Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Peru asks Security Council to prolong UN Haiti force
02-05-2007

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK: Peru has asked the UN Security Council to extend for another year the international UN stabilization force MINUSTAH that has been in Haiti since 2004, the UN announced.

Peru submitted a draft resolution asking the mandate of MINUSTAH be extended until February 15, 2008.

The mandate of MINUSTAH's 7,200 soldiers and 2,000 police was extended in August for six months and expires February 15.

The draft says the Security Council "acknowledges with appreciation that MINUSTAH has successfully completed most of its mission in support of the electoral process and calls on MINUSTAH to draw on this momentum, consistent with its mandate, to assist Haitian authorities to strengthen institutional capacity."

The draft says that the council "requests that MINUSTAH continue the increased tempo of operations in support of the (Haitian National Police) against armed gangs as deemed necessary to restore security, notably in Port-au-Prince."

Over two decades, Haiti has suffered from political violence and instability, notably since the resignation of then-president Jean Bertrand Aristide in February 2004 amid a popular uprising.

Some UN members pressed for a six-month extension for the peacekeeping mission, while Thursday's contact group meeting of 15 countries and seven international organizations - including a representative of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon - unanimously backed leaving the force in place for a year.

The UN force, under Brazilian command, last month carried out a series of raids targeting gangs in Cite Soleil, sparking gun battles that left 17 people dead in the sprawling slum.

More than half of the Caribbean island's 8.4 million people live on one dollar a day, according to UN officials.