Transcript of video

Operation HAMLET

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, November 20, 2009

Hedi Annabi
Head of MINUSTAH: Canada is making an important contribution to MINUSTAH. We have five military staff officers, close to 100 police officers from the various police services of Canada, and we have about 40 civilians in various units in the mission. Canada is making an important contribution to the work of the mission and that contribution is very much appreciated because it is a contribution of high quality.

Colonel Bernard Ouellette
Chief of Staff, MINUSTAH: I think for Canada and for the Canadian Forces it's important to make a difference on the United Nations missions that we have, or small missions around the world. Here in Haiti we have a lot of Canadian interest, and there is a military participation here, and as the Chief of Staff of the mission, we have a lot of influence about the strategic plan, the daily operations and how we are going to coordinate, we’re going to organize, and we’re going to prepare the military response to any daily operations we may have with the police forces or with the local authorities along and among the country.

Hedi Annabi
Head of MINUSTAH: We provide a secure environment throughout the country without which nothing is possible, and we are working with the authorities on a number of reform programs which are linked to the establishment of the rule of law.

So the first program is the police reform program. We are training new police officers but we also provide operational support to the police. We are working on judicial reform program, on a corrections reform program, and since October 2007 we have been given the mandate of helping with border security and border management. We also, through our Civil Affairs offices in the various provinces throughout the country, provide support and assistance to the municipalities in the performance of their tasks.

Colonel Bernard Ouellette
Chief of Staff, MINUSTAH: The biggest military challenge is Port-au-Prince. There’s more than two million people in Port-au-Prince and there are different areas in Port-au-Prince that are still riskier than any other place in the country. In Port-au-Prince there is Cité Soleil, there is Bel Air, and there is Marti-saint, which are the three most dangerous spots we have in Port-au-Prince.

Briefer (patrol leader): One is Strongpoint 16 where we parked the cars yesterday. If there are some riots, we have to protect the National Palace.

Major-General Floriano Peixoto Vieira Neto
Force Commander, MINUSTAH: We do what we are supposed to do as a military component and as a military force acting under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter. As a stabilization force, we are supposed to use our means, our troops, to ensure that this country has enough stability to permit other institutions, national and international, to support to help Haiti to reach self-sustainable conditions. So we do operate, we do execute cordon operations, checkpoints; whatever is necessary to guarantee stability within the country.

Chief Superintendent Doug Coates
Royal Canadian Mounted Police, MINUSTAH: The police mission works jointly with the military and the Haitian National Police in the establishment and the maintenance of the secure and stable environment throughout the country. The UNPOL — United Nations Police — mission mandate goes beyond ensuring a secure and stable environment. It also requires that we work with the H.N.P., support them operationally and strengthen their capacity both operationally and institutionally, and facilitate a transition of responsibility for the security of the country over time from the military and the police to the Haitian National Police.