“U.N. Chief Calls for Multinational Force to Restore Law and Order in Haiti”
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15 (Reuters) – In a report seen by Reuters on Tuesday, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres urged for a “robust use of force” by a multinational police deployment and the use of military assets to restore law and order in Haiti and disarm gangs.
Haiti has been plagued by violent gangs that have overrun the capital, Port-au-Prince, prompting the government to request international assistance last year. Guterres previously suggested sending a “rapid action force” to support Haiti’s police.
The Security Council has encouraged member countries to provide security support and tasked Guterres with presenting a range of U.N. options within 30 days. These options include backing a non-U.N. multinational force or a potential peacekeeping operation.
Guterres’s report, circulated to the 15-member council on Tuesday, outlines two potential U.N. options: providing logistical support to a multinational force and Haiti’s police, and strengthening the existing U.N. political mission in Haiti.
In his report, Guterres emphasized the need for restoring law and order, disarming gangs, securing strategic installations and roadways, and reestablishing a state presence to provide basic services. He stated that a capable specialized multinational police force, enabled by military assets and coordinated with the national police, is necessary to achieve these objectives.
U.N. peacekeepers were previously deployed to Haiti in 2004 following a rebellion that led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops were replaced by U.N. police in 2017, who subsequently left in 2019.
However, the Haitian people are wary of an armed U.N. presence due to a previous incident in 2010 when U.N. peacekeepers accidentally introduced cholera to the country. This resulted in over 9,000 deaths and 800,000 illnesses.
Guterres once again urged countries to “act now” and contribute to the deployment of a non-U.N. multinational force, calling for support from the Security Council. The United States has already expressed its willingness to propose a draft resolution to back a deployment.
Support for the existing unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry has been limited, with concerns over the current insecurity preventing fair elections. Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January.
Kenya has expressed readiness to lead an international force, pledging to send 1,000 police officers. Kenyan officials are scheduled to travel to Haiti to assess the requirements for such a deployment. The Bahamas has also committed to providing 150 personnel if the United Nations authorizes the force.
Guterres also welcomed Jamaica’s renewed pledge to contribute to the force and the consideration by Antigua and Barbuda to contribute as well. He urged member states, particularly those in the Americas, to continue building on this new momentum.
Guterres highlighted the extreme violence of gang attacks in Haiti, stating that gangs have effectively encircled the capital and cut off access by road to other parts of the country.
Human Rights Watch has called for international security assistance to include safeguards to prevent abuses. Guterres’s report also emphasized the need for targeted operations against gangs to protect people and respect human rights and due process.
The situation in Haiti is dire, and the international community is being called upon to take urgent action to restore law and order and ensure the safety and well-being of the Haitian people.
Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Ismail Shakil and Grant McCool