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A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 20 OcTOber 2022
U.N. vote delayed on sanctions to curb Haiti violence, crime

By EDITH M. LEDERER of Haitian President Jove-
Associated Press nel Moïse, who had faced
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — opposition protests calling
Supporters of a U.N. resolu- for his resignation over cor-
tion that would demand an ruption charges and claims
immediate end to violence that his five-year term had
and criminal activity in Haiti expired. Moïse dissolved
and impose sanctions on Parliament in January 2020
influential gang leader Jim- after legislators failed to
my Cherizier, nicknamed hold elections in 2019 amid
"Barbecue," said Wednes- political gridlock.
day a vote has been de- Haiti has been gripped
layed. by inflation, causing rising
The Security Council vote prices that have put food
had been called for the and fuel out of reach for
afternoon but key Secu- many, as well as protests
rity Council members con- that have brought soci-
firmed the postponement ety to the breaking point.
for a few days. Violence is raging, making
France's U.N. Ambassador parents afraid to send their
Nicolas De Riviere told re- kids to school. Hospitals,
porters earlier: "I'm not sure banks and grocery stores
the vote will be today -- it are struggling to stay open.
could take a little more." Clean water is scarce and
The sanctions measure is the country is trying to deal
the first of two resolutions with a cholera outbreak.
on Haiti sponsored by the The president of neighbor-
United States and Mexico ing Dominican Republic,
to be considered by the which shares the Carib-
U.N.'s most powerful body. bean island of Hispaniola,
A second resolution, which recently described the situ-
is still being worked on, ation as a "low-intensity civil
would authorize an interna- war."
tional force to help improve Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, a former police officer who heads a gang coalition known as U.S. Ambassador Linda
security in the country in re- "G9 Family and Allies, leads a march to demand justice for slain Haitian President Jovenel Moise Thomas-Greenfield an-
sponse to an Oct. 7 request in Lower Delmas, a district of Port-au- Prince, Haiti July 26, 2021. Associated Press nounced Monday that a
from Haiti's Prime Minister resolution on a "non-U.N."
Ariel Henry. try is trying to deal with a While serving in the police, ening the army. mission to help Haiti was
Russia's Feputy U.N. Ambas- deadly cholera outbreak. it says, he planned and The draft resolution express- being prepared.
sador Dmitry Polyansky told Cherizier, a former police participated in a deadly es "grave concern about It would be limited in time
the council Monday that officer who leads an al- attack in November 2018 the extremely high levels of and scope and will be led
Moscow can't support "at- liance of Haitian gangs in the capital's La Saline gang violence and other by "a partner country,"
tempts to push through a known as the "G9 Family neighborhood where at criminal activities, including which was not identified,
sanctions resolution" and and Allies," would face an least 71 people were killed, kidnappings, trafficking in "with the deep, neces-
agreed to look into impos- international travel ban, over 400 houses destroyed persons and the smuggling sary experience required
ing restrictive measures asset freeze and arms em- and at least seven women of migrants, and homicides, for such an effort to be ef-
only after considering their bargo if the resolution is raped by armed gangs. and sexual and gender- fective," she said. It would
"efficiency," targeted na- adopted. A Security Coun- In a video posted on Face- based violence including have a mandate to use
ture and humanitarian cil committee would be book last week, Cherizier rape and sexual slavery, as military force if necessary.
consequences. established to designate called on the government well as ongoing impunity Thomas-Greenfield said
The sanctions resolution other Haitians and groups to grant him and G9 mem- for perpetrators, corruption the proposed mission was
names Cherizier, but would to be put on a sanctions bers amnesty and to void and recruitment of children in response to Henry's Oct.
also impose sanctions on blacklist. all arrest warrants against by gangs and the implica- 7 request and reflects one
other Haitian individuals "Cherizier and his G9 gang them. tions of Haiti's situation for option suggested in a letter
and groups whose actions confederation are ac- He said in Creole that Haiti's the region." from U.N. Secretary-Gener-
threaten the peace, secu- tively blocking the free economic and social situ- It demands "an immediate al Antonio Guterres to the
rity or stability of the West- movement of fuel from the ation is worsening by the cessation of violence, crim- council Oct. 9 that called
ern Hemisphere's poorest Varreux fuel terminal — the day, so "there is no better inal activities, and human for deployment of a rapid
country, according to the largest in Haiti," the draft time than today to disman- rights abuses which under- action force by one or sev-
final draft obtained by The resolution says. "His actions tle the system." mine the peace, stability eral U.N. member nations
Associated Press. have directly contributed He outlined a transitional and security of Haiti and to help Haiti's National Po-
Daily life in Haiti began to the economic paralysis plan for restoring order the region." lice.
to spin out of control last and humanitarian crisis in in Haiti. It would include And it urges "all political ac- Mexico's U.N. Ambassador
month just hours after prime Haiti." creation of a "Council of tors" to engage in negotia- Juan Ramon de la Fuente
minister Henry said fuel sub- Cherizier also "has en- Sages" with one represen- tions to overcome the crisis Ramirez said earlier Tues-
sidies would be eliminated, gaged in acts that threat- tative from each of Haiti's in Haiti and allow legislative day that he expected ac-
causing prices to double. en the peace, security, 10 departments to govern and presidential elections tion "very, very soon" on the
Gangs blocked the en- and stability of Haiti and the country with an interim to be held "as soon as the sanctions resolution, "and
trance to the Varreux fuel has planned, directed, or president until a presiden- local security situation per- then we'll have to start
terminal, leading to a se- committed acts that con- tial election could be held mits." working on the second one
vere shortage of fuel at a stitute serious human rights in February 2024. It also calls Political instability has sim- which is going to take a
time when clean water is abuses," the draft resolution for restructuring Haiti's Na- mered ever since last year's little more work and a few
also scarce and the coun- says. tional Police and strength- still-unsolved assassination more days."q