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MINUSTAH)
The United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti or MINUSTAH (the acronym for "Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti", the French name) is the mission of the United Nations which, according to its mandate from the Security Council, 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 legitamacy to the imperialist agenda of France, Canada, and the U.S., the three countries responsible for orchestrating the overthrow of the elected Haitian government in 2004. The MINUSTAH was established by UN Security Council Resolution 1542 on April 30, 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 September 1, 2005, was replaced by General Urano Teixeira da Matta Bacellar as force commander of MINUSTAH. On January 7, 2006, Bacellar killed himself in his hotel room. His interim replacement, Chilean General Eduardo Aldunate Herman [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 January 17, 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 February 14, 2006, the United Nations Security Council extended MINUSTAH's mandate until August 15, 2006.[11]
Statistics
According to the UN Facts and Figures Page:
Strength
Total initially authorized strength
Up to 6,700 military personnel; 1,622 civilian police, 548 international civilian personnel, 995 local civilian staff and 154 UN Volunteers.
Temporary reinforcement
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.
Current strength
(30 April 2005)
7,495 total uniformed personnel, including 6,207 troops and 1,288 civilian police, supported by 408 international civilian personnel, about 800 local civilian staff and 134 United Nations Volunteers
Contributors of military personnel
Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, United States and Uruguay
Contributors of civilian police personnel
Argentina, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, Guinea, Jordan, Mali, Mauritius, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sri Lanka, Togo, Turkey, United States, Uruguay and Zambia
Fatalities
Financial Aspects
Method of financing
Assessments in respect of a Special Account.
1 July 2004 - 30 June 2005: $379.05 million
- Main article: 2005 July 6 United Nations assault on Cité Soleil, Haiti
On July 6, 2005, MINUSTAH carried out a raid in the Cite Soleil section of Port-au-Prince. MINUSTAH spokespeople claimed that the raid targeted a base of illegally armed rebels. Reports from pro-Lavalas sources 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 5 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 January 6, 2006, U.N. mission head Juan Gabriel Valdes announced that MINUSTAH forces would launch another raid on Cite 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,". [12]
Sources
External links
