Brief overview of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

1. Development in Haiti Profile of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) FREN/INTD 3125.03 Student B00523047

2. Overview Historical Context Early UN Involvement Formation of MINUSTAH MINUSTAH Facts and Figures Earthquake of 2010 Controversy and Criticism Bibliography

4. 1994: UN Security Council authorizes the deployment of a twenty-thousand person multinational force to restore Aristide to power.

5. Though Aristide is again at the head of the country, the democratic system is not genuine, overrun by human rights abuses, corruption, and economic stagnation.

6. 2004: Armed conflict breaks out between opposition groups and supporters of Aristide, resulting in the rebels gaining control of northern Haiti.

7. On February 25th, US President George W. Bush notifies Congress that he has deployed a security force of over 55 US military personnel to Haiti to augment the embassy’s security forces. Limited effectiveness of Haitian national police due to spreading armed rebellion.

11. An additional recommendation was made to establish a multinational stabilization operation in Haiti. It would address a broad range of complex issues, such as the state of democracy in Haiti, as well as economic and social issues. This was to be called the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, also known as MINUSTAH (Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti).

12. April 30, 2004: UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1542, authorizing the creation of MINUSTAH.

14. 8,766 troops

15. 3,082 police

16. 481 international civilian personnel

17. 1,235 local civilian staff

19. 27 police

20. 40 international civilian personnel

22. Up to 4,391 policefrom http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minustah/facts.shtml

24. The mission headquarters in Port-au-Prince collapsed, and several other facilities severely damaged. Almost a hundred peacekeepers were confirmed dead, including Mission Chief Hédi Annabi, his deputy Luis Carlos da Costa, and acting police commissioner, Doug Coates. The UN describes these as the greatest loss for any single event in UN peacekeeping history.

25. Overall force levels were increased in order to facilitate immediate recovery, reconstruction, and stability efforts, decreed by resolutions 1908 and 1927. It was recommended that MINUSTAH forces remain acting in Haiti for the foreseeable future.

27. June 2009: UN soldiers allegedly opened gunfire and attempted to arrest a mourner at the public procession and funeral of Catholic priest Father Gerard Jean-Juste, an event linked to Haiti’s largest political party, FanmiLavalas. The UN denies the shooting and being responsible for the mourner’s death, but eyewitnesses claim that this is a cover-up story.

28. 2005-present: Activist Jimmy Charles was arrested by UN troops in 2005 before being handed over to the Haitian police. A few days later, his body was found in the morgue, filled with bullet holes. A trial is currently in progress at the Inter-American Court of Human rights, regarding the matter concerning the State of Haiti, but the complaint against the Brazilian peacekeepers was rejected, demonstrating a bias.