UN commander in Haiti dies in apparent suicide
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-01-08 10:54

PERSISTENT VIOLENCE

The U.N. mission, known by its acronym MINUSTAH, was sent to Haiti to keep the peace between supporters and foes of Aristide after the 2004 revolt.

But the country of 8.5 million people has continued to be afflicted by political violence and a wave of kidnappings has swept through Port-au-Prince despite the presence of the Brazilian-led U.N. troops and police.

The business sector, which vigorously opposed Aristide, and the interim government have called on the U.N. force to be more aggressive in taking on street gangs that control many of the sprawling slums in Port-au-Prince. Many of the gangs are seen as supporters of the exiled Aristide.

In contrast, civil and leftist groups in Brazil have criticized the U.N. force for being too aggressive in patrolling the slums. Dozens of civilians have been caught in the cross-fire during gunfights between U.N. troops and gangs.

U.N. mission head Juan Gabriel Valdes announced on Friday that U.N. troops would occupy the Cite Soleil slum, the capital's most dangerous ghetto, and warned that civilians could be harmed.

"We are going to intervene in the coming days. I think there'll be collateral damage but we have to impose our force, there is no other way," Valdes told a local radio station. His comments on collateral damage alarmed civic groups in Haiti.

Bacellar had opposed Valdes' plan for Cite Soleil, some U.N. officials said.

The presidential election was originally scheduled for November but has been put off repeatedly and now is expected to take place in February.

Haiti's interim authorities have blamed the U.N. mission and the Organization of American States for the delays, a charge both organizations refute.