The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was first established in 2004 by UN Security Council Resolution 1542. This peacekeeping mission operates under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which gives peacekeepers the authority to use force if necessary to protect civilians. In the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, the Security Council voted to significantly expand the mission, authorizing the deployment of 3,500 additional troops and nearly 700 more police officers to help stabilize the country and support relief operations. On October 14, 2011, the Council adopted Resolution 2012, extending MINUSTAH’s mandate through October 15, 2012. In light of some recent progress in the stabilization and reconstruction process, Resolution 2012 also provides for the withdrawal of nearly 2,700 troops from Haiti, reducing the force’s size to its pre-earthquake levels.
The Mission's mandate includes:
• Securing and stabilizing the environment; • Creating jobs and delivering basic social services; • Increasing security by reforming and training the Haitian National Police Force (HNP); • Disarming and reintegrating former combatants; • Protecting civilians and UN staff; • Maintaining public safety and order; • Contributing to recovery and reconstruction efforts; • Promoting, protecting, and monitoring human rights; • Assisting the government in implementing free, transparent, and fair elections.
Background
In 1990 the United Nations Security Council established an observer group to support national elections in Haiti. Through these elections, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected president. In 1991, President Aristide was overthrown in a military coup. During the unrest that followed, thousands of Haitians died and many more fled to countries in the region, including the U.S. In 1994, the Security Council authorized a 20,000-strong multinational force - led by the US - to restore Haiti's constitutionally elected government and help maintain security.
While Haiti’s elected government was restored in 1995, electoral fraud and the ongoing political crisis prevented serious democratic reforms from taking hold. In addition, a rise in illegal armed gangs and drug trafficking threatened the country's stability.
After years of growing instability, violence erupted again in 2004. At the request of the Haitian government, the UN authorized a multi-national interim force, led by the United States, to stabilize Haiti. Subsequently, Security Council Resolution 1542 replaced the interim force with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). This mission was tasked with helping to create a secure and stable environment which could support a peaceful and lasting political state.
On January 19, 2010, the Security Council reinforced the recovery and rescue operations by increasing troop and police capacity by 3,500. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, the United States sent in 122,000 troops to support the UN in providing humanitarian assistance, to protect displaced populations, and continue training the Haitian National Police Force. American troops have since withdrawn but the U.S. and UN continue to provide support for Haitian reconstruction efforts.
How This Affects American Interests
Rebuild infrastructure.MINUSTAH made great progress in 2011 helping Haiti rebuild its infrastructure by restoring 400 hectares of forest, revamping 2,000 meters of river banks, and repairing over 120,000 meters of road. In order to help create temporary employment and a source of income for Haitians whose livelihoods had been disrupted by the quake, the UN Development Program (UNDP) created a “Cash for Work” program, which pays Haitians a minimum wage to assist in rubble clearing and other reconstruction efforts. This program has employed nearly 300,000 people, 40 percent of whom were women, and helped clear nearly 13,000 cubic meters of debris, enough to fill five football stadiums.
Reform the justice system. To promote effective governance and the rule of law, a key part of MINUSTAH’s mandate is to help reform and strengthen the country’s criminal justice system. MINUSTAH’s Justice Section organized refresher workshops for 60 prosecutors, 280 clerks and 411 judiciary police officers. Since February 2011 MINUSTAH helped equip and build 20 courts in seven provinces across the country. In order to help create sustainable and capable government institutions, MINUSTAH also built a temporary headquarters for the Department of Prison Administration (DAP) following the earthquake and continued to aid in the construction of Haitian prison facilities. In addition, MINUSTAH has provided training to 515 prison officers in fields as diverse as gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS, and human rights. In order to increase access to legal aid MINUSTAH in 2011 supported the construction of an additional 5 legal aid offices with another 5 expected to open by February 2012. As a testament to their success since 2008, 14,797 free consultations have been granted resulting in the release of 6,141 innocent prisoners
Improved public safety.By the end of 2011, MINUSTAH had provided training to 5,000 new police officers in order to expand and professionalize the Haitian National Police (HNP). In addition to training its officers, MINUSTAH personnel support HNP operations, carrying out 8,790 joint patrols with the HNP across the country each month in 2011. MINUSTAH uniformed personnel have also worked with the HNP to help dismantle violent Haitian drug gangs. Moreover, MINUSTAH helped mediate successful efforts by the HNP and Dominican National Police to formulate an agreement on security cooperation, representing the first time any such agreement has been reached between Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
Increased counternarcotics activity. Haiti has been a major transfer point for the shipment of drugs like cocaine and heroin bound for the U.S. and Europe. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency supported MINUSTAH’s police reform program by training the counternarcotics division of the HNP and the Haitian Coast Guard. Narcotics seizures between 2010 and 2011 increased 24 percent, with 654 kg seized during joint HNP and UN police raids between January and November 2011.
Improved protection of internally displaced persons. The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has decreased to 600,000, less than half of the 1.5 million reported in 2010. The UN police and HNP have increased protection of displaced persons by conducting joint foot patrols and sweeping operations, as well as installing solar-powered lights in some of the 1,300 temporary camps. MINUSTAH patrols are conducted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in 77 camps in and outside of Port-au-Prince covering a population 580,000 people. The UN continues to provide access to food, water, education, and health services in these camps, where, 90 percent of residents have access to health care. Moreover, the UN has recently provided 367 temporary learning spaces and 100 semi-permanent schools in displaced persons camps.
Assist with elections. With the support of the UN, the Haitian government administered two rounds of presidential and parliamentary elections that were held in November 2010 and March 2011. MINUSTAH supported the Provisional Electoral Council (PEC) in providing logistics.
Ongoing Challenges
Slow disbursement of reconstruction funding. On March 31, 2010, the UN and U.S. co-chaired an International Donors Conference comprised of 140 member states in support of Haiti’s recovery plan. The international community pledged $5.3 billion for the next two years and $9.9 billion over 10 years. However, disbursement of funding has been slow due to fears of corruption and misuse. The UN Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti reports that only 53 percent of money pledged from top donors has been paid.
Cholera epidemic. More than 7,000 people have died from cholera in Haiti and over 500, 000 have been infected by the outbreak. MINUSTAH is focusing on four main areas to help ameliorate this crisis: 1) providing health supplies for cholera treatment centers (CTCs); 2) sanitation, provision of clean water facilities, cholera beds that are purchased locally, rehydration salts, and other oral rehydration tablets; 3) face-to-face as well as media communication; and 4) training in various municipalities on how authorities can manage, transport, and bury bodies safely. In 2011 peacekeepers distributed over 12 million gallons of drinking water and 16,000 water purifying tablets. In addition, MINUSTAH aims to rapidly increase the number of cholera treatment centers, having in 2011 already built four CTCs. UN agencies and their partners have secured $80.5 million of the $175 million appeal to be used by the Cholera Inter-Sector Response Strategy for Haiti to bring additional doctors, medicines, and water purification equipment. Through these initiatives, 98 CTC’s and 215 cholera treatment units are operational in Haiti. Finally, with the help of PAHO, WHO, UNICEF and the Ministry of Health, more than 900,000 vaccinations have been administered to vulnerable individuals in 500 cities.
Crime. A widening economic gap in post-earthquake Haiti has led to social fragility and continued violence, especially in IDP camps and against women. Crime remains extremely commonplace in large urban communities such as Port-au-Prince, where MINUSTAH deployed over 2,000 peacekeepers last month to disrupt criminal activity. Despite an observed trend of increased faith in Haitian police forces (as reported in an independent study in July), crime continues to jeopardize security across the country.
Read a field report on Haiti's recovery by Minh-Thu Pham, Public Policy Director for Better World Campaign.Updated
