UN Security Council Warns Haiti Will Become Unstable Due To Recent Violent Protests

Following the recent murder of a high-profile legal scholar in Haiti, violent protests have erupted alarming officials that things could spiral out of control. UN Special Representative Helen La Lime fears that these protests could lead to greater instability in Haiti, as she indicated on Monday when describing the UN’s involvement to help this country overcome their current predicament.

Fears about Haiti’s future have been prevalent ever since the assassination of Monferrier Dorval, President of the Port-au-Prince Bar Association, on August 28th, 2020. The unknown gunman stormed into Dorval’s home in an upscale neighbourhood, where other important officials live including Haiti’s president, and shot him dead among others. This day was a massive tragedy for Haitians and the Caribbean community as Dorval represented commitment to civil engagement and the promotion of the Rule of Law. With rising gang activity in the communities challenging the State, Haitians are longing for a safer environment to live.

Additionally, a fringe group called “Fantom 509” composed of disaffected police officers has also been a cause for concern in many of the major capital cities. Since the uproars and violence have started to take off in Haiti, it has captured the attention from U.S. officials, such as U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, who is urging the U.S. Ambassador Michele Sison to use her “considerable knowledge and experience in Haiti to prevent the country from descending into a downward spiral of chaos and violence.” Luis Almargo, the head of the Organization of American States, also tweeted that “the Core Group for [Dorval’s] murder to be clarified and those responsible to be brought to justice.” With this statement he is referencing the UN Ambassadors who coordinate with Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

The issue at stake is threatening to unravel some of the hard work and progress that Haiti had made in collaboration with the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH). Overall, MINUJUSTH had made slow but positive progress following numerous allegations of government mismanagement of funds and lack of enforcement of laws and regulations. The country has made progress on reinforcing rule of law institutions, increased the capacity for the Haitian National Police, and is actively participating in positive human rights initiatives. With this kind of progress, the MINUJUSTH believes they are becoming ready to begin engaging with international human rights organizations and start implementing a national action plan.

Although this progress is extremely positive for Haiti, there is still much to be done in reference to the continuing gang violence in the capital. Essentially, the country is still waiting for the international community to fulfill their commitment to funding to help with their national security, according to Helen La Lime. This funding should drive Haiti’s five year Haitian National Police Strategic Development Plan. Since this progress has been slow, and due to the closure of the MINUJUSTH on October 19, 2019, it is likely that this is why the problems are persisting and causing Haiti to become unstable again. La Lime is stressing that in order to keep tensions under control without a peacekeeping version of the UN presence in Haiti, they need to maintain constitutional order.

Since the assassination of Dorval, efforts are being threatened to undo themselves through the violence that is now present, proving that perhaps the progress made in Haiti was not successful nor enough. Support from international funding would help with strengthening Haiti’s police forces and judicial system. Currently, the nation is struggling to maintain peace during the violent protests while also trying to hold those accountable for their actions following the assassination. 

The murder of Dorval revealed the remaining weaknesses in Haiti’s state institutions. For example, the National Police has still been able to maintain operational proficiency since the closure of the MINUJUSTH, but it requires at least 10,000 well equipped and trained police officers to meet international policing standards. The international community needs to support Haiti with introducing measures to meet this demand for the Haiti National Police Force in order to maintain law and order in their country.

Haitian citizens continue to express a lack of trust for the police forces and the political forces at large. With its upcoming election in early 2021, there is a huge opportunity for the country to get back on track by rebuilding trust between its citizens and the state. Furthermore, transparency and trust will aid in the establishment of a strong and regulated state. It is crucial for the international community to Haiti in its process. Additionally, it is imperative that this country maintains an honest and peaceful election to reduce the civil unrest. The Haitian government could also benefit from structural guidance and access to the UN’s resources for a smooth transition of political power coming up. Due to protests not subsiding, this needs to be done as quickly and safely as possible, ideally before the election begins. The UN should help Haiti develop its electoral framework and calendar beforehand to reduce the risk of violence continuing. 

The impact of COVID-19 is also exacerbating Haiti’s fragile state. This, coupled with the upcoming election and trouble with gang activity, there is a need for stability. Since the international community has come to a standstill due to the pandemic, it has left countries like Haiti continuing to wait for help from the international community when they need it most. This could have been a huge factor as to why this nation has not been able to maintain the stability they desire—they still depend so much on outside influence. This could be bad timing in terms of the pandemic; however, it has revealed that major issues and flaws still exist in the country of Haiti.

Sophia Seemann

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