UN chief says ‘robust use of force’ needed against Haitian gangs

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 15 (Reuters) – “Robust use of force” by a multinational police deployment and the use of military assets is needed to restore law and order in Haiti and disarm gangs, the chief said of the UN, Antonio Guterres, to the Security Council in a report. seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

Haiti last year requested international help to combat violent gangs that have largely overrun the capital, Port-au-Prince. Guterres suggested in October that countries send a “snap action force” to support the Haitian police.

advice last month encouraged countries to provide security support and asked Guterres to report within 30 days on a full range of UN options, including backing for a non-UN multinational force or a potential peacekeeping operation.

Guterres’ report was distributed to the 15-member council on Tuesday and outlined two possible UN options: provide logistical support to a multinational force and Haitian police and strengthen a UN political mission already in Haiti.

“The current context in Haiti is not conducive to peacekeeping,” Guterres wrote, adding that law and order needed to be restored, gangs disarmed, strategic facilities and roads secured, and state presence restored to provide basic services.

“Nothing less than the robust use of force, supplemented by a non-kinetic suite of measures, by a trained specialized multinational police force enabled by military assets, coordinated with the national police, would be able to achieve these objectives,” said Guterres, WHO. visited Haiti last month.

UN peacekeeping forces were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by UN police, who left in 2019.

Haitians are wary of an armed UN presence. The Caribbean country was free of cholera until 2010, when UN peacekeepers dumped infected sewage into a river. More than 9,000 people died from the disease and some 800,000 fell ill.

‘ACT NOW’ SAYS UN HEAD

Guterres once again called on countries to “act now” to help deploy a non-UN multinational force and for the Security Council to support such a move. The United States has already said that it is prepared to present a draft Security Council resolution to support a deployment.

Countries have been wary of supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has said fair elections cannot be held in the current insecurity. Haiti has been without elected representatives since January.

Kenya said last month that it was ready to consider at the head of an international force and promised to send 1,000 policemen. Kenyan officials will soon travel to Haiti to assess the needs for such a deployment. He Bahamas has since committed 150 people if the United Nations authorizes force.

Guterres said that Jamaica had also renewed its commitment to contribute to a force and also welcomed the announcements made by Antigua and Barbuda to consider contributing. He urged member states, particularly in the Americas, to “continue to take advantage of this new momentum.”

Guterres cited the “extreme violence” of the gang attacks. “The capital is surrounded by gangs and effectively cut off by road from the northern, southern and eastern parts of the country.”

International security assistance should include safeguards to prevent abuseHuman Rights Watch said Monday.

In his report, Guterres said that any operation targeting gangs must also protect individuals and respect human rights and due process.

Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Edited by Ismail Shakil and Grant McCool

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