UN diplomats offer broad support for peacekeeping mission in Haiti

Nov 21

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

The United Nations is currently considering establishing a peacekeeping operation in Haiti as the country becomes more unstable and gangs take more control of Port-au-Prince. Officials with the U.N. expressed support on Wednesday, Nov. 20, for transitioning a recently extended U.N.-backed multinational security support mission in Haiti into a U.N. peacekeeping operation despite continued opposition from China and Russia.

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“Ongoing security council discussions about international engagement in Haiti’s security and stability to succeed the MSS highlight the need of the government of Haiti and the international community to have a long-term vision.” Miroslav Jenca, the U.N. assistant secretary general, said.

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Haitian leaders have continually asked the partially deployed and under-resourced multinational security force to be transformed into a peacekeeping effort to enhance funding.

If approved, a lengthy process would begin. The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would then be required to file a report of recommendations.

The United States and Ecuador presented a proposal for the transition in September. However, it failed after resistance from China and Russia. Both countries have veto powers within the U.N.

Moscow and Beijing are still refusing to get on board, despite most diplomats supporting the idea.

Russia and China argue a pause in violence is needed to rationalize sending a peacekeeping mission. They’ve also signaled a distrust of Haiti’s government.

Instead, Beijing and Moscow are proposing continued focus and fulfilling pledges from the multinational security mission.

Violence on the island nation rose dramatically this month as gangs opened fire on three commercial planes. The shootings caused the U.S. to pause flights into the country.

Just this past week, at least 150 people were reportedly killed in gang-related violence. After the violence, the charity Doctors without Borders suspended operations in Haiti.

“We are deeply concerned about the safety, basic needs and human rights of people residing in gang-controlled areas, in particular those of women and children,” Jenca said. “Predatory gangs systematically attack communities using extreme forms of violence including sexual violence as a weapon to subjugate them.”

A Haitian health official, whose son was reportedly kidnapped, warned if more isn’t done by the international community, “the alternative will be a massive genocide that has already started.” He said only the U.N. has the power to stop it.

Tags: Beijing, China, Death, Ecuador, Gang Violence, Gun violence, Haiti, Moscow, Russia, United Nations, United States

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE UNITED NATIONS IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING ESTABLISHING A PEACEKEEPING OPERATION IN HAITI… AS THE COUNTRY BECOMES MORE UNSTABLE AND GANGS TAKE MORE CONTROL OF THE CAPITAL.

THE U-N IS CONSIDERING NEW EFFORTS TO HELP

OFFICIALS AT THE U-N EXPRESSED WIDESPREAD SUPPORT WEDNESDAY FOR TRANSITIONING A RECENTLY EXTENDED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY SUPPORT MISSION IN HAITI INTO A U-N PEACEKEEPING OPERATION DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM CHINA AND RUSSIA.

[MIROSLAV JENCA]

ONGOING SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT IN HAITI’S SECURITY AND STABILITY TO SUCCEED THE MSS HIGHLIGHT THE NEED OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HAITI AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO HAVE A LONG-TERM VISION.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

HAITIAN LEADERS HAVE CONTINUALLY ASKED THE UNDERDEPLOYED AND UNDERRESOURCED MULTINATIONAL SECURITY FORCE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO A PEACEKEEPING EFFORT TO ENHANCE FUNDING.

IF APPROVED, A LENGTHY PROCESS WOULD REPORTEDLY ENSUE.

WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES REQUIRED TO FILE A REPORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

A PROPOSAL FOR THE TRANSITION WAS PRESENTED IN SEPTEMBER BY THE U-S AND ECUADOR BUT FAILED AFTER RESISTANCE FROM CHINA AND RUSSIA, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE VETO POWERS.

WHILE MOST DIPLOMATS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR THE LATEST CALLS FOR THE CONVERSION… MOSCOW AND BEIJING ARE REFUSING TO GET ON BOARD.

RUSSIA AND CHINA ARGUE A PAUSE IN BLOODSHED IS NEEDED TO RATIONALIZE SENDING A PEACEKEEPING MISSION… AND SIGNALED DISTRUST OF HAITI’S GOVERNMENT.

BEIJING AND MOSCOW ARE PROPOSING CONTINUED FOCUS AND FULFILLING PLEDGES FROM THE MULTINATIONAL SECURITY MISSION.

VIOLENCE ON THE ISLAND NATION ROSE DRAMATICALLY THIS MONTH AS GANGS OPENED FIRE ON THREE COMMERCIAL PLANES AND THE U-S PAUSED FLIGHTS INTO THE COUNTRY.

JUST THIS PAST WEEK… AT LEAST 150 PEOPLE WERE REPORTEDLY KILLED IN GANG-RELATED VIOLENCE FORCING THE CHARITY DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS IN HAITI.

[MIROSLAV JENCA]

WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY, BASIC NEEDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF PEOPLE RESIDING IN GANG-CONTROLLED AREAS, IN PARTICULAR THOSE OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN. PREDATORY ARMED GANGS SYSTEMATICALLY ATTACK COMMUNITIES USING EXTREME FORMS OF VIOLENCE INCLUDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE AS A WEAPON TO SUBJUGATE THEM.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A HAITIAN HEALTH OFFICIAL WHOSE SON WAS KIDNAPPED WARNS IF MORE ISN’T DONE BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY “THE ALTERNATIVE WILL BE A MASSIVE GENOCIDE THAT HAS STARTED ALREADY,” SAYING ONLY THE U-N HAS THE POWER TO PREVENT IT.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.