HAITI VIOLENCE

A Haitian holds up a shoe with a bullet hole after clashes in the neighbourhood of Cite-Militaire in Port-au-Prince, August 8, 2006. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

VIEWPOINT - UN must act on Haiti peacekeeping failures The United Nations renewed the mandate of its peacekeeping mission in Haiti on Tuesday for an additional six months, although the secretary-general had called for a year-long extension. Jack Campbell of ActionAid's International Emergencies and Conflict Team argues that tackling armed violence requires a new strategy, including justice for victims and more police.

As the United Nations reviews the mandate of its peacekeeping force in Haiti, it must seize the chance to help break the disabling grip armed violence continues to hold over ordinary Haitians.

In June, ActionAid carried out confidential interviews with key actors in Haiti, which revealed a strong belief that the United Nations should have done more to bring an end to the violence. It is not too late.

A revised mandate must acknowledge the specific challenges of Haiti, and the role that Haitians must themselves play in reform and conflict resolution if their lives are really going to improve.

The U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has been in place since early 2004, when armed gangs took control of much of the country. Its objective was to end violence and reinstate the rule of law through reform and conflict resolution.

But this focus became increasingly blurred as U.N. attention shifted to national elections, which were finally held in February 2006. With the U.N.'s back turned, violence has escalated and armed rule continues to thrive in parts of the country.

KIDNAPPING CAPITAL OF AMERICAS

A country of over 8 million people, Haiti has replaced Colombia as the kidnapping capital of the Americas. There was a brief drop in the number of kidnappings after the February elections, but they are again on the rise. What's more, a forthcoming study by ActionAid indicates that as many of 45 percent of female victims of kidnappings are raped.

The UN must develop the capacity of the new Haitian government to disarm gangs on all sides, bring to court the thousands of prisoners awaiting trial and reform the police, judiciary and correctional systems. Crucially, for success to be long-lasting, reform processes must take leadership from Haitians themselves.

With the inception of the new government and an open invitation for a continued international presence, the U.N. mandate review offers a real window of opportunity to redress the failures of the last two years.

Traditional strategies for disarming and demobilising armed factions, and reintegrating former fighters into society, have not worked in Haiti. A revised mandate must recognise the different challenges that urban gang violence presents to the world of conflict resolution.

The United Nations has focused strongly on the reintegration of members of armed groups into society, creating jobs and educational opportunities for many of them. This has created resentment amongst the general public.

The mandate review must not ignore the victims of violence, who are themselves mostly poor, with few job opportunities. The United Nations must use its unique position to involve law-abiding young and jobless Haitians in reintegration projects.

CORRUPT POLICE FORCE

There is at present less than one police officer for every 1,400 Haitians, compared with around one for every 200 people in New York. At least 210,000 small arms are thought to be in circulation in the country - many unregistered and illegal.

A corrupt, violent and poorly respected and resourced police force has been at the centre of insecurity in Haiti. In October 2005, the chief of police stated that a quarter of the force was involved in kidnapping and arms trafficking.

Police reform has consequently been at the centre of the U.N. peacekeeping mission. Yet still the number of officers set out in the existing U.N. mandate has not been achieved. There is widespread agreement that more U.N. civilian police personnel are urgently needed to support the reform of Haiti's police force.

Around 4,000 prisoners - 90 percent of them awaiting trial - are cramped into just 2,500 square metres of prison space with virtually no medical care and rampant abuse. The mandate review must consider the role of mentoring for correctional officers and the rebuilding and refurbishment of prisons in the reform of Haitian correctional services.

There are immediate and concrete actions that the United Nations can take to support the Haitian people in their own efforts to end violence in their country. Local people must play a leading role in the reform of their police, judiciary and correctional systems and conflict resolution processes.

Ordinary Haitians are crying out for change. The Haitian government has opened its door for continued international support. The United Nations must not let this opportunity for real progress slip by.

Download a copy of the full report MINUSTAH: DRR and Police, Judicial and Correctional Reform in Haiti. Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters.

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