PRESS BRIEFING ON HAITI

9 May 1996

Press Briefing

19960509 FOR INFORMATION OF UNITED NATIONS SECRETARIAT ONLY

The Special Representative to the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH), Enrique ter Horst, briefed correspondents today at Headquarters on the two-fold mandate of the mission: sustaining a secure and stable environment in that country and assisting in the professionalization of the new Haitian National Police (HNP), and he urged the extension of its mandate for another six months.

The United Nations force was now down to 1,900 troops and 280 civilian police, Mr. ter Horst said. A situation of stability and security continued to exist largely due to the force's presence. The existence of criminal gangs in Port-au-Prince and some parts of Cap Haitien could be considered a menace to the security situation, he noted, but these were "purely criminal gangs, with no political connotations or objectives". At this time, the former members of the previous de facto regime did not constitute a security menace.

The current negotiation of the structural adjustment programme involving the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank might change the current security assessment, "so we're watching that closely", he said.

The Haitian National Police had been deployed in the second half of last year. "It was a well selected force", he said. Most of them had high school training. Unfortunately, they had received [up to now] only four months' professional training and the force lacked the experience that "it very sorely needs at this stage". With the appointment of the present Director-General, it had been possible to organize a very ambitious programme of training, equipping and helping the HNP manage itself, which had resulted in 13 working groups and the setting of deadlines "which we control on a weekly basis".

The mission was scheduled to end on 30 June, according to resolution 1048, which stipulated that it was to be the last extension of UNMIH. "But it is clear that the Haitian National Police is not in a position to take over the securing of a stable environment, and in that sense yesterday I said at the Security Council that despite our efforts to speed up our departure, our presence would still be required for some time", he said.

Mr. ter Horst had also told the Council that the Haitian police would probably be fully operational by the end of next year, and then it would be naturally necessary to monitor its progress constantly; if it was able to secure the stability and security the resolution referred to, "naturally a quicker withdrawal would be possible".

Consultations had now begun among the members of the Security Council to see under what modality a continued presence was possible, he said.

Within the Security Council, the last time the question of Haiti had come up, China had raised many objections to the extension to 30 June, due in part at least to Haiti's links to Taiwan, a correspondent said. Could China's objections be more easily overcome this time so as to extend the mandate? "We're very much at the beginning of these consultations, and I think it's very difficult to say what the Chinese position will be. In any case it is for the Chinese delegation itself to say where it is standing right now", Mr. ter Horst said. "China has listened very carefully to the arguments that have been presented", he added. It was hoped that a [planned] visit by some members of the Security Council to Haiti could take place before the end of the month. "I have reason to believe that the Chinese delegation will be part of that [visit]", he added.

Was it known how many members of the Security Council would be going to Haiti? a correspondent asked. No, Mr. ter Horst replied.

If the presence of UNMIH was still needed, how large a contingent and for how long after 30 June? a correspondent asked. There were now 1,900 troops and 280 police, which was very near the mandated number of 300; a military presence was required at least to protect the civilian police which were spread throughout the country, Mr. ter Horst said. "There might be some adjustments downwards, but I think we're already quite close to what would be the indispensable minimum." The mandates were always extended on a six- monthly basis, he noted; "at this stage, what we're aiming for is a six-month extension". A further extension, after December, might be necessary, he added.

A correspondent said that around two weeks ago, two former police officers from Haiti were expelled from the Dominican Republic under charges of conspiring to overthrow the Haitian Government of President Rene Preval. Could those elements pose a threat to the security of the current government in Haiti, or was the threat now basically criminal? "Right now, at the present time, the criminal threat is the only real one", Mr. ter Horst replied, stressing that his assessment applied to the present time only. In the absence of an international presence, those elements [cited by the correspondent] could become a very real threat. However, the fact that those two persons were expelled from the Dominican Republic and were now in Honduras "has produced some relief and has had an important psychological effect", he noted.

What about the nature of the criminal gangs in Cite Soleil, where apparently there were as many as 11 new gangs patrolling the slums? Did they have any particular beliefs or were they just American-style criminal gangs? the correspondent asked. "They engage mainly in stealing in the port area,

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contraband and drug trafficking" he said, adding that at one point, one of the local radios at Port-au-Prince gave them the name of "Red Army", which had political connotations. "But in fact they do not pursue political objectives".

What was the reaction of the Council to the request for an extension for six months? Was the issue of the financial implications raised? a correspondent asked. No, he replied. "At this stage, I think the Council has limited itself to taking note of my report." Also, a written report from the Secretary-General was due on 15 June, and hopefully it might come out before then. It would be important for the Council to reach a decision, either on an extension or a new operation, as early as possible, hopefully towards the beginning of June. "Otherwise the liquidation procedures kick in, which would complicate things on the ground."

Asked what a new operation would be like, Mr. ter Horst replied: "Maybe a slight adjustment in the mandate, maybe a slightly lower level, and probably a different name".

Was the Government satisfied with the structural programme [for the economy] from the IMF and the World Bank? a correspondent asked. The disbursement of the funds had suffered mainly due to the fact that the negotiations had not been completed. They were due to be completed on 15 May; they might run a bit longer, but in any case they will be completed, he said. The main issue was privatization. There was no question of reduction of subsidies because there was no money to subsidize anything in Haiti. There was no question of adjusting prices of services like electricity or water because they were already at market levels; and there was also little question of reducing import duties, because the Haitian economy was a quite open one. It was a question of privatizing some State assets, some of which were not even working at the time: a cement factory, which had been closed for some time, and a flour mill, among other assets. By privatizing them, the production of cement and flour could start again. There were also some banks still in the hands of the State. It was hoped that the package would be approved quickly, so that the funds might start being disbursed again.

Was social violence to be expected over the privatization issue? No, he said, it seemed that most of the population seemed to understand that privatization was necessary; a campaign in that sense by the Government was bearing fruit. "I do not foresee violence at the agreement, because the negotiations will not result in price hikes or in much unemployment", Mr. ter Horst said. In the case of the factories, it was even possible that there would be some new jobs.

Last night, former President Aristide came out openly against privatization; what role did he play now? a correspondent asked. Mr. Aristide was a well respected figure in the country, Mr. ter Horst said. His views

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were part of the normal workings of democracy. The Parliament was taking a very active role; the Lavallas deputies there were very independent, stating their views clearly and well represented in the press, so there was a lively debate going on.

Was Mr. Aristide helping or obstructing the transition? "I think he's taking positions when it is needed, he said. In general the Government has been put in place relatively recently. He has an interest like everybody else in Haiti to consolidate democracy and get this Government on the road".

What if UNMIH's mandate was not extended? The development of the police would be considerably retarded, he said. It was much easier to carry our the needed disciplinary measures in the presence of an operation like UNMIH, and, regarding the general security situation, a premature departure of UNMIH might lead, in the absence of an operational police force, "some of the unsavoury elements of the de facto regime to get some funny ideas", he added. In general, the confidence that the presence of UNMIH had generated -- and which needed to be complemented by the conclusion of the economic negotiations in order for investment to take place -- would be interrupted.

The previous Special Representative for Haiti, Lakhdar Brahimi, had implied a couple of months ago at a briefing that the national police tended to be rather too quick on the trigger, a correspondent said. In recent weeks three police officers had been killed. Was there any concern that their inexperience and tendency to use force might be exacerbated if they felt themselves under attack? It was true that the lack of experience was generating reactions which sometimes were impulsive, and which were the result of fear, Mr. ter Horst said. The assassination of three officers in one week was a cause of grave concern. "We hope it is not a campaign to demoralize the new police force. Together with the HNP we are engaged in a thorough investigation of these three cases."

Since privatization appeared to be the key to a good transition, did the Representative know who were the eventual buyers? And would the United Nations be neutral? "Absolutely. We have no business running the country", Mr. ter Horst replied, and no, he did not know who would be the buyers. President Preval had proposed the Bolivian model of privatization through capitalization. Probably half of the assets would remain in the hands of a number of parastatal entities and employees, while the other half would be sold and the price would go mainly into capitalizing those entities, which in any case were undercapitalized.

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