Military

The Haitians need not be frustrated with the MINUSTAH anymore. As per a new decree dated November 9th, adopted by the President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Evans Paul, the armed forces of Haiti (FAd'H) would be remobilized and a newly reconstituted army would start functioning very soon. This was one of Martelly's promises during his election campaign in 2011. The force will provide the country a solid defense capable to serve and defend the population and the country from all possible threats. We may recall that, Haitian armed forces were completely abolished in 1995 because of its typical notorious record in the western hemisphere-- Haiti's army has overthrown its own government 33 times since 1804. However, it is unclear where the $95m needed in start-up costs and pension payments of the soldiers would come from.

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Sudden death of the Force Commander for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) Lieutenant General José Luiz Jaborandy, Jr. This took place on August 30, 2015 while he was on a trip from Miami to Brazil.

Lieutenant General Jaborandy, Jr., became the Commander of MINUSTAH since March 2014. He joined the Brazilian Army in 1976, then graduated as an infantry officer in 1979. He subsequently had a distinguished military career with several senior command and staff positions.

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The Haitian government that has been relying so much on the UN to provide some kind of stability in the country is worried as United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti(MINUSTAH) announced that they will not be present in 6 of the 10 Departments for the presidential, legislative and municipal elections.

MINUSTAH is currently conducting a staged withdrawal in Haiti. Within the next two years, it expects to withdraw most of its soldiers from the Northeast, Northwest, Central, Grand'Anse, Nippes and Southeast of Haiti.

The Haitian government doesn't not have a plan yet to replace the UN force that will be leaving. According to Haitian minister responsible for election-related matters, Fritz Jean-Louis, the withdrawal is a big concern. Local electoral authorities are concerned as well.

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On 23 November, 2014, the British warship Royal Navy Frigate "HMS Iron Duke" arrived at Cap-Haitien on its way back from a six-month deployment in the South Atlantic. The warship had been deployed for "Promoting strong relations between the UK and the Republic of Haiti". The type23 warship was docked at the Cap-Haitien port for two days and received many dignitaries at a reception. The sailors of the ship took part in some community outreach assistance programs, enjoyed a leisure time and played a football game with a Haitian team. The visit is a goodwill gesture on the part of the UK to show its commitment towards the Africa and Caribbean and to maintain the presence of Royal Navy in the region. "HMS Iron Duke" is a multi-purpose combat vessel, carries a number of weapons and sensors.

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As increasingly gruesome political tension once again begins to raise its head in Haiti, the Uruguayan government is considering pulling out those of the United Nations' military troops that are theirs. Announcement of this possibility was made by the Secretary of State for Uruguay, who stated that they would continue to watch the escalating situation and judge how to go from there. If a withdrawal is decided upon, they are considering the move to be a complete, swift removal of their troops stationed in Haiti on a peace mission. Still, while they assess the situation, the more conservative plan for a gradual withdrawal is still on the table.

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The U.S. Coast Guard runs an International Cadet Program (ICP), which confers a four-year Bachelor of Science degree. It is soliciting applications for its 2015 Academic Year via the U.S. Embassy at Port-au-Prince. The Coast Guard Academy (CGA) offers a program in military and leadership training, its curriculum stressing math, science, and engineering courses. Because all classes are taught in English candidates applying to the program must be English proficient.

Eight majors compose the ICP: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering; Operations Research; Marine and Environmental Sciences; Government; Mechanical Engineering; and Management. Cadets will also learn about navigation, law enforcement, and spend summers on general shipboard and aviation training. During their time at ICP cadets will be required to follow CGA regulations. After earning their degrees candidates are eligible to serve in the Haitian National Police, even the Garde Cote.

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The Haitian government is worried the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will cut its troop presence before critical elections are held this year. When envoys from the U.S. and Chile visited the island, newly-appointed Public Safety Minister Pierre-Richard Casmir pressed them ". . . not reduce the number of MINUSTAH troops during the electoral process" He emphasized troops were needed to stabilize the country while preparations were being made to hold elections. To strengthen his argument to keep the present troop level intact, Casmir referred to UNSC Resolution 2180, stating the UN must adjust its troop presence to the situation at hand.

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Organization of American States (OAS) in Haiti Special Representative, Ricardo Seitenfus, is angry with UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti's (MINUSTAH) accusations against him. In 2010 he said MINUSTAH charged him with coercing the mission into its 6-year presence in Haiti. Not true responds Seitenfus and points to the Haitian constitution as invalidating the presence of MINUSTAH. Also the treaties Haiti has signed with the international community further invalidates MINUSTAH's presence on the ground. Seitenfus further clarifies that because MINUSTAH has no business being in Haiti the diplomatic immunity it has granted itself is also illegal.

Seitenfus has also gone on the attack with Haitian friends groups. He claims they have repeatedly made the same mistakes trying to handle political upheavals on the island. Seitenfus decries the amount of spending the MINUSTAH operation has racked up, almost $8.6 billion. Seitenfus, who once was Brazil's special envoy to Haiti, became tapped to represent the OAS due to his expertise in international relations, and in Brazilian / Haitian foreign policy.

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House Representative Ferdinand Romualdez spoke in chambers supported by several of his colleagues to laud the courage of a 40-member Filipino peacekeeping contingent, who fought the well-armed Syrian rebels in the Golan Heights. They managed to pull off what has been called the "greatest escape" to return home to Manila. Romualdez along with Representative Ben Evardone and other legislators formed an independent minority bloc to encourage House leadership to officially recognize the soldiers' valor in standing their ground when Syrian rebels attempted to overtake the Golan Heights UN peacekeeping camp.

In his remarks to House leadership Romualdez said the Filipino peacekeeping troops were worthy of the House's commendation ". . . for the bravery, courage, and professionalism they displayed during the attack despite being outnumbered . . ." He also reminded the House the soldiers held to ". . . the military's core values of courage . . . (and) for showing (the) highest levels of professionalism and competence . . ."

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A large-scale infrastructure project has been nearly completed in the town of Petite Riviere de l'Artibonite (PRA). A corps of 30 military engineers, trained by the Ecuadorian government, was praised by Prime Minister (PM) Lamothe ". . . for the work you are carrying out in this community . . ."

The corps of engineers (COE) built three sections of road and other parts of PRA that encompassed Louverture Street, La Crete Pierrot Fort, and an in-progress clean drinking water project. The COE have also participated in combating the Chikungunya epidemic.

The government of Haiti (GOH) has partnered with Ecuador to implement these projects within the parameters of GOH's curtailed budget. The message GOH is sending to the world, according to PM Lamothe, is the importance of funding COE correlates with Haiti's ability to assert its economic self-rule, and put in place a security infrastructure that will respond to foreign incursions upon its soil.

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