29084: Durban (comment): Haitian Peacekeepers (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com> repeats a theme:


As we hear about the increased demand for U.N. peacekeeping troops
around the world, the thought occurs that we ought to be using Haitian
nationals in this critically important task.

U.N. troops may well be paid for by the host governments as Rob
recently pointed out on this list, but look at some of the countries
that have supplied manpower to U.N. peacekeeping efforts in Haiti:
Nepal, Jordan, Argentina, the Philippines, Bangladesh, some of the
African countries... none of these are among the world's wealthiest.
If Haiti were to supply a contingent of peacekeepers to (say) Lebanon,
the "cost" could easily be covered by the likes of permanent Security
Council members.   The 200 troops France initially offered to send to
Lebanon would probably equate to the cost of sending 2000+ Haitian
troops.

As the U.N. (and others) have pointed out, peacekeepers cannot be sent
out to fight a war.  That is, both sides have to agree to abide by a
peace accord in order for any third country to consent to supply its
nationals.  The peacekeeper's role is simply to keep everyone honest
and make it more difficult for either belligerant to re-kindle the
actual fighting.

U.N. peacekeepers have traditionally been drawn from heavily armed
military units associated with standing armies (ie. boys with their
toys), but given the haste with which the U.N. shies away from actual
fighting, one might well question the need for heavy armaments in the
first place.  Is the armored personnel carrier permanently stationed at
the Port-au-Prince airport really necessary?

Haiti is right now training policeman for internal use in a program
that is funded at least in part by Canada.  Let's retain and expand
this program with the goal of supplying the U.N. with a regular group
of trained internationally-focused Haitian policemen.  This would
provide meaningful employment to young Haitian males, provide trained
manpower the U.N. needs for the world's many trouble spots, and perhaps
most importantly give all Haitians a sense of pride that they are, for
once, a contributor to world peace rather than simply a recipient.

Lance Durban