Background

Haiti has had a troubled history, its politics are characterized by power struggles and violent rebellions. For thirty years Haiti was ruled under the notoriously brutal Duvalier dictatorships. First Francois Duvalier ruled from 1956 until his death in 1971 when he was replaced by his 19 year old son Jean-Claude Duvalier who carried on his father’s regime until he was forced to flee the country in 1986, due to increasing public discontent. During their regime the Duvaliers committed widespread human rights atrocities on the people of Haiti. When, in 1990, Jean-Bertrand Aristide was elected as Haiti’s new president, it was hoped that Haiti’s fortune would change and the country could be turned around.

However Aristide was ousted just a year after he was elected, in a coup led by Brigadier-General Raoul Cedras. After US intervention in 1994 Aristide was returned to power and UN peacekeepers entered the country. In 1995 Haiti voted in yet another new president, Rene Prevel, who ruled until 2000 when Aristide was elected back into power. Aristide’s rule was marred by allegations of fraudulent election methods as well as allegations of human rights abuses being committed by the Haitian police force.

Today

In January 2004 violence erupted in Haiti, as growing support for anti-Aristide rebels spurned protests across the country. Clashes between the rebels and Aristide supporters grew increasingly violent and the rebels began taking over significant areas of the country. In February 2004 the rebels moved on the capitol, Port-au-Prince and forced Aristide into exile. Currently the country is being led by interim president Boniface Alexandra, in accordance with the constitution. The situation in Haiti is still extremely unstable and the United states sent marines in February to help keep the peace.

Following Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s exile on February 29, the U.S. peacekeeping mission in Haiti came to an end on June 25, with the peacekeeping responsibility transferred to the UN in the wake of intensifying political strife and street violence in the impoverished nation.

Didier Mortet, the chief executive of Air France in Haiti, became the latest victim of the violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Mortet was shot dead in his car on June 24 by three men on a motorcycle.

"The availability of weapons and the climate of impunity continue to fuel insecurity and human rights violations in Haiti, as measures to stop this are nowhere to be seen," commented Amnesty International.

The UN assumed control of the previously led U.S. multinational force of around 3,600 troops from member states including, France, Canada and Chile. A force of up to 6,700 military troops and 1,622 civilian police has been authorized by the Security Council. The bulk of this force is comprised of Brazilian troops, with 1,200 Brazilian soldiers and a Brazilian commander - Lt. Gen. Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira.

This force will work with the interim government for the next six months to train the police force and help to prepare Haiti for next years elections.

Many pro-Aristide officials fled their posts after the rebellion, leaving a political vacuum where violent groups have been able to capitalize. This has been exacerbated by the lack of an effective police force, which has led Interim Prime Minister Gerard Latortue to appeal to Washington to keep a small contingent of around 200 U.S. soldiers in Haiti to help defend against armed gangs loyal to Aristide. Whether this will happen is unclear, although the U.S. State Department has pledged to leave four military and 25 police officers to aid in the security struggle.

Troops from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay will join troops from Canada and Chile as part of the U.N. force. At least 10 other nations have pledged support or expressed interest in sending troops or police officers, said Valerie Mainil-Varlet, a spokeswoman for the U.N. mission in Haiti.

Last updated June 25, 2004