U.N. OKs Mission To Help Haiti

The Security Council authorized a wide-ranging U.N. mission in Haiti Friday with over 8,000 troops and police as well as political and human rights experts to help stabilize the troubled Caribbean nation.

The U.N. mission will start on June 1 for an initial period of six months but the council said it intends to renew the mandate, a signal of its agreement with Secretary-General Kofi Annan that a long-term U.N. commitment is essential to turn Haiti into "a functioning democracy."

The resolution adopted unanimously by the council authorized up to 6,700 troops and 1,622 international police, as Annan requested, but U.N. officials have stressed it will take time to reach those levels.

The U.N. military contingent will replace the 3,600-strong U.S.-led multinational force sent to Haiti after a three-week rebellion led the country's first democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, to flee in February.

The resolution commended the rapid deployment of the multinational force — which also includes contingents from Canada, Chile and France — "and the stabilization efforts it has undertaken."

But the council said "the situation in Haiti continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region."

Declaring that the United States was "very pleased" with the resolution, U.S. deputy ambassador Stuart Holliday said it "will be an important step to get potential troop contributors to come forward."

Many countries were waiting for "a strong statement" from the council and "we think this will help," he said.

Chile's U.N. Ambassador Heraldo Munoz also said he was hopeful that "we will have the adequate troops." He indicated that Brazil and Chile were likely contributors, along with other Latin American nations, and said there were also offers from outside the region, although he wouldn't identify any other countries.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said last week that his country was prepared to take command of the U.N. force and send 1,470 troops if there was an international commitment to rebuild Haiti.

The resolution gives the U.N. mission a robust mandate which allows the use of military force if necessary.

The U.N. troops and police are authorized to support the transitional government "to ensure a secure and stable environment within which the constitutional and political process in Haiti can take place."

International police are authorized to assist the government in restructuring and reforming the Haitian National Police, "consistent with democratic policing standards." The international police and U.N. troops are also authorized to assist Haitian police in disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating "all armed groups."

But less than half of Haiti's 5,000 police have returned to their posts since Aristide fled, posing challenges for the transitional government that says it wants to reconcile Haiti's divided population of 8.2 million.

The resolution authorizes the U.N. force to protect U.N. personnel and facilities and "to protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, within its capabilities." It also authorizes the force to assist in restoring and maintaining "the rule of law, public safety and public order in Haiti" by supporting the police and coast guard.

In the political sphere, the U.N. mission will assist the transitional government in starting "a process of national dialogue and reconciliation" and organizing free and fair municipal, parliamentary and presidential elections "at the earliest possible date."

It will also assist "in extending state authority throughout Haiti and support good governance at local levels."

The U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti — to be known as MINUSTAH — will also help promote human rights and assist in the investigation of human rights violations and the reform of Haiti's judiciary.

The resolution establishes a "Core Group" to be chaired by a U.N. special representative, yet to be named, to facilitate its implementation and "promote interaction with the Haitian authorities as partners." It will include the U.N. force commander and representatives of regional organizations and international financial institutions.

By Edith M. Lederer