UN OKs multinational forces for Haiti

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, March 01, 2004

UN OKs multinational forces for Haiti

US marines have arrived in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince as the United Nations Security Council endorsed Sunday the deployment of a multinational force inthe country. The situation in Haiti remains chaotic although ousted President Jean Bertrand Aristide resigned and left the country.

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UN approves multinational troops for Haiti

The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved Sundaythe deployment of a multinational force for Haiti to restore law and order in the Caribbean country.

The resolution states that the situation in Haiti "constitutes a threat to international peace and security and to stability in the Caribbean, especially through the potential outflow of people to other states in the subregion."

It authorizes the immediate deployment of the multinational force for up to three months "to contribute to a secure and stableenvironment in the Haitian capital and elsewhere in the country."

The force, which diplomats said would be led by the United States, is also to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance, assist the Haitian police and coast guard to maintain law and order, and create conditions for the United Nations to help the Haitians.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the council decision indicated that the international community is standing by the Haitians "in their hour of need."

"The international community will do whatever they can to help stabilize the situation," he stressed. "I know some of them (Haitians) may think that it's a bit late, but it's always better than never."

US marines start Haiti peacekeeping missions

The US marines arrived in Haiti early on Monday to launch an international force to restore order.

A marine contingent took up combat positions at Port-au-Prince airport just before the UN Security Council approves the deployment of an interim multinational force to the Caribbean country.

"An initial contingent of US troops arrived in Haiti just as the (UN Security) Council voted," US Ambassador John Negroponte tothe United Nations said in New York.

In Washington, Pentagon said in a statement that US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld will deploy more troops in the coming days.

"U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ordered additional U.S. forces to deploy as necessary over the next several days to fill out the U.S. contribution to a multinational interim force," the statement said.

"The final size of the contribution to the multinational interim force is to be determined," it added.

France, Canada committed to contributing to peacekeeping forces

Along with the United States, France and Canada have announced their willingness to send troops to Haiti to join the newly-created multinational force.

Also on Sunday, Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham said in Ottawa that his country was committed to joining a stabilization force in Haiti.

He told Canadian Television that Prime Minister Paul Martin hadurged emergency preparedness as the situation in Haiti unraveled.

The minister said Canada is eager to help in Haiti, because it is a Francophone country and there are many Haitian immigrants in Canada.

Canada has already a small number of troops guarding the Canadian Embassy in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti.

Meanwhile, some 200 French troops in France's overseas department of Antilles in the Caribbean region will join the international force in Haiti in the coming hours and about 100 gendarmes will arrive in the crisis-hit island on Monday, said a spokesman of the staff of the French armies.

The French troops will protect French nationals on the island. A spokeswoman of the French presidency said France is ready to participate if an international peacekeeping force is to be deployed.

Haite still bogged in turmoil

Ousted Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide arrived early on Monday in the Central African Republic, a day after fleeing theviolence-battered country.

Aristide resigned Sunday under mounting pressure from foreign nations, rebels and political opponents and flew into exile after a two-week rebellion that has wrecked the Caribbean nation.

After Aristide's resignation, looting and gunfire prevailed in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.

Aristide's supporters from the slums answered Aristide's decision with anger. They drove around the city in pickup trucks, armed with shotguns and machetes. A few houses and a gas station were set ablaze by those militants.

Celebrations were also held in the same city. Some chanted "Vive Philippe," referring to a rebel leader.

Looters stormed into some shops and police stations, attacked afew buildings, including a house of an official in Aristide's administration. They took away police hats and helmets from a police post in the suburbs.

Police later regained control of the station and arrested some looters. Many of the streets however were calm in the evening as adusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed and some order restored.

At least 10 people were killed in the turmoil as witnesses werequoted as saying they saw four corpses in the Lalue neighborhood, not far from the center of the Haitian capital and six bodies werealso seen in the southwestern Carrefour neighborhood.

Source: Xinhua

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