JOTC SITREP 20 May 2010

HIGHLIGHTS

• Group of Reflection and Action for Haiti conference held in Montreal
• 24 individuals arrested during joint operation
• Armed encounter between gangs in Cite Soleil
• IFC working towards creating thousands of jobs

I. GENERAL SITUATION

The city of Montreal will be hosting today, another international conference on the initiative of the Group of Reflection and Action for Haiti. This event, held at the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal, is part of the colloquy "Rebuilding Haiti-2030", held on 4 and 5 March this year. During two days, the thematic committees will present their strategic vision for sectoral reconstruction of the country over a period of 20 years. They will also share their goals and proposals by sectors, and projects that could be made with the relevant authorities. During the conference, a panel is provided on the technical aspects of reconstruction and various presentations on, inter alia, the integration of the Diaspora in national life. More than 300 people are expected at this conference, attended by several personalities, including Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada, Pierre Arcand, Minister of International Relations of Quebec and Mirlande Manigat, academic and politician in Haiti. The industrialist and leader of the Haitian political Respi named Charles Henri Baker, the historian Claude Moïse geologist or engineer Claude Prépetit were also invited.

(Source: http://www.alterpresse.org/)

II. SECURITY AND PUBLIC ORDER

The overall security situation in HAITI remains stable. Although crime remains a concern, the security environment continues with low level of criminal activity.

On 18 May at 1230 hours in Gonaïves, MINUSTAH police supported HNP in the arrest of an identified 23 year old male escaped prisoner. He was detained at the police station for investigation. In PAP at 1700 hours, unidentified suspects in a vehicle, attempted to kidnap an unknown male in wharf area. The victim was rescued by HNP officers. The suspects fled the scene. An investigation is on going.

On 18 May, two bodies were discovered. The first, in Portail Léogâne, belonged to an identified 62-year-old male who had sustained no marks of violence. On Bolosse Avenue #3, an identified 24-year-old male body was found, which preliminary investigation revealed suicide.

On 18 May,in Port-de-Paix, HNP officers arrested an identified 28-year-old male for illegal weapon possession. The suspect was detained at the police station for investigation and the firearm was seized.

On 19 May at 1240 hours, a demonstration organized by an unknown number of persons in Camp Perrin locality took place. The participants asked for employment and blocked the route. MINUSTAH military and UNPOL monitored the situation. No incidents were reported.

On 19 May in Canape Vert-PAP (Ouest) the same day, the body of an identified 24 year old male was discovered. The victim died of an electrocution. Another identified female body was discovered in Delmas 4 area at 1100 am. An investigation was opened. In Malpasse, HNP officers arrested a 17-year-old male for involvement in human trafficking. The suspect was detained at the police station for investigation.

On May 19, 2010, a MINUSTAH Military motorized patrol sighted three individuals in Bel Air (Perpetuel Secours Church area). One of the male individuals was identified as Ti-Edward, a member of the Grand Black gang. The gang is led by an individual known as Di-Lou, and Ti-Edward is reportedly second in rank. The suspect was detained and delivered to Port-au-Prince Police Station.

During the night of 19-20 May, a special HNP SWAT and BRABATT operation was conducted in Bel Air. A total of 24 individuals were arrested: three were identified as post-earthquake prison escapees. The identification process was still ongoing at the time of receiving the information.

An armed encounter occurred between the Ti Ayiti and New-York gangs today, in Lithno 2, Cite Soleil. Upon arrival of HNP, MINUSTAH Police and FPU, gang members ran away. One member was intercepted and transported to the Cite Soleil police station, where he was identified. The fight continued in Soleil 14. MINUSTAH forces and HNP intervened once more. No further arrests were made. In the same area today, at the Gonaives bus station, an UNPOL patrol came across two individuals in a car: one was dead, the other had sustained a bullet wound. An HNP patrol arrived on scene and transported the injured individual to the hospital. Based on witnesses’ statements, they were shot by two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle.

In the last 24 hours, UNPOL and HNP conducted 112 joint patrols and 12 checkpoints throughout the country. A total of 23 arrests and two escapee arrests were reported. MINUSTAH military conducted 699 security operations involving 4,667 troops and 16 maritime patrols, sailing 476 nautical miles.

III. HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS

IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group, remains committed to supporting Haiti's recovery by helping finance private sector projects and providing advisory services to improve investment conditions and create jobs. In the wake of the devastating earthquake, IFC's Board quickly approved a $35 million emergency investment program to help private companies get back to business. Yesterday, IFC signed the first of these emergency commitments. IFC and the Soros Economic Development Fund, a not-for-profit investment fund that works to alleviate poverty, are together providing $6 million in financing to the apparel company Grupo M. This will expand the CODEVI free trade zone in Northern Haiti and create 2,000 new jobs by the end of this year, and 2,000 more by the end of 2011.

IFC aims to help textile firms capitalize on the HELP Act, which nearly triples duty-free quotas for Haitian clothing exports to the United States and extends trade preferences through 2020. Haiti's clothing sector has a significant development impact, accounting for 75 percent of export earnings and employing more than 25,000 before the earthquake. IFC's focus in Haiti includes strengthening financial markets, with a focus on access to credit for micro, small and medium enterprises improving infrastructure, such as ports, roads and energy plants supporting agribusiness, and increasing telecommunications capabilities.

(Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/)

As of 17 May, 75,110 buildings have been assessed by the Ministry of Public Works; of these, 30,375 (40%) passed inspection. New assessments, which are being done by IOM/UNOPS, have presented 18 new at-risk camps, where mitigations will have to take place to avoid new IDP relocation.

IV. JOTC

The Joint Operations and Tasking Centre (JOTC) continued to respond to requests for assistance from humanitarian partners, as well as to provide administrative support to the Coordination Support Committee (CSC) Planning Task Force and the PMCC. To date, 747 requests for support have been received and 473 completed. Most of the requests pertain to the provision of security and engineering support.