UN extends international force’s stay in Haiti another year

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL MONDAY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO EXTEND THE MULTINATIONAL SECURITY SUPPORT OPERATION MEANT TO CURB MASS GANG VIOLENCE IN HAITI.

THE INTERNATIONAL FORCE LED BY KENYA– STRUGGLING WITH UNDERFUNDING AND LIMITED POLICE OFFICERS– WILL NOW STAY IN HAITI UNTIL NEXT OCTOBER.

THE RESOLUTION DOESN’T FIX THE FUNDING AND PERSONNEL PROBLEMS. IT ONLY ENCOURAGES “ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY DONATIONS” AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF ADDITIONAL FORCES. CURRENTLY, ONLY 410 OF THE PROMISED 25-HUNDRED PERSONNEL ARE IN THE COUNTRY.

THE COUNCIL REJECTED CALLS FOR AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING MISSION AFTER RUSSIA AND CHINA OBJECTED. THIS DESPITE   PLEAS FROM THE HAITIAN PRESIDENT AND A PREVIOUS PUSH BY THE U-S FOR U-N PEACEKEEPERS.

SOME DIPLOMATS ACCUSED THE U-S OF APPEASING RUSSIA AND CHINA BY DROPPING THE CALL FOR A U-N PEACEKEEPING MISSION.  BUT U-S OFFICIALS ARGUED IT’S A STRATEGIC MOVE TO BUILD MOMENTUM FOR AN INTERNATIONAL FORCE.

MANY HAITIANS ARE LEERY OF AN ARMED-U-N PRESENCE AFTER PAST OPERATIONS WERE ROCKED BY SEX ABUSE SCANDALS AND LEFT BEHIND A CHOLERA EPIDEMIC.

HAITIAN OFFICIALS WARN CONDITIONS ARE WORSENING DESPITE THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE CURRENT SUPPORT OPERATION AS ONLY A FEW HUNDRED OFFICERS STRUGGLE TO STOP GANGS THAT HAVE OVERTAKEN THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRY. SO FAR, MORE THAN 700-THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE FLED THEIR HOMES TO ESCAPE THE VIOLENCE AND A HUNGER CRISIS IS SPREADING.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.