early 2005, MINUSTAH force commander Lieutenant-General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira testified at a congressional commission in Brazil that "we are under extreme pressure from the international community to use violence,” citing Canada, France, and the United States [7]. Later in the year, he resigned, and on 1 September 2005, was replaced by General Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar as force commander of MINUSTAH. On 7 January 2006, Bacellar killed himself in his hotel room. His interim replacement, Chilean General Eduardo Aldunate Hermann [8] has been criticized for having been trained at the School of the Americas, and for having served in the brutal forces of Augusto Pinochet. [9] On 17 January 2006, it was announced that Brazilian General Jose Elito Carvalho de Siqueira would be the permanent replacement for Bacellar as the head of the United Nations' Haiti force. [10]

On 14 February 2006, in UNSC Resolution 1658, the United Nations Security Council extended MINUSTAH's mandate until 15 August 2006. [11]

MINUSTAH It is also a precedent as the first mission in the region to be led by, and almost entirely composed of, Latin American forces [12], particularly from Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay

[edit] 6 July 2005 Incident

Main article: [[2005 July 6 United Nations assault on Cité Soleil, Haiti|2005 July 6 United Nations assault on Cité Soleil, Haiti]]
Chilean Helicopter during the 2006 elections (Photo: Patrick André Perron)
Chilean Helicopter during the 2006 elections (Photo: Patrick André Perron)

On 6 July 2005, MINUSTAH carried out a raid in the Cité Soleil section of Port-au-Prince. MINUSTAH spokespeople claimed that the raid targeted a base of illegally armed rebels led by Dread Wilme. Reports from pro-Lavalas sources, as well as journalists such as Kevin Pina, contend that the raid targeted civilians and was an attempt to destroy the popular support for Haiti's exiled former leader, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, before scheduled upcoming elections.

Estimates on the number of fatalities range from five to as high as 80, with the higher numbers being claimed by those reporting that the raid targeted civilians. All sources agree that no MINUSTAH personnel were killed. All sources also agree that Dread Wilme (birthname "Emmanuel Wilmer") was killed in the raid. MINUSTAH spokespeople called Wilme a "gangster." Other sources, such as the pro-Aristide Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network call Wilme a community leader and a martyr.

The incident became a focal point for groups who oppose the MINUSTAH occupation of Haiti and who support the return of President Aristide. MINUSTAH has also been accused by opponents of standing by and allowing the Haitian National Police to commit atrocities and massacres against Lavalas supporters and Haitian citizens opposed to the current occupation.

On 6 January 2006, U.N. mission head Juan Gabriel Valdes announced that MINUSTAH forces would launch another raid on Cité Soleil. Dismissing fears by human rights groups that more civilians will be killed, Valdes said, "We are going to intervene in the coming days. I think there'll be collateral damage but we have to impose our force, there is no other way." [13]

[edit] Statistics

According to the UN Facts and Figures Page:

  • Location : Haiti
  • Headquarters : Port-au-Prince
  • Duration : June 2004 to present
  • Special Representative of the Secretary-General : Edmond Mulet (Guatemala)
  • Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General : Lawrence G. Rossin (USA)
  • Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General : Adama Guindo (Mali)
  • Force Commander : General Jose Elito Carvalho de Siqueira (Brazil) (Appointed)
  • Police Commissioner : Richard Graham Muir (Canada)

[edit] Strength

MINUSTAH was initially authorized, by UN Security Council Resolution 1542, to employ up to 10,019 personnel: 6,700 military, 1,622 police, 548 international civilians, 995 local civilians, and 154 UN Volunteers. On 30 April 2005, the mission consisted of about 8,837 personnel: 6,207 military, 1,288 police, 408 international civilians, about 800 local civilians, and 134 UN Volunteers.

On 22 June 2005, the Security Council, by its Resolution 1608, decided that for a temporary period MINUSTAH would consist of a miliatry component of up to 7,500 troops of all ranks and of up to 1,897 civilian police, and requested the Secretary-General to devise a progressive drawdown strategy of the MINUSTAH force levels for the post-election period, in accordance with the situation on the ground.

On 30 September 2006, there were 8,342 total uniformed personnel, including 6,642 troops and 1,700 police, supported by 169 United Nations Volunteers. A month earlier, on 31 August 2006, there were 428 international civilian personnel and about 442 local civilian staff.

The countries currently providing military personnel are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, United States and Uruguay.

Benin, Canada [14] and Spain formerly provided military personnel for the mission.

The countries currently providing police personnel are: Argentina, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Grenada, Guinea, Jordan, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Yemen, and Zambia

Ghana, Portugal, and Sri Lanka formerly provided police for the mission.

[edit] Fatalities

Since the peacekeeping mission began in June 2004, 20 UN personnel have died. The most recent incident occurred near Cité Soleil on 10 November 2006, when unidentified gunmen opened fire on the vehicle of two Jordanian soldiers who had finished a day of patrols and were driving back to base. Both soldiers were killed.[1]

Military deaths by country:

Civilians and police officers working for MINUSTAH:[2]

  • police officers – 3
  • international civilian personnel - 2
  • local civilian personnel – 1

[edit] Financial Aspects

MINUSTAH is financed by assessments in respect of a Special Account. The approved budget of the mission, from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005, was US$379.05 million. For the period from 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007, the budget was US$ 510.039 million.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Jacobs, Stevenson. "2 U.N. Peacekeepers Mourned in Haiti", Associated Press, 2006-11-16. Retrieved on November 20, 2006.
  2. ^ MINUSTAH - Facts and Figures. United Nations. Retrieved on November 30, 2006.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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