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Operation HAMLET

Operation HAMLET is the Canadian Forces participation in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (known as MINUSTAH, the acronym for Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti). Op HAMLET is the military component of a Canadian whole-of-government engagement with Haiti that also includes the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Development Agency, the Correctional Service of Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Task Force Port-au-Prince

Task Force Port-au-Prince consists of 5 Canadian Forces members serving at MINUSTAH's military headquarters. The Task Force Commander is a Colonel or Captain (Navy) who serves as Chief of Staff to the Force Commander.

The mission

MINUSTAH was established under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1542 of 30 April 2004 with a mandate to maintain a secure and stable environment, support Haiti's constitutional and political process, and protect human rights. Its initial term of six months has been repeatedly extended, most recently to 15 October 2012 by U.N. Security Council Resolution 2012 (2011) of 14 October 2011.

Background

MINUSTAH took the field in the aftermath of a revolt against the government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide that began in Gonaïves in February 2004. The insurgency quickly took control of the northern part of Haiti and, by the end of the month, the armed opposition was threatening to march on Port-au-Prince, the capital. Mr. Aristide left the country early on 29 February 2004; later the same day, Boniface Alexandre, the president of the Supreme Court of Haiti, was sworn in as an interim President of Haiti. Mr. Alexandre immediately made an urgent appeal to the U.N. for help in restoring peace and security.

U.N. Security Council Resolution 1529 of 29 February 2004 authorized the deployment of a Multinational Interim Force with a 90-day mandate. It also declared that the Security Council would follow up with the establishment of a U.N. stabilization force - MINUSTAH - to facilitate the continuation of a peaceful constitutional process.

In March 2004, under Operation HALO, Canada deployed Task Force Haiti with about 500 personnel, including H Company from the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, and six CH-146 Griffon tactical helicopters, to serve with the Multinational Interim Force. Canada was asked to extend its commitment through the transition to the U.N. peace-support operation; consequently, on 25 June 2004, Task Force Haiti adopted the U.N. blue beret of MINUSTAH in a ceremonial parade in Port-au-Prince. Operation HALO ended in mid-August 2004 when the MINUSTAH troop deployments were in place.

Operation HAMLET began on 1 June 2004 with the deployment of the first rotation of Task Force Port-au-Prince to the military headquarters of the nascent MINUSTAH.

MINUSTAH today

MINUSTAH's current authorized strength, set by U.N. Security Council Resolution 1892 of 13 October 2009, is 6,940 military personnel and 2,211 police.

The size of an infantry division, the military component of MINUSTAH consists of nine battalions of infantry, two companies of military engineers, a military police company, and two independent companies. These units are deployed around the country.

MINUSTAH covers the full range of governance and security issues in its work with the Government of Haiti, focussing on security (in support of the Police nationale haïtienne), protection of human rights, reform of the justice system, and strengthening the institutions of democracy, especially the national Senate and Chambre des Députés, and the electoral system.

Since Security Council Resolution 1780 of 15 October 2007, MINUSTAH also emphasizes border security along the coasts, at ports, and on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The mission includes a maritime contingent of 16 small vessels to augment the Haitian coast guard.

Canadian operations in Haiti

Date Modified: 2012-02-09

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