Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
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UN in Haiti takes on gangs, public opinion

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

by: Clarens Renois

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AFP): Three months ago, a UN military mission with government backing took aim at Haiti's armed gangs, thanks to residents who blamed the blue helmets for taking a passive stance toward crime.

The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, known by its French acronym MINUSTAH, has stepped up operations against gunmen and kidnappers after residents castigated the peacekeeping troops' apparent indifference to the rampaging armed groups.

The UN Security Council is expected on Thursday to extend by another year the mission's mandate, which began in 2004.

Haiti's population of eight million is one of the poorest in the Americas and has suffered from violence for the past two decades.

The United Nations sent in the troops under Brazilian command after former president Jean Bertrand Aristide was pushed out of power and into exile in February 2004.

The first government elected since then was installed in May, and initially set out to negotiate with the leaders of the gangs.

"They kidnap, the government negotiates," said an indignant Nouvelliste, the largest Port-au-Prince daily.

After drawing fire from lawmakers, the government of Prime Minister Jacques Edouard Alexis abandoned its cautious approach and authorized the 7,000 UN troops and 1,300 police to intervene.

"We have a green light from the Haitian government to enter the slums and neutralize the armed gangs," UN envoy to Haiti Edmond Mulet said in December.

Since December 22, the UN launched a series of raids in the vast Port-au-Prince slum Cite Soleil where some 300,000 residents have lived under the shadow of the gangs.

The UN offensives involve hundreds of soldiers with armored cars and helicopters, under the command of Brazilian General Carlos Alberto Santos Cruz.

The gangs "are no longer tolerated," he said last month.

According to a non-official tally, some 15 people have been killed in the clashes and about 30 have been wounded.

Several districts have been returned to Haitian control with UN and Haitian police conducting joint patrols.

If the new UN strategy fails to restore calm in Haiti, the mission will at least have won over a portion of Haitian public opinion.

"It was time for these soldiers who drove around in air-conditioned vehicles to get to work," said Claude, a public transport driver.

MINUSTAH has released to the media footage of joyous residents of Martissant, in the south of the capital, dancing to celebrate the arrival of the UN troops.

According to Doctors Without Borders, between three and 10 people die each day in the neighborhood.

Some Haitians say they are satisfied with the UN presence, while others would rather they leave, accusing them of interfering in Haiti's affairs.

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