Human rights expert advocates for an international force specialized in Haiti

“Haiti is at a turning point in its history. It is urgent to take action. The survival of an entire nation is at stake.”, said this Thursday the UN expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti* at the end of a ten-day official visit to that Caribbean country.

William O’Neill declared having encountered a country plagued by violence, misery and suffering in which there is a constant violation of human rights, especially at the hands of gangs, that they continue to sow terror, especially in the capital, Port-au-Prince, which has become a lawless area.

Among the abuses that the population suffers daily, he highlighted the rapes -often collective- of women and girls, and forced displacement. He also gave an account of the grabbing of land by the oligarchs, which leaves the peasants in precarious conditions.

the situation can improve

Despite such a gloomy scenario, O’Neill maintained that the situation is not irreversible and that it can improve quickly and with few meansalthough for this the coordinated support of the international community is essential, in addition to the fact that the State must guarantee the human rights of the population.

“It is essential to deployment of a specialized international force together with the Haitian National Police to restore the freedom of movement of populations and limit gang violence. The arms embargo (mainly from the United States), established by the Security Council of the UN,” he emphasized.

The expert also stressed the need for a effective judicial system to combat corruption and impunity that fuel the cycle of violence and have paralyzed the country for decades.

O’Neill spoke of the movement of people who do justice by their hand, both in an organized way and in fits of despair, describing it as one more symptom of failure of the judicial system.

In this regard, he pointed out that the UN sanctions regime it is also important in the fight against corruption and impunity, adding that it must be accompanied by measures aimed at bringing the perpetrators to justice in Haiti.

The expert’s observations, on the other hand, refer to promising signs for changesuch as the efforts of a new government commissioner to curb insecurity, and the determined and courageous work of the Legal Aid Office and judges to advance corruption cases.

He also highlighted the work of the National Police, which operates in difficult conditions and with limited meansfor which reason he insisted on the need for an international force to collaborate with that security body and allow it to develop its capacity in the long term.

“The transfer of technology and specific knowledge They will be fundamental, especially in the field of intelligence and the fight against urban violence. The development of the local police should also be encouraged, ”he stressed.

Certify the police

However, it reported reports of possible summary executions by people wearing police uniforms, as well as mass arrests of people for criminal association, jailed without trial or access to a lawyer. In this sense, he specified that it is priority to certify police officers.

He added that the police and judiciary will need to build their capacity to address the gaps in sexual and gender violence that still prevail.

On the other hand, O’Neill indicated that the absence of the State for all economic, social and cultural rights is notorious. “Access to health, water, food, education and housing are seriously hampered by the lack of action by the State, which nevertheless has the duty to give an adequate response within the limits of its capacities.”

To conclude, the expert reiterated that the country is facing a crossroads: “You have the choice to recover, to demonstrate your willingness to overcome the crisis to move towards a better future, or to resign yourself and sink further into chaos. Guaranteeing the security and protection of the population, overcoming structural institutional deficiencies and restoring confidence in public institutions are fundamental requirements for holding free and transparent elections and for the consolidation of the rule of law,” he said.

*The special rapporteurs are part of the “Special Procedures” of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN system for Human Rights, is the general name of the independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms established by the Council to deal with specific country situations or thematic issues worldwide. the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and act in their individual capacity.