30067: Hermantin( Editorial) CALM IN HAITI (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Mon, Feb. 19, 2007


Miami Herald Editorial Board

Straight to the point

• CALM IN HAITI

The United Nations Security Council wisely decided last week to extend the 
mandate of its military mission in Haiti for another eight months -- but that's 
not long enough. Haiti has enjoyed a rare period of relative calm for the last 
few months thanks to the 8,800-strong U.N. force. But real political stability 
is a long way off.

Give credit to Guatemala's Edmond Mulet, head of the U.N. mission, and Brazil's 
Major Gen. Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz, the new commander of the security 
force. With more effective diplomacy and aggressive military tactics, they have 
helped Haiti's political establishment begin to function. They've also helped 
to curb Haiti's gang violence. It's a shame they weren't around earlier.

Haiti surely needs more than eight months to achieve self-sustaining peace and 
democracy. Yes, another extension can be granted later, but both the U.N. 
mission and the government need to lay plans that extend beyond an eight-month 
horizon. The Security Council should keep that in mind the next time it 
considers the future of its mission in Haiti.

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