27620: Arthur (News) Christian Aid recommendations for international community (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: haitisupport@gn.apc.org

Haiti: How the international community can help

Wednesday 8 February 2006

http://www.alterpresse.org/article.php3?id_article=4119

By Charles Arthur

London, 8 Feb. 06 [AlterPresse] --- In a new briefing paper entitled, "Hope
against the odds - What elections promise for Haiti", the British development
organisation, Christian Aid, has made a number of recommendations on how the
international community can best help Haiti move forward.

With regard to the election process that began yesterday (February 7, 2006) with
the first round voting for the Presidency and the Parliament, Christian Aid says
the international community, including the United Kingdom (UK), must be alert to
the destabilising tactics of certain political groups who stand to lose from the
election results. The report states, "The will of the Haitian people expressed
at the (forthcoming) polls must be respected".

In the longer term, Christian Aid says, "the international community must
support a process of genuine popular participation in Haiti that not only
develops consensus around agreed national development priorities such as
education, health and judicial reform, but also focuses on how to end the
exclusion of ordinary Haitians from power."

With regard to insecurity and the role of the MINUSTAH, Christian Aid states
that when the peacekeeping mission?s new mandate is discussed at the UN
security council later in February, the UK must use its influence as a
permanent council member and a powerful voice in the European Union (EU) to
ensure that it:

  focuses less on military action, which has failed to root out the gangs and
has led to civilian deaths, and resists the pressure to increase its use of
force arbitrarily;

  concentrates more on restoring law and order by supporting, strengthening and
training the Haitian police force. To this end, MINUSTAH will need a large
increase in UN civilian police;

  improves coordination with the Haitian National Police force (HNP), and
develops a joint strategy with the HNP to tackle armed criminals;

  does its utmost to ensure the protection of civilians in the face of armed
hostilities;

  engages in greater dialogue with Haitian organisations with a track record on
human rights issues; and

  starts discussing, as an urgent matter, an exit strategy with the new
government in order to prepare for its withdrawal.

As well as reforming the MINUSTAH, Christian Aid urges the international
community to support other longer-term processes that will help provide greater
security for the Haitian people. "These should include tackling impunity,
reforming the police and judicial sector, including training on international
human rights standards, and supporting sustained programmes to provide
livelihoods and improve both urban and rural living and working conditions."

When the new government is elected, Christian Aid believes that proper
regulation of the arms currently in circulation must be a priority for this
government.

Christian Aid, on the basis of consultations with Haitian partner organisations
that it has supported through crisis after crisis over the years, is also
calling for the cancellation of Haiti?s debts to international financing
bodies, and for poor Haitians to have a greater say in determining aid
priorities so that their needs are met.

In the context of the lack of communication and consultation with local
representative bodies during the drafting of the interim cooperation framework
- a short and medium term economic strategy drawn up in mid-2004 - Christian
Aid calls on the UK to use its influence within the EU and the international
financial institutions to ensure that a broad range of Haitian civil society
organisations are consulted on, and can influence the use and allocation of aid
committed to Haiti. "This would ensure the funds provided will benefit Haiti?s
poor."

The briefing paper also recommends that "the new government be allowed to hold a
proper consultation process with a broad range of civil society groups regarding
the use of US$1.3 billion committed by donors in 2004, and be allowed to alter
previous agreements such as the interim cooperation framework if necessary."

Finally, Christian Aid says, "Greater attention must be paid by donors to
longer-term poverty reduction measures, particularly widening access to
education, support for the rural economy, including environmental protection,
and sustainable job creation." [ca apr 08/02/2006 14:20]

Link : Hope against the odds - What elections promise for Haiti
http://www.christian-aid.org/indepth/602haiti/70_Haiti%20briefing%20F%20MC.pdf

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