3 Oct 2012

UN / HAITI

UN /HAITI

Haiti must focus on strengthening its rule of law institutions, including its national police and electoral council to consolidate the gains it has achieved in recent years, the United Nations Security Council heard today (3 October 2012) as it reviewed developments in the Caribbean country ahead of a vote on the extension of the mandate of the peacekeeping mission, set to expire on 15 October. UNTV

Posted at: October 3, 2012 4:22 pm

Duration: 02:38

Available in: SD

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Full script

STORY: UN / HAITI
TRT: 2.38
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 3 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

3 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Wide shot, Security Council
3.	Med shot, delegates
4.	SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Mariano Fernández, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSTAH: 
"MINUSTAH and the international community have from the start recognized Haiti's sovereign authority in its right to establish armed forces in the long term, or to re-establish the forces which were dismantled in 1995. Nevertheless, it has been made clear to the Government as well as to the public opinion, that the creation of any type of such a force should not be in detriment of the development, strengthening and professionalization of the Haitian National Police."
5.	Med shot, delegates 
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Susan Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
"Reconfiguration and consolidation of MINUSTAH's footprint in Haiti is a delicate balancing act that we cannot afford to get wrong. So as not to jeopardize overall security, the United States supports the Secretary-General's recommended consolidation and partial drawdown of MINUSTAH forces from the post-earthquake surge to near pre-earthquake levels. These changes will reflect the progress Haiti has made but also enable MINUSTAH to continue executing its mandate effectively."	
7.	Med shot, delegates 
8.	SOUNDBITE (English) Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations:
"The Haitian National Police is not yet able to independently guarantee security and stability in Haiti. We noted the objectives presented by the Haitian Government for 2012 to 2015, including the objective to go from ten to 15 thousand police officers. We stand ready to back these efforts which must not only be quantitative. Administrative and training capacities as well as the integrity and the image of the police must be bolstered."	
9.	Med shot, delegates 
10.	Wide shot, Security Council
11.	Zoom in, SRSG Fernández walks up to the stakeout position

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

12.	Close up, cameras

3 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

13.	SOUNDBITE (English) Mariano Fernández, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MINUSTAH: 
"The Tribunal decided it was nor sexual abuse but was bullying, as it is said in English. Uruguay has behaved in an exemplary way. At the first moment after the allegation, the President of the Republic of Uruguay sent explanations and excuses to the President of the republic of Haiti, then Uruguay opened a process there, invited the people, the Haitian affected people, and the Tribunal decided."

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

14.	Close up, reporter's notepad

3 OCTOBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

15.	Zoom in, SRSG Fernández walks away from the stakeout position

STORYLINE:

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Haiti, Mariano Fernández Amunátegui told the Council that the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the international community as a whole, recognize Haiti's right to form an armed force, but made clear that "the creation of any type of such a force should not be in detriment of the development, strengthening and professionalization of the Haitian National Police."

The Forces Armées d'Haiti (FADH) were dismantled in 1995 and there have been recent calls for their reestablishment, most notably by a group of former FADH members who had occupied Government buildings claiming unpaid pensions and calling for a new army.

Fernández presented the Secretary-General's report ahead of a vote on the extension of the Mission, which is set to expire on 15 October.

The report recommends a one year extension of the mandate and a drawdown of forces, from 7,340 to 6,270 military personnel and from 3,241 to 2,601 police officers.

Ambassador Susan Rice of the United States told the Council that the "reconfiguration and consolidation of MINUSTAH's footprint in Haiti is a delicate balancing act that we cannot afford to get wrong."

She said the United States supports the report's recommendations but stressed that these "must enable MINUSTAH to continue executing its mandate effectively."

French Ambassador Gérard Araud said the Haitian National Police "is not yet able to independently guarantee security and stability in Haiti."

He expressed support for plans presented by the Haitian Government for 2012 to 2015, "including the objective to go from ten to fifteen thousand police officers."

The Secretary-General's report also praised efforts by Haiti's new Government, headed by President Michel Martelly, to combat corruption and smuggling, create jobs, attract foreign investment and improve socioeconomic conditions for Haitians. However, he underscored that much remains to be done to address other pressing issues, such as extreme poverty and insecurity.

Outside the Council Fernández spoke about the recent verdict by a Uruguayan Tribunal issuing prison sentences to four peacekeepers for "private violence". They had originally been accused of rape by a Haitian civilian.

Fernandez said "the Tribunal decided it was nor sexual abuse but was bullying" and praised the Uruguayan Government and court system, saying they had "behaved in an exemplary way."

The Security Council established MINUSTAH in June 2004. In addition to helping support Haiti's authorities with recovery efforts in the wake of massive earthquake which struck in January 2010, and following the completion of presidential elections in 2011, the Mission has been working to fulfil its original mandate to restore a secure and stable environment, to promote the political process, to strengthen Haiti's Government institutions and rule-of-law-structures, as well as to promote and to protect human rights.

Filed under HAITI MINUSTAH - United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.