[ 2007 ] Part 1 Chapter 3 Americas
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Chapter III Americas During 2007, the United Nations continued to ad- Reflecting on other developments in the region, vance the cause of lasting peace, human rights, the General Assembly again called on States to refrain sustainable development and the rule of law in the from promulgating laws and measures such as the on- Americas. To that end, the International Commission going embargo against Cuba by the United States. against Impunity was established in Guatemala in the course of the year, pursuant to a 2006 agreement be- tween the Government and the United Nations. Central America In Haiti, despite continuing challenges relating to the political and security situation, progress was made with the Parliament’s adoption in January of the State budget and necessary legislation, and with municipal In 2007, Central America continued to consolidate and local elections held in April with the support of peace and to build democratic and equitable socie- the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti ties, for which years of successful UN peacemaking (minustah). In other action to stabilize the country, efforts had laid a promising foundation. Related UN the Government launched campaigns against corrup- initiatives continued in the region through develop- tion and drug trafficking, established a committee on ment programming, good offices and other means. In judicial reform and adopted in December three key commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the laws designed to strengthen the judiciary. Despite Esquipulas II Agreement, concluded in 1987 to con- those gains, the relationship between the Government tain regional conflicts and promote national reconcili- and Parliament did not improve and, as at year’s end, ation [YUN 1987, p. 188], a conference was held entitled the political situation remained fragile owing mainly “A Firm and Lasting Peace in Central America: The to continuing political divisions, weak State institu- Pending Agenda 20 Years Later” (New York, 13 June), tions and the lack of improvement in the difficult liv- which focused on the region’s challenges, including ing conditions of the people. Further tensions resulted in the areas of public security, development, human from a deterioration in security conditions, including rights, drug trafficking, and gang and youth violence. a rise in the number of kidnappings. Also of major In his remarks to the conference, the Secretary-General concern in that regard were the activities of gangs and noted that daunting challenges remained in reaching anti-Government demonstrations in protest of the ris- the Millennium Development Goals in the region, as ing cost of living, which prompted a series of joint the progress achieved had been offset by high levels security operations by the Haitian National Police of income inequality. Highlighting additional obsta- (hnp) and minustah to restore State authority. While cles to regional development posed by crime, partly progress was maintained towards strengthening hnp, fuelled by the drug trade and easy access to illicit small with minustah support, the national police capac- arms, he stressed the need to make the fight against ity remained below the level required to ensure law poverty and extreme social inequality a regional prior- and order in the country. Against that background, minustah conducted, in the course of the year, a de- ity and pledged UN readiness to assist the people and tailed threat assessment and identified three security Governments of Central America, particularly in the risks facing Haiti, among them, the likelihood of civil areas of security, development and human rights. A unrest owing mostly to a deep socio-economic divide, step towards further consolidation of peace in Central a considerable potential for renewed armed violence America was taken in October with the signing of the within the country and illicit traffic in drugs, arms Managua Declaration, by which the regional leaders and contraband, which would continue to corrupt pledged to enhance collaboration in strengthening State institutions. In line with the recommendations regional and international peace and development. made by the Secretary-General following his August The Assembly, by decision 62/546 of 22 December, visit to Haiti, the Mission’s military component was decided that the item entitled “The situation in Central reconfigured to reflect the changing circumstances America: progress in fashioning a region of peace, free- and priorities, which included enhancement of its ca- dom, democracy and development” would remain for pabilities in border control, engineering and mobility, consideration during its resumed sixty-second (2008) while decreasing its infantry capabilities. session. 307 308 Political and security questions Guatemala ticularly in urban areas previously controlled by gangs, the Haitian National Police (hnp) and minustah con- In September, Guatemala informed the General ducted a series of joint operations between December Assembly that, pursuant to its announced intention 2006 and July 2007, which restored State authority in to create a Commission for the Investigation of Illegal problem areas and improved the overall security envi- Groups and Clandestine Security Apparatuses, which ronment. A detailed threat assessment conducted by the Assembly noted in resolution 58/239 [YUN 2003, minustah in July identified three security risks facing p. 276], and consistent with its 2006 agreement with Haiti, including likelihood of civil unrest, increased by the United Nations [YUN 2006, p. 341], the country a persistent and deep socio-economic divide; the po- had established the International Commission against tential for renewed armed violence within the country; Impunity in Guatemala (cicig), in association with and the illicit traffic in drugs, arms and contraband, the United Nations and with the support of the Gua- which would continue to corrupt State institutions if temalan Congress. Following the agreement’s entry not addressed. Despite marginal improvements in hnp into force on 4 September, the Secretary-General ap- capability, it remained unable to undertake crucial se- pointed Carlos Castresana Fernández (Spain) as Head curity tasks unaided, resulting in the continuing need of cicig. of minustah security forces to undertake key man- dated activities to ensure a safe and secure environ- ment and to shore up the gains made. Accordingly, the Haiti Secretary-General recommended in an August report [S/2007/503] that adjustments be made to the composi- tion of minustah’s military and police components to reflect the changing circumstances and priorities, Political and security situation including the enhancement of its military capabilities in border control, engineering and mobility, while In 2007, although the political and security situ- decreasing its infantry capabilities. ation in Haiti remained challenging, some progress In addition to providing security support, includ- was made during the first ordinary session of Parlia- ment in January, when the legislature adopted the ing by helping foster integrated border management State budget, passed five bills on State loans and and reducing community violence fuelled by the prev- development programmes and ratified four interna- alence of small arms, minustah facilitated the reform tional conventions. Other encouraging developments of rule-of-law structures, particularly the strengthen- included municipal and local elections, held in April ing of hnp and the judicial and prison systems. It also with minustah support, and the Government’s rela- monitored, among other things, the human rights tive improvement of the economic situation and ad- situation and supported humanitarian recovery and vancement of the rule of law through the promotion development. of judicial reform and other initiatives to curb cor- ruption and drug trafficking. National dialogue In June, the committee on judicial reform made 18 and reconciliation process recommendations for reforming the judicial system, with a road map for implementing them, and, in De- In 2007, President Préval continued to maintain cember, judicial reform was further advanced with the his multiparty Government through continued dia- promulgation of three key laws relating to the inde- logue with political parties, legislators and civil so- pendence of the judiciary and the status of magistrates. ciety representatives. However, the relationship be- Also in December, President René Préval appointed tween the Government and the Parliament remained the members of a new Provisional Electoral Council in strained owing to the lower house’s attempt to replace preparation for senatorial elections to be held in 2008. the Prime Minister. Political blocs in the Parliament Despite those gains, the relationship between the Gov- continued to fluctuate, and increasing absenteeism ernment and Parliament remained strained, and the frequently resulted in the postponement of sessions. general political situation fragile, owing to continu- Minustah cooperated closely with the Government ing political divisions, weak State institutions and the and legislators, facilitated contacts between the Par- lack of any significant improvement in the difficult -liv liament, civil society and local government and sup- ing conditions of much of the population. To address ported thematic meetings between parliamentarians those difficulties minustah maintained efforts dur- and the international community. ing the year to help improve the effectiveness of State