UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it remains focused on supporting efforts to restore security and stability in Haiti, even as it acknowledged receiving a letter purporting to come from a gang leader in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
UN spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said that the international organisation had received a “letter bearing the signature of Mr. Wilson Joseph of “Gwoup Rebel 400” and addressed to the attention of the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. The gang is reported to be one of Haiti’s largest and most notorious armed gangs.
“However, receipt of such a letter does not constitute endorsement of its contents, recognition of its author, or a position by the United Nations.
“We want to underscore that the United Nations remains concerned that communities continue to bear the brunt of the situation in Haiti. We continue to emphasize the importance of complying with all applicable international law, protecting populations, and prioritising the pursuit of peaceful solutions in Haiti,” Dujarric said.
He told the daily press briefing that the United Nations is aware of the reports about additional Salvadoran military personnel being deployed to Haiti.
“The vast majority of those are not deployed under the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) and, therefore, fall outside of the scope of the UN Support Office’s mandate and reporting. ”
Last week, El Salvador has sent more than 2 000 soldiers to Haiti as the search continues for four Salvadoran military technicians, members of the United Nations Security Council sanctioned GSF, missing following an ambush earlier this month.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in El Salvador said that President Nayib Bukele had spoken by phone with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and that their discussion focused on the rescue operation being conducted by El Salvador on Haitian soil, as well as the continuation of the mission that the Salvadoran government has deployed in the country.
Bukele in a statement posted on his X account said that the remains found were not those of the Salvadoran soldierafter an NGO handed over human remains, claiming that they belonged to the four Salvadoran technicians.
The four Salvadorans went missing on October 18, after their armored vehicle was ambushed by armed groups in Croix-des-Bouquets, an area controlled by gangs northeast of Port-au-Prince.
Bukele said that El Salvador is covering 90 per cent of the operational expenses and emphasized that the mission is not an invasion, though he has warned Haitian gangs of severe retaliation if the men are not returned.
Dujarric said the UN Support Office is there to provide logistical and operational support to personnel from the GSF and also on the applicable Human Rights Due Diligence Policy mandate.
“We reiterate that all security operations conducted in Haiti, whether under the framework of the GSF or by national authorities and their partners, must be carried out in full accordance with applicable international law, including international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
“Respect for these obligations, as well as transparency and accountability, remains essential to maintaining international support and ensuring the protection of the population,” Dujarric said, adding “the UN remains focused on supporting efforts to restore security and stability in Haiti, as part of a coordinated international response.” (CMC)