Refugees International has launched a mission to Haiti to focus on the role of the current UN peace operation, MINUSTAH, in assisting with the restoration of the rule of law in Haiti. Peter Gantz, who focuses on peace operations policy issues in Washington, and Sarah Martin, who has visited UN Missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone, will be in Haiti for two weeks assessing the initial performance of MINUSTAH and its efforts to restore the rule of law and bring peace to the people of Haiti. The RI Advocates will be joined for part of the mission by Braun Jones, a member of RI's Board of Directors.

In late February 2004, political violence erupted in Haiti. Armed opposition broke out in Gonaﶥs and insurgents took control of much of the northern part of the country, eventually forcing the resignation and abrupt departure of the democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Violence has disrupted the political process and rule of law for much of Haiti's 200 years of existence. The impoverished country was further destabilized by extensive flooding that killed over 2,600 people in May 2004.

Following the political violence last year, the interim government of Haiti requested assistance from international troops to restore the peace. Following a U.S.-led military intervention to restore order, the UN Security Council authorized the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Previous international efforts in Haiti have been unsuccessful in establishing a sustainable peace and justice system. Consequently, although UN civilian police programs that focused on training the Haitian National Police were partially successful, inadequate equipment and manpower combined with the lack of properly functioning courts and prisons resulted in the ultimate failure of rule of law programs in Haiti.

MINUSTAH has been charged with "contributing to a secure and stable environment... to support the constitutional political process under way in Haiti." "Spoilers," or armed gangs that seek to disrupt the peace by use of violence against civilians and others, are a serious problem in Haiti. To establish stability before the upcoming elections in 2005 and ensure that Haiti will achieve stability, it is essential that the security threat posed by spoilers be addressed by MINUSTAH and the transitional government.