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WORLD NEWSFriday 10 March 2017

After lengthy mission, UN peacekeeper pullout looms in Haiti

DAVID McFADDEN issues as a director of the
Washington-based Stimson
Associated Press Center think tank.
The U.N.’s first-ever “stabi-
CITE SOLEIL, Haiti (AP) — A lization” mission came to
Haiti in 2004 following a
few dozen Brazilian troops rebellion that ousted Presi-
dent Jean-Bertrand Aris-
wearing the blue helmets tide and had the chroni-
cally troubled country on
of the U.N. military force the brink of collapse. There
were daily deadly clash-
stroll through a dense war- es among gangs loyal to
Aristide’s faction, rebels
ren of shacks in Haiti’s most and ex-soldiers, and rogue
police. A wave of killings
notorious slum, facing no and kidnappings followed,
aimed at destabilizing a
greater threat than a few U.S.-backed interim gov-
ernment.
barking dogs along some For years, uniformed U.N.
troops provided the only
of the same streets where real security.
But these days, Haiti’s po-
pitched gunbattles be- lice do most of the heavy
lifting and the mood has
tween gangs and peace- changed. It took U.N.
peacekeepers three years
keepers used to be a daily to gain control over the
sprawling district of Cite
occurrence. Soleil, but it’s now placid
even though its residents
Years of easygoing patrols still live in desperate pov-
erty.
like the one on this recent AP journalists recently
joined a few dozen U.N.
afternoon in the steamy peacekeepers and four
Haitian police officers on
seaside district of Cite Soleil an uneventful foot patrol
and checkpoint duty in a
is a clear sign to many both Cite Soleil neighborhood
once controlled by gangs.
in Haiti and around the “The job was well done!”
Brazilian Capt. Leandro
world that it’s time to wrap Vieira Barboza told the
Haitian officers during a
up a U.N. force that has pep talk following the joint
patrol.
been cycling through this U.N. peacekeepers from Brazil patrol in the Cite Soleil slum, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It took U.N.
troops three years to gain control over the sprawling district of Cite Soleil, but it’s now placid even Continued on Page 27
Caribbean country since though its residents still live in desperate poverty.

a 2004 rebellion engulfed (AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery)

Haiti in violence.

“We have a secure and military component “is like- acronym, MINUSTAH. Operations such as UNICEF
ly to disappear in the rela- “MINUSTAH in Haiti is a very and the World Food Pro-
stable environment,” tively near future,” though good example of a mission gram also would remain.
officials have not spoken that has basically done its And analysts say officials
Col. Luis Antonio Ferreira publicly about the roughly job. So we’ll be very happy are considering keeping
2,200 foreign police who for that one to close down,” the civilian staff in place
Marques Ramos, deputy accompany them. Britain’s U.N. ambassador, along with a U.N. police
Washington, the Haiti mis- Matthew Rycroft, said at component to continue
commander of the Brazil- sion’s main check-writer, is a news conference at the building up and training
also applying pressure as it world body’s headquarters the Haitian National Police.
ian peacekeeper contin- reviews all 16 U.N. peace- in New York. “This would be unprece-
keeping missions. A diplo- The U.N. Security Council is dented in U.N. peacekeep-
gent, told The Associated mat, speaking on condi- expected to decide on a ing history. Normally, police
tion of anonymity because reconfiguration of the $346 only serve in peacekeep-
Press. “The important thing the conversations were million-a-year U.N. mission ing missions with military
private, has told the AP in mid-April after reviewing support and backup. But
is to leave in a good way.” that the new U.S. ambassa- Ladsous’ recommenda- it’s a creative option to re-
dor to the United Nations, tions. duce the mission’s size and
With a steady downsiz- Nikki Haley, has spoken Still, sending troops pack- cost as MINUSTAH gradu-
about winding up the Haiti ing does not mean the end ally works toward a full
ing of Haiti peacekeeping peacekeeping operation, of the United Nations Stabi- exit,” said Aditi Gorur, who
which is known by its French lization Mission in Haiti. researches peacekeeping
operations in recent years

and the U.S. administration

of President Donald Trump

pushing for cutbacks, the

U.N. is looking at sending

home 2,358 soldiers from 19

contributing countries, per-

haps within months. U.N.

peacekeeping chief Herve

Ladsous said during a re-

cent trip to Haiti that the

Board rejects Puerto Rico fiscal plan as unrealistic
DANICA COTO “Every decision we take and pension obligations to government should reduce The board is expected to

Associated Press based on faulty data that reach a sustainable level. expenditures in legislative approve a 10-year fiscal

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) affects the people of Puer- “Specifically, the proposed and executive branches plan on Monday that many

— Puerto Rico’s governor to Rico is just unaccept- plan is based on unrealistic and consolidate schools to believe will be amended to

clashed on Thursday with a able,” he said. projections of economic reflect a drop in students as include additional austerity

federal control board over- “We need to have a level growth, substantially under- an exodus to the U.S. main- measures. Rossello did not

seeing the island’s finances head. We need to think estimates spending, and land continues. say specifically whether he

after it rejected his fiscal about what the implica- reflects overly optimistic The letter comes less than would submit a revised plan

plan for the U.S. territory’s tions are.” revenue projections,” the 24 hours after the board by Saturday, stressing that

economic future as being Rossello spoke with re- board said. urged Rossello’s adminis- he preferred to first meet

unrealistic and too optimis- porters just hours after the It also said that based on tration to take emergency with board members to talk

tic.Gov. Ricardo Rossello board issued a letter re- an analysis, it found the actions to offset a critically about whether there’s a

said his administration is jecting his plan and de- government’s expenditures low cash flow. need for amendments.

willing to meet with board manded that he submit a could be understated by It recommended the gov- “This doesn’t need to be a

members to talk about dis- revised one by Saturday $60 million to $510 million ernment impose a furlough battle,” he said. “We need

agreements over financial morning. The board said and the liquidity projection for certain government to remember who gets to

data but warned he would the plan does not ensure by $300 million. workers, slash professional pay the price if this gets

not support a plan that funding for essential public It said general fund ex- services contracts by 50 done in an incorrect man-

contains erroneous infor- service nor does it provide penses should be increased percent and cut health ner. And it’s the people of

mation. a path to restructuring debt by $585 million and that the care costs. Puerto Rico.” q