Hurricane MINUSTAH hits Haiti

Four Years of U.N. Mission, Four Years of Slaughter - Part 1

by Alma Giraudo

©John Carrol

HIP - Port au Prince, Haiti — Mercius and Marie-Danielle Lubin would of never imagined that the 2nd of February 2007 their little girls of 7 years old Stephanie and 4 years old Alexandra would have been massacred in their own homes while sleeping by the U.N ‘s “Peace Keepers” soldiers in Cite Soleil.

Not even Mr .Fredi Romelus would of thought that his young wife of 22 years old Sonia, his baby of 12 months old Nelson, and his other son of 4 years old Stanley, would have been shot to death by the U.N’s “peace keepers”an early morning in Cite Soleil . These were lives lost during the Massacre of July 6 2005 done by the Blue Helmets.

The 20th of January 2007,the parents of Broadley Bewence Germain, managed to bring their son of 9 years old in hospital, but the wound in his head from a bullet shot by the United Nation Soldiers is too deep, and so the little one does not make it.

Lelene Mertina, 24 years old is a survivor, but did not survive the child she was carrying insider her womb . She was at the sixth month of pregnancy when the 22nd of December 2006, soldiers shot at her from inside a U.N. vehicle hitting her stomach, killing her unborn baby and injuring her gravely . She too lives in Cite Soleil.

Mr.and Mrs. Lubin, Mr Romelus, Mr and Mrs Germain along with Lelene Mertina and hundreds of other people left without a name for us, have been told that the killings of their family members was a “collateral damage”. Of which war? Yes that’s what leaders of the U.N. Mission in Haiti told them. Words especially expressed by the Chilean Juan Gabriel Valdes (from June1-2004 until May-31-2006) and the Guatemalan Edmond Mulet (from June 1-2006 until August 31-2007) to the many victims of the military operations mainly conducts in densely populated civil neighborhoods , strangely enough the poorest areas.

But these are not all “Collateral Damages”.

Some Facts: The Mission ‘s Figures and Purposes

The United Nation Mission in Haiti — MINUSTAH— which in french stands for Mission des Nations Unies pour la Stabilization d’Haiti started the 1st of June 2004 but it’s the result of a previous resolution of the Security Council n.1529 of 02.29.04, which was passed immediately after the U.S soldiers were already occupying the country a few hours before the democratically elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide was kidnapped by the same militaries, and was still inside the airplane that was deporting him to Africa.

The resolution 1529 adapted act according to the members of the Security Council and in conformity to the United Nation Chapter was justified with the phrases:

“determined to facilitate the pacific and constitution solution of the crisis in act in Haiti”
“considering that the situation in Haiti is a threat to international peace and security and at the stability of the Caribbean especially because it could create an exodus towards other countries of that area.”

So, Haiti ,all of a sudden has became a dangerous threat to “international peace and security”, it required an immediate resolution that authorized military occupation, already in act, from foreign armies such as the United States, France, Canada and definite Multinational Forces.

After three extremely violent months of military occupation, the idea of legality, and respect for human rights disappeared, during this time the rights of the people were defended — but only on the surface— with the more “legitimate” U.N. Mission, MINUSTAH, guided by Brazil, who’s mandate provides to: (some significant excerpts)

"Assist the Transitional Government in supervise and reform the Haitian National Police, adapting democratic standard, endorsing the personnel and training it. “
“Assist the Transitional Government in supervise and reform the Haitian National Police,in the program of disarmament, demobilization and re-integration of all armed groups. (DDR)
“Assist to the re-establishment and maintenance of the role of the law, public security and public order through the support of the National Haitian Police (NHP)
“Protect civilians under imminent attack of physical violence”
“ Assist the Transitional Government in its efforts to organize free parliamentary and presidential elections especially with technical, logistic and administrative assistance”
“ Support the Transitional Government as well as the groups and institutions in their efforts to promote and protect human rights, especially women and children.”

But the mandate is immediately exposed by the composition of the contingent:

7.000 soldiers (initially 6.700 , then 7.600 and now again about 7.000)
1.800 members of the police forces (civil, anti-riot, and military police)
500 circa civilians
20 (twenty!!!) human rights officials assigned under the direction of the Canadian Thierry Fagart

Testimony with notable resignation, from a human rights official in Haiti.

“We are in twenty, besides the twenty other locals that worked for us, we are distributed in equal measures in different departments, not according to the population or to the necessities , so the same amount of people are in place where there’s minor problems as in Port Au Prince.”

“I can not go to Cite Soleil to collect evidences, I’d have to go with a U.N’s car and escorted , so what would be the point?”

“This office should be an inviting place where the people can feel tranquility, instead is an armed fortress, people don’t come here, they are scared!”

In charge is the Brazilian General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira

Other High Rapresentative of the United Nation’s General Secretary and also other charge of the mission is the Chilean Juan Gabriel Valdes.

©Roberto Schmidt

The Horror of an Error: What Legality?

The U.N Contingent hasn’t been sent to Haiti to control the peace agreement between countries that are at war; Haiti is not at war with anybody.

He hasn’t been sent to Haiti to control the agreement between armed groups during a civil war; because there’s not civil war in Haiti: there’s hundreds of ex militaries, and armed criminals against an entire population, but it’s not a civil war. These individuals alone, wouldn’t of been able to enter Port –Au- Prince. They would have had to escape and leave the country.

He has been sent to Haiti because of an illegitimate government who has as chief a U.S.A citizen ,Gerard Latortue, who was put in power with violence by foreign countries: the United States, Canada and France with the support of the European Union. Latortue is unable to overcome the revolts even though the Latortue “government” has at its service the Haitian National Police and the paramilitary forces. Haiti needs its own military which dosen’t exist because it was resolved by Aristide in 1995.

The army arrives from many foreign countries , many of these countries are latin Americans, “allied” countries. Brazil guides the mission.

The mission’s high officials claims to be here hopefully for a short period of time to protect the population (from the regime’s violence and its police). But it won’t be long before people realize they are here to serve the “transitional government” as it shows in the mandate of its violent National Police and ex-military.

The countries that send military contingents are: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Bolivia, Canada, Croatia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Peru`, Paraguay, Philippines, Spain, United States and Yemen.

Subsequently Spain, Morocco, Malaysia and Yemen withdrew their forces. Pakistan adds itself to the mission.

Forty are the countries that officially have sent civilians and or military officials from North America, Europe, Central America, Africa and Asia.

Even China sent one-hundred riot police officers: it’s was the first time China was part of U.N. mission.

©John Carroll

The reason of the mission seems to be clear from the words of MINUSTAH military commander, the Brazilian General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira , during an interview of Radio Metropole the 8th of October 2004, the general stated:

“WE MUST KILL THE BANDITS, BUT NOT ANYBODY, IT MUST BE THE BANDITS ONLY”

Considered the fact that the UN ‘s target is to KILL, we should clarify who are these “bandits” that General Pereira intend to kill: in 2004, 2005 and a good part of 2006, “bandits” were all the people who were opposed at the Coup d’etat; some were armed, but majority protested pacifically, all these people are identified supporters of Lavalas . People of the areas considered “pro-Aristide” of Bel Air, Martissant, Grand Ravin, Pele and of the slum of Cite Soleil.

First the “Multinational Forces” and then MINUSTAHhave settled their “general quarter” at the university that was built by Aristide to create new doctors. Haiti is in grave needs of doctors, but the United Nation don’t care about it.

Students and professors had to stop their lessons for months, until they found arrangements to be able to start their studies again. MINUSTAH general quarter still occupies the University, and they have not intentions in giving the property back to its proprietors.

One of the main roles of MINUSTAHis to monitor and train the Haitian National Police according to “democratic standards”:

©HIP

In various Haitian cities between 2004 and 2005 (June 2004, Bel Air in Port Au Prince, August 14 2004 Cap Haitien, September 11 2004 Port Au Prince, September 30 2004 various cities, December 16 2004, Port Au Prince, January 7 2005, Cite Soleil, February 28 2005 various cities) took place imposing peaceful protests, against the coup and to ask the return of their democratically elected president Jean Bertrand Aristide but the police always shoots at them.

During about ten different protests many people were killed by the police, but the U.N never intervened.

The monitoring and training of the local police seems faulty in numerous situations: Here is some sad and terrible examples.

June 27 2004 - The HNP arrest Ivon Neptune, prime minister during the Aristide presidency, his arrest is based on false accusations. Later is a commission of the U.N. itself to prove that these accusations were false, but Neptune remains in prison for 25 months . He’s released after a very long hunger-strike which undermine his health for ever.

October 13 2004 - Enter in the capital in parade some of the ex- military including Ravix Remissainthe (who was killed by MINUSTAHsoldiers later on during a shootout the 8th of April 2005), whom have committed grave crimes ( mass murders, tortures, raping) during the previous months. Numerous testimonies reported that during those months the ex militaries took many people who were considered to be “Lavalas” and closed them inside shipping containers baking in the sun — whomever was able to pay the extortion was released, the rest were left to die, then thrown into the sea. MINUSTAHinstead of arrest them, make sure that not too many accidents occurred.

October 19 2004 - In the morgue of Port Au Prince, 44 dead bodies are found in indescribable conditions, many still handcuffed.

December 14 2004 - 500 circa ex members of the dissolved army and of Cedras’s death-squad (the FRAPH) are integrated in the Haitian National Police. A MINUSTAH spokesperson, visibly embarrassed justify the act calling it “national pacification” . National Pacification with the enlistment of criminals and already way too violent police?

January 15 2005 - The family of Jimmy Charles , after 10 days of desperate searches , found him dead at the Port Au prince’s morgue with 6 bullets inside his body.

Jimmy Charles was arrested the 5th of January by the U.N. troops. He was a Lavalas representative , he organized peaceful protests . Many community members have implored the U.N soldiers not to hand him to the police , afraid for his life, but they haven’t been listened to. Charles have been given to the police, he was disappeared and then found dead.

In a declaration of January 26, the spokesperson of the U.N. mission, Damian Onses Cardona confirmed that MINUSTAHdon’t take responsibility in cases where individuals whom are given to the police are then found dead.

January 18 2005 - Two teen-agers of Drouilard of Cite` Soleil, whose are so poor they couldn’t even manage to put together a meal a day, were arrested by the MINUSTAH soldiers, without any reasons, and without a warrant. These are Patrick D. just turned 12 years old and Raphael J. 15 years old.

They were liberated after 6 long months, after have spent all that time in the dirty and cold Haitian prisons, when lawyer Evel Fanfan, when found out about their case, worked in their defense for free. Along with the boys, Fanfan was able to liberate another 3 boys whom where in the same shoes as Patrick and Raphael. But there’s still so many children, minors in prisons for no reasons whom where taken by the police.

Believing in the United Nation children’s rights? Definitely not!

This Haitian, is totally masked and dressed with the United Nation uniform, he has been engaged, like others have also been, by the UN military to point out, walking down the streets of Port Au Prince who is a “bandit” (a supporter of Aristide) that should be arrested and left to die in prison. This is an intolerable practice that brought to prison many innocent people ©HIP

General Heleno Ribeiro Pereira ©HIP

MINUSTAH Operation in Bwa Neuf ©HIP

After the February 28 2005 protest, when at least 5 people were killed by the police, the high representative of the United Nations, also chief of the mission, Juan Gabriel Valdes declares:”We can’t tolerate such executions. We won’t allow human rights abuses. The U.N. peacekeepers will intervene even with force, if necessary, if the Haitian National Police, will attack again at unarmed civilians”

But his words will prove to be false

During a protest, March 29 2005, General Heleno Ribeiro Pereira was filmed by the cameras while he was answering at some Haitians whom are confronting him about the failure in protecting the people: “The U.N. is not the authority in Haiti, the authority is the Government and the Haitian National Police “- in dispute the people denounce “but it’s them the HNP who are killing us, they are illegal”. Pereira answer- “ The police is a legal institution in Haiti. You all have to respect the police, you are a man who doesn’t respect authority.” And then he leaves.

The “not authority” U.N in April 25 of the same year put under siege Cite` Soleil. Surronded by armoured , not resident can leave or enter the area without being checked in which means risked to be killed , like April 27 where 3 people whom were protesting have been killed.

In May 31 2005 during a joined operation in Cite Soleil between the Police and Minustah, two people got killed, some houses and the market of Bwa Neuf have been put up in flames.

Between June 2nd and 5th 2005, police in raids, kill 30 people in Bel Air.

Testify Samba Boukman, representative Lavalas who lives in Bel Air: “While the MINUSTAHmilitaries were controlling the perimeter of our area, the police and the paramilitary were killing us and burning our houses down. July 4th, the police burned some houses and arrested 22 people. The relatives went to the police station expecting to be finding them there, they’ve waited for them, but they waited in vain. The jeep of the police, stopped in a little street and the 22 arrested got executed crudely.”

Wednesday, July 6th 2005, Port-au-Prince, Cite` Soleil, 3.00am

Between 300 and 350 heavily armed United Nation’s militaries , surrounded the areas of Bwa Neuf and Drouilard with their armoured vehicles blocking every exit.

Majority of the residents of the areas are sleeping, others are already getting ready to go to work: without yet knowing they were trapped.

At 4.30 am the soldiers launched an attack , using also the help of two helicopters.

The residents during a testimony said: “the bullets were flying from every angle, from the sky too, from the helicopters, they threw smoke bombs at our homes and if anybody tried to escape , he/she would be shot. “ They were shooting everywhere, inside our homes, to people that were trying to go to work, they shoot at every-body, but none of us were armed”. “It was a war against the all community” “they destroyed our homes” (majority of homes are barracks made of metal and carton . They shot at the school and the church (the priest is one of the victims).

A lady said: “Usually I get home at 5.00am, I couldn’t get back home, for hours they didn’t allow me to , then finally I arrived at home at midday: my house was destroyed and my husband was lying on the floor in a pool of blood, they killed my husband, how am I going to support my children now? “Thank-You Foreigners for what you’ve done” !

At the end of that day, after 7 hours of one way war, 23 dead bodies are counted,, but the residents mourn over 50 victims : many families bury their relatives quickly and in the best possible way they can, for fear of retaliation. Nobody has the money to afford funerals , therefore other dead bodies were buried in a mass grave.

At the St. Catherine’s hospital, which is runed by doctors without borders and is the only public free hospital, arrived 26 wounded, they’re all children, women and elderly . Young men don’t go to get treated at the hospital, they are afraid to “disappear”: it happened before, but in different hospitals. Many of the injured men, died from infected wounds, but we will never know how many, as we will never know how many are the deaths, victims of the United Nations of that day.

The testimonies of the residents that suffered the attack, is much more credible then what the MINUSTAH spokesperson says, while tries to justify the attack.

The United Nation’s spokesperson (the first, the Moroccan Eloufi Boulbars) claimed that the attack was a success “we’ve killed only 6 bandits, and nobody else””we’ve shoot only to defend ourselves” but later, in front of the evidences, they are forced to admit that : yes, maybe there was some “collateral damage”. One of their own human rights organization’s report states that the U.N. soldier shoot 22.000 bullets in 7 hours. They’ve refused to recognized that they’ve machine-gunned houses and used helicopters as well for the operation, but the huge holes in their roofs are evidence, and so are the testimonies of the people who were under their fire.

It was a planned operation of war conducted against the civilian population. An evident violation of any international convection.

What are the Objectives of the Mission?
Is Everybody a Target?

Months before, Gen. Ribeiro declared about the USA, France and Canada in front of a Brazilian Parliament commission: “We are under extreme pressure to use violence from the international community. I control peace forces, not occupying forces. We are not there to bring violence. This won’t happen until I will finish my mission there”.

But once again, this won’t be the case.

The pressureto is not just from te “international comm

unity” it’s also from the Haitian elite, essentially represented by Reginald Boulos, Charles Henry Baker, Jean Claude Bajeux, Andre` Apaid (All owners of

sweatshops).

They demand violent actions against the “bandits” of Cite Soleil, but mainly they ask for the head of a young man, Emmanuel Wilme`.

Wilme`, 31 years old, saw both his parents being killed by the military of Cedras (during the 1991-1994 dictatorship). This time he was armed, he decided to combat against the regime and against the occupying forces. The residents considered him their protector, he gave them the strength to resist , therefore a dangerous man for those that wanted supported and made the coup possible. The elite and the “international community” give the orders and the “peace keepers” execute. During this military operation Wilme` got killed, along with 4 members of his “gang”.

Some testimonies say: “Wilme’s house is not within reach from the street, it’s in between other houses and there’s not drivable roads. The tanks, destroyed the houses that were in “their way” , the soldiers wanted to get Wilme` at any cost. They even threw explosives inside his house, they wanted to make sure he was dead. “ (6)

NOTES:

1. http://www.minustah.org/res/res1529.pdf

2. http://www.un.org/french/aboutun/charte/index.html

3. http://www.minustah.org MINUSTAH official site

4. http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/mandate.html

5. Jean-Bertrand Aristide's political party

6. “The UN's disconnect with the poor in Haiti” July 2005 http://www.haitiaction.net/News/HIP/12_25_5/12_25a_5.html

Hurricane MINUSTAH hits Haiti

End of Part 1

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