After more then 13 years, the so-called “United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti” ended just four days ago, on the 15th of October. When UN forces took over Haiti in 2004 it was amidst political turmoil. Massive demonstrations against the government took place and US imperialism had already lain the ground work, openly deploying special forces in the country. After 13 years of de-facto occupation of the country the situation for the people has become not much better: Instead of the “relief” and “stabilization” the UN only brought cholera, gang shout-outs and an increase of prostitution to Haiti.
The UN operation, led by US-Imperialism and with greater involvement especially from French and Canadian imperialism (but also e.g. Germany), had never been something else than a blatant occupation force put together by the imperialists in order to enforce their demands onto the Haitian people. Most Haitian never thought otherwise and with every new scandal, every new atrocity committed by the UN forces and every new denial their role, not as a helping hand but as a slamming fist, become more and more obvious. And there were lots of them.
The arbitrary shootings (supposedly against criminal gangs) that killed dozens of civilians, the increase of prostitution, sexual abuse and rape as well as the other atrocities committed by the UN forces, like the hanging of a 16 year old Haitian in an UN base in 2010 – these are the “good deeds” of the UN for the Haitian people. And as if the Haitian people weren’t tormented enough, UN soldiers also brought cholera to Haiti, leading to at least 10.000 deaths and 770.000 people being infected. A fact that they for six years tried to deny and sweep under the rug and when they finally had to admit it, claimed immunity of the UN so they would not be forced to pay compensations.
[MINUSTAH is the French acroynm of the operation]
Nevertheless the People of Haiti are neighter subdued nor pacified. As recently as the past month, heavy protests erupted forcefully in its capital Port-au-Prince against a newly proposed law for higher taxation. Burning barricades were erected and the police forces, shooting indiscriminately with rubber bullets and water cannons, were attacked with stones. The UN knows, that they have not asserted control and that is one of the reason, why there’s already a follow up mission queued, where 1,300 police forces will again be deployed in Haiti.
