APPENDIX STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AFFAIRS HOUSE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE January 4, 1996 Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to discuss our role in the establishment of a professional civilian law enforcement authority in Haiti. Such a force is essential to a secure environment in the country, one in which fundamental human rights and freedoms are fully respected. Our assuring that the Government of Haiti has the ability to maintain such an environment time - after the departure of UN forces in two months' is a fundamental element of our policy in Haiti. I would like to begin by underscoring an achievement of which the governments of the United States and Haiti can both be proud. In about one year's time, in a nation whose institutional development generally is very weak, and where the establishment of professional institutions independent of political influence is almost unheard of, we States and Haiti together - - the United have built a new national police force which is in the process of becoming the capable, apolitical professional force required to help buttress this newly democratic nation. As we will discuss today, Mr. Chairman, much still needs to be done to accomplish this goal in full. But we would be very harsh judges indeed not to acknowledge that the Haitian National Police has made tremendous progress in the year since 23-55996 - 3 its founding. -2 The force that has been deployed to date is not perfect; given the weak institutional environment that exists throughout Haiti, it is difficult to imagine that it might ever be perfect. But it is perfectable, in my view. And to this end continued U.S. engagement - within strictly defined requirements for HNP performance is key. Mr. Chairman, I believe we can ensure the new police force meets at least minimal operational standards within the next two months a level of capability that will allow for the withdrawal of UN and U.S. forces on time and in full provided two criteria are met: - First, the U.S. must complete the basic training of the students now enrolled at the National Police Academy in Port-au-Prince. Second, the Government of Haiti must take action to ensure that the HNP remains a non-political, professional force. What I propose to do in my testimony is to give this Committee an overview of U.S. actions in support of the establishment of a new civilian public security structure in Haiti; lay out our objectives, and what we have done to meet them; describe for you some of the obstacles that have arisen which could impact on our goals, and how we are addressing them. Our interest in helping the Haitian government build a new civilian police force predates the restoration of democracy to Haiti. For example, after the coup removed the legitimate government of President Aristide, we worked with the Haitian government-in-exile to develop a conceptual plan for a new -3 civilian police force, which was completed in March of 1993. ICITAP worked with exiled GOH members and with the Haitian Parliament to draft new police legislation, which eventually was enacted into law in December 1994 after the reestablishment of the legitimate government in Port-au-Prince. In the summer of 1994, we initiated a program in four phases to get a new police force up and running: - - Before the September 1994 Multinational Force (MNF) deployment, we helped the then-exiled Government of Haiti to interview and select 1,000 persons from the Haitian migrant community living at Guantanamo to assist the MNF in performance of its initial public safety duties. The Guantanamo group was given minimal training, designed only to allow them to perform supporting roles for the MNF. The group has not been trained, nor is it qualified, to carry out the full range of police work. In October 1994, we assisted the rightful Haitian Government in the establishment of an Interim Public Security Force (IPSF). With a few exceptions, the IPSF was made up of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd'H) who were able to pass a basic check. This review included vetting of names against lists supplied by human rights organizations and U.S. law enforcement agencies, to exclude those who had committed human rights violations or other criminal offenses. The IPSF, of course, was meant to serve only as an interim solution to Haiti's indigenous public security needs while we worked with the GOH to form a new police force. - -4 Prior to the MNF's deployment, we led the effort to recruit 850 International Police Monitors (IPMs), to monitor and assist the IPSF. Later, with the MNF's transition to a UN command, the IPM functions were assumed by a UN-mandated Civilian Police (CIVPOL) force, which has also recently engaged in field assistance and training to newly-deployed members of the Haitian National Police. Finally, in January of 1995, the GOH, with our full support, began the process of establishing a new apolitical, professional Haitian National Police. - Working with the GOH principally through ICITAP design the new Haitian National Police, we established the following objectives: to all candidates would be selected solely on the basis of merit; those selected would undergo rigorous basic training, aimed at providing them with the skills to carry out community-based policing in a democratic society, while inculcating a respect for fundamental human rights; newly-graduated agents would continue to receive some level of field training and mentoring from academy instructors and CIVPOL police monitors; agents would have the basic equipment necessary to carry out their duties; and |