12 October 2012 - The UN Security Council has voted to renew the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti for one year. It urged "troop- and police-contributing countries to ensure that acts involving their personnel are properly investigated and punished". FIDH and its member organisations in Haiti welcome the Security Council’s retention of this plea in the resolution, as per our earlier representations. An investigation by FIDH’s Haitian members found that serious human rights violations by MINUSTAH personnel, including sexual violence, have been left unpunished. Applying the UN’s zero-tolerance policy, whilst alleged perpetrators are returned to their country of origin, they are rarely prosecuted. Moreover, the few prosecutions launched in military courts culminate in disciplinary sanctions at best.
In accordance with our organisations’ pleas, the Security Council resolution also stressed the central role of the Haitian National Police and magistrates in defending human rights, as well as the need to strengthen and reform the police.