Haiti

(Quelle: Reliefweb) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Tuesday his country would command the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti only if there was an 'effective commitment' from the international community for the ' reconstruction' of the Caribbean nation. Last month, Brazil said it would send 1,100 troops to contribute to the second phase of the UN operation in Haiti and agreed to command the multinational forces that will also include troops from the United States, Canada, France, Argentina and Chile.

(Quelle: UN News) Secretary-General Kofi Annan has proposed sending United Nations military and police forces to Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, beginning in the latter half of May as the vanguard of an 8,300-strong United Nations stabilization mission that will take over from the United States-led multilateral interim force (MIF) on 1 June. … The Secretary-General says the multidimensional UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) will consist of 6,700 troops, 1,600 civilian police and additional international and local civilian staff, and have an initial mandate of 24 months.

(Quelle: IPS News Agency) The United States and France have intimidated Caribbean countries into delaying an official request for a probe into the murky circumstances under which Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was ousted from power in February, according to diplomatic sources at the U.N.

(Quelle: taz) Haitis Polizei hat gestern nach eigenen Angaben Exinnenminister Jocelerme Privert wegen Verdachts auf Beteiligung an Oppositionellen-Morden festgenommen. Privert ist damit der erste Minister der gestürzten Aristide-Regierung, der wegen seiner Rolle bei den Unruhen im Februar belangt werden soll.

(Quelle: Washington Times) Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday rejected a proposed U.N. probe into former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's departure, saying the United States had helped to prevent a blood bath. Haitian Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, …, announced that all major political parties and civilian groups had agreed to hold presidential and parliamentary elections next year.

(Quelle: UN Wire) Haiti's U.S.-backed interim government is planning to demand the extradition of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, temporarily located in Jamaica, on charges of corruption and rights abuses, Haitian Justice Minister Bernard Gousse told Associated Press yesterday. Within weeks Haitian authorities will appoint an independent commission to investigate allegations of embezzlement and assassinations under Aristide, according to Gousse.  

(Quelle: UN News) United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's special adviser on Haiti today called for a long-term international presence of some 20 years in the Caribbean country as it recovered from a series of reverses, but he said that mission must give ownership of reconstruction programmes to Haitians themselves.

(Quelle: New York Times) The Bush administration, still seeking more foreign troops to help stabilize Haiti, voiced concern on Monday over a refusal by Caribbean leaders to recognize that country's American-backed interim government. … The administration still hopes to pull out its troops within 60 days and see them replaced by peacekeepers as outlined by the United Nations. But that goal may be difficult. So far, only Brazil has committed itself to providing security forces for the second phase.

(Quelle: New York Times) When Haiti's new police chief made a surprise tour of six police stations in the capital earlier this month, they were nearly empty. Only about two dozen officers were on duty when there should have been nearly 200. … As Haiti slowly emerges from weeks of violent political turmoil that led to the exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Mr. Charles and other members of the new interim government face the challenge of resurrecting the rule of law and ending official impunity.

(Quelle: BBC) Officials at a summit of Caribbean leaders say Haiti's former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has been granted permanent asylum in South Africa. Jamaican officials said Mr Aristide, who left office three weeks ago, was likely to leave for South Africa after the general election there next month. But a spokesman for Mr Aristide has said he has not yet decided where to go and was consulting several countries.