HIGHLIGHTS
- Security Council authorizes increased police strength for UN force in Haiti
- HRIC slow to spring to life despite Punta Cana Summit
- Severe damage from heavy rains in Ouanaminthe
- Sweep operations in Fort Toulon net 36 arrests
No tropical cyclone formation is expected during the next forty-eight hours, however a high-pressure system spinning in the mid-Atlantic will continue pushing moisture over the Caribbean. Scattered showers and thunderstorms will likely develop over the Greater Antilles, including Haiti. The storm-watch issued on 26 May (protectioncivile.gouv.ht/
The UN Security Council today authorized a significant increase in the number of police officers serving with the peacekeeping force in Haiti as part of the efforts to help boost the capacity of the country’s national police to meet the myriad challenges arising in the wake of January’s catastrophic earthquake. This deployment of an additional 680 officers will bring the total number of UN Police serving with MINUSTAH to 4,391. (www.un.org/apps/news/story.
The Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (HRIC) got off to a slow start at its first meeting, only 72 hours after the appointment of eleven Haitian members to serve on its board of directors. The Haitian commissioners for reconstruction were present at the Punta Cana Summit in neighbouring Dominican Republic, but the meeting was hampered by the absence of their foreign counterparts. Progress was further hindered by the lack of an HRIC Executive Director, who has yet to be named by President Préval. Haitian authorities have announced two new important dates for moving forward, with official presentation of the Committee next week on 7 June, to be followed on 14 June by the first working session of the Commission.
The two HRIC co-chairs, the UN and Haitian authorities are all awaiting release of funds promised by donors at the previous conference in New York, which were confirmed at the meeting in Punta Cana, where the UN Special Envoy called on donors to honour their commitments to launch the reconstruction process. The Haitian Prime Minister meanwhile revealed that 60 selected projects had been submitted to donors for consideration. Donor approval is essential for launching projects already regarded by some opposition political leaders as well behind schedule. (Source: http://www.metropolehaiti.com/
II. SECURITY AND PUBLIC ORDER
Over the last twenty-four hours, the security situation in Haiti has remained largely stable, but the security environment continues to be characterized by persistent criminal activity. Disaster-preparedness has moved to the forefront of planning by all MINUSTAH components, as the weather forecast continues to point toward heavy rains that could require the rapid deployment of MINUSTAH resources to support for local or national authorities in coping with serious challenges.
Heavy rains on 1 June in Miragoâne (Nippes) forced the evacuation of 770 families located in various communities. The following day, the city of Hinche was cut off from Mirebalais when the road became flooded. Also on 2 June in Port-au-Prince, relentless rains resulted in injuries to six minors when a tree felt on their school. The children were rescued with the help of UNPOL, HNP, French engineers and the Haitian Fire Brigade, then transported to hospital for medical treatment. Late in the evening, news from Ouanaminthe (North-East) also brought reports of heavy rains in the department that caused the River Massacre to overflow its banks (further details below under ‘Humanitarian Operations’). The Police Operations Centre was informed this morning that access to Bord-de-Mer via Limonade (North) became impossible after yesterday’s rains caused a fissure in the road before the bridge, preventing crossing.
On 2 June in Baudouin (Jacmel, South-East), a WFP local staff member on his way home was assaulted by an unknown numbers of armed individuals. The incident occurred between the MINUSTAH and WFP offices at around 2100 hours. The victim suffered a gunshot injury and was evacuated to the Argentinean Hospital in Port-au-Prince on 3 June at 1600 hours.
Two sweeping operations in the Fort Touron area of Port-au-Prince on 2 and 3 June led to the detention and arrest of 36 suspects by HNP. Additional arrests were made throughout the country, including on 2 June a 23-year-old male in Cap-Haïtien (North) for the rape of a minor (suspect already possessed a criminal record for rape and kidnapping. An escaped prisoner in Petit Goâve was also apprehended, in addition to two kidnapping suspects in Port-de-Paix (North-West) in connection with an abduction on 23 May. Finally, on 3 June an HNP officer was wounded by gunfire during the arrest of a prison escapee in Miragoâne (Nippes), while another escapee died during the exchange of fire between the UDMO (departmental public order unit) and the criminals. Four other prison escapees, along with two unidentified suspects, were arrested.
On 3 June, two UN vehicles were damaged in collisions in Miragoâne. In the first incident, the driver of a motorcycle tried to overtake a UN vehicle as it was turning left. The motorcycle driver suffered minor injuries, for which he was treated at hospital. The second incident only involved vehicular damage.
Today, Léogâne was the stage of a large three-hour demonstration. JOTC Security and Police components reported over 1,000 participants protesting in front of the town hall against an alleged lack of support from local authorities since the 12 January earthquake. The demonstration was monitored by MINUSTAH police and military, along with HNP, and ended peacefully.
During the last forty-eight hours, UNPOL and HNP have conducted 664 joint patrols and 111 checkpoints throughout the country. A total of 63 arrests were reported including one escaped prisoner. MINUSTAH military conducted 2052 security operations, involving 10118 troops, and 18 maritime patrols, sailing 340 nautical miles.
III. HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS
In the late evening of 2 June, approximately 120 mm of rain fell in the Northeast department of Haiti, provoking one local mayor to consider a general evacuation. After MINUSTAH military and local authorities carried out a quick assessment of the area, however, the waters of the River Massacre began quickly to recede. In the locality of Ouanaminthe, the new bridge linking the city to Dajabon across the border in the Dominican Republic was particularly affected when the major access road was cut.
Quickly reacting to the event, representatives from the Civil Protection Directorate (DPC) joined WFP Logistics Cluster Lead, OCHA, HNP, local authorities and MINUSTAH Police on an aerial assessment of the flooded zones the next day to evaluate the damage. Based on a report produced by the DPC, the findings of the mission concluded that:
- 250 houses were flooded and still covered by mud and water;
- the border market remained under water;
- the embankment of the River Massacre river suffered heavy damage;
- structural damage to the old Ouanaminthe-Dajabon bridge was significant, but the new bridge remained usable after only minor damage;
- crop damage appeared substantial, but further evaluation would be needed; and
- the zone of Gaya, home to 14,758 people, was hardest hit by the flooding, leaving part of the locality inaccessible after landslides.
ReliefWeb reported that the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) yesterday announced that it would make $200 million in grants available to Haiti over five years to strengthen land tenure rights, boost agricultural production, increase market access for farmers and reinforce food security. These grants will cover a quarter of the total cost of a Haitian government plan to revamp farming after the earthquake and mark a significant increase in IDB support for rural development in Haiti.
Accounting for a quarter of the country's gross domestic product, agriculture generates jobs and incomes for millions of Haitians. The IDB will finance projects to improve economic and environmental conditions in rural communities, fostering sustainable crop production, while building on past investments in projects involving irrigation and watershed management, as well as efforts to combat pests and crop diseases. The promotion of farming techniques to reduce soil erosion and boost productivity will also figure prominently.
A major thrust of the new initiative will be to improve the system to recognize land tenure as a means to stimulate long-term investment in rural areas. Few Haitian farmers enjoy clear title to their land in the absence of modern property registry system. Under the proposed scheme, the IDB will seek to increase the number of titled properties and improve the quality and access of registry services in rural communities.
In the last forty-eight hours, MINUSTAH military have conducted 21 humanitarian assistance missions involving 141 troops. These missions included medical assistance, food and water distributions, benefiting about 750 families, 2400 people, 2000 IDPs, 207 prisoners and 3 orphanages.
IV. JOTC
The Joint Operations and Tasking Centre (JOTC) continued to respond to requests for assistance from humanitarian partners, the Government and the Project Management Coordination Cell (PMCC). To date, 800 requests for support have been received and 505 completed. Most of the requests pertain to the provision of security and engineering support.
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