A/50/PV.122 General Assembly

I should like to draw the General Assembly’s attention to document A/50/888/Add.8. In a letter contained in that document, the Secretary- General informs the President of the General Assembly that, since the issuance of his communications dated 28 February, 6 March, 3, 11, 16, 23 and 25 April, and 10 May 1996, Dominica, Grenada, Mauritania and Sierra Leone have made the necessary payments to reduce their arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter. May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information?

I call on His Excellency Mr. William Báez Sacasa, Minister for Social Action of Nicaragua, to introduce draft resolution A/50/L.76/Rev.1.

On behalf of Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the other Central American countries, I should like to thank the General Assembly for having responded to our request to reopen agenda item 20, which is entitled “Strengthening of the coordination of the humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including special economic assistance”, in order to consider the draft resolution contained in document A/50/L.76/Rev.1, entitled “Emergency assistance to Costa Rica and Nicaragua”. The Central American countries share a geographical location characterized by great vulnerability to natural disasters. Most of the countries in our subregion have experienced and suffered through different emergencies in one form or another, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, seaquakes, floods and, in many cases, epidemics that repeatedly inflict grief and destruction upon our peoples. At this time, it is with great sorrow that I inform the General Assembly that both Costa Rica and Nicaragua were once again affected by the unpredictability of nature on 26, 27 and 28 July of this Hurricane César also caused serious damage to the sectors of agriculture, livestock and forestry, and to production in general. The Miskitos and other indigenous populations were hit precisely as they were preparing for their first harvest, and they lost large amounts of food. A large number of roads and bridges and much basic infrastructure were destroyed. The houses of many poor people were destroyed, as were aqueducts and electrical wiring systems. There were outbreaks of cholera and other infectious diseases in the affected areas. Given the nature of the economy and infrastructure in our enormously poor region, this disaster is of enormous gravity. In the face of this difficult situation and of the limited resources available to our countries to cope with this disaster, the assistance of the United Nations system, in particular the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and of the international community as a whole was not long in coming. In coordination with the national emergency commissions of our respective countries, they have provided us with considerable assistance in dealing with priority issues for our communities and the most seriously affected areas. At this time, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the sponsors of this draft resolution would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the international community, and particularly to the friendly countries that have, in consistent and committed fashion, displayed solidarity with us in our emergency situation by supporting the efforts of our own peoples and Governments to overcome the disaster and to bring daily life back to normal in both brotherly countries. The goal of the draft resolution that we are submitting today is for the General Assembly to make its position known on the magnitude of the disaster we have suffered and on the consequences it will have on development efforts in our countries, particularly for the poorest economic and social sectors, in the short, medium and long term. Once again the peoples and Governments of Costa Rica and Nicaragua have been stricken by natural disaster. The scope of hurricane César was such that it took many human lives and did tremendous material damage to our economy, much of which has still not been assessed. The magnitude of the damage is even greater because it affects the poorest communities along the Atlantic coast of our countries. If we take into account the impact of previous disasters, from which we have not yet fully recovered, we can get a clear picture of the crisis situation that is looming over the affected communities — communities that have lost their harvests, their means of communication and their housing, and indigenous communities that no longer have any mode of transport to the Pacific coast. Therefore, our countries have had to use their own resources, which had already been allocated elsewhere, in order to deal also with other priority areas of development. For this reason, complementary resources are important because they will provide major support for our efforts at rehabilitation and reconstruction. In this connection, and before this Assembly, we would like to assure our cooperating friends that the assistance will be sent expeditiously to the most affected and remote areas and that it will be used with the utmost efficiency and with full transparency. We would like to thank the sponsors of this draft resolution, including Jamaica and other countries that In conclusion, a final report on the impact of the disaster is still being prepared. However, the national authorities believe that it will be necessary to obtain more substantial assistance to repair and rebuild the basic infrastructure, which bore the brunt of the damage. But we also want to rebuild the human infrastructure — allow those peasants once again to sow and reap their harvests and to obtain the food they lost because of the hurricane. We hope that the draft resolution will be adopted by consensus, in the spirit of solidarity that has always characterized the General Assembly. Miss Ramírez (Argentina) (interpretation from Spanish): We have the honour to speak on this agenda item in order to express our country’s support for the initiative contained in document A/50/L.76/Rev.1, “Emergency assistance to Costa Rica and Nicaragua”, which has been submitted for the Assembly’s consideration. Through this formal support, we would like to express the solidarity of the authorities and the people of Argentina with the people of Costa Rica and Nicaragua, who suffered the effects of hurricane César this past July. We believe that this draft resolution must be translated into concrete actions that will alleviate the suffering of the families, and especially the children, of these countries. We are aware that the United Nations is already making efforts in the field, lending emergency assistance and working on reconstruction for the affected peoples. In dealing with these kinds of situations, Argentina launched the “White Helmets” initiative, with a view to complementing the work of the United Nations in the field, providing emergency assistance and helping in the reconstruction of the affected countries — thus channelling the solidarity of our peoples. In this regard, we would like to point out that the Government of Argentina will soon announce the measures it will adopt to offer humanitarian assistance to the two countries. At the same time, Argentina intends to supplement that assistance with a rehabilitation and reconstruction project by the “White Helmets”. In this context, we call on the United Nations Member States to join in the efforts under way in the region and to support the actions contained in the draft resolution now before us for adoption. We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/50/L.76/Rev.1, entitled “Emergency assistance to Costa Rica and Nicaragua”. Before proceeding to the vote on the draft resolution, I have the pleasure to announce that since the introduction of draft resolution A/50/L.76/Rev.1, the following countries have been added to the list of sponsors: Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/50/L.76/Rev.1? We have concluded this stage of our consideration of sub-item (b) of agenda item 20.

I call on the representative of Chile to introduce draft resolution A/50/L.77.

I am honoured to introduce, on behalf of the group of Friends of the Secretary-General for Haiti the draft resolution under the agenda item entitled “The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti”, contained in document A/50/L.77. The Secretariat has just informed me that the following countries have been added to the list of sponsors: Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom. The General Assembly reaffirms in this draft resolution that the international community’s objective continues to be the full observance of human rights and In the preambular part of the draft resolution, the General Assembly once again expresses appreciation for the ongoing efforts of States to provide humanitarian assistance and technical cooperation to the Haitian people. The draft resolution also supports fully the contribution of the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH) and the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti in the establishment of a climate of freedom and tolerance that will be propitious to the full observance of human rights and the full restoration of constitutional democracy in Haiti. It also encourages the International Civilian Mission to continue its cooperation with the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti and others participating in institution- building, including police training activities. The General Assembly takes note of the Secretary- General’s report of 13 August 1996 on the situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti, as well as of the statements of the Haitian authorities that their Government remains committed to upholding human rights and improving accountability in this regard. Finally, the preambular part of the draft resolution welcomes the continuing improvement in the situation of human rights in Haiti. At the same time, in operative paragraph 1 of the draft resolution, the General Assembly welcomes the recommendation contained in the Secretary-General’s report to renew the mandate of the joint participation of the United Nations with the Organization of American States in the International Civilian Mission to Haiti, with the task of verifying full observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms in order to establish a climate of freedom and tolerance propitious to the consolidation of democratic institutions. In addition to paying tribute to the people of Haiti in its ongoing search for a strong and lasting democracy, justice and economic prosperity, the General Assembly reaffirms the international community’s commitment to continue its technical, economic and financial cooperation with Haiti, with a view to supporting social and economic development efforts and to strengthening Haitian institutions that must administer justice and ensure democracy, the observance of human rights, political stability and economic development. The democratic process in Haiti is making progress, and the international community, through this joint operation of the United Nations and the OAS, must continue cooperating in its progressive consolidation. The United Nations, as well as celebrating the continuing improvement in the situation of human rights in Haiti, must also ensure the continuity of the valuable assistance provided by MICIVIH to the people and the Government of Haiti. With this extension, our Organization and the OAS will be giving a proper response to President Préval’s request and cooperating with him in his efforts for the progress and peace of his nation. We are confident that this draft resolution will be adopted unanimously by the General Assembly.

I am pleased to speak today on draft resolution A/50/L.77, under the agenda item entitled “The situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti”, which I hope the Assembly will adopt by consensus. The draft resolution under this item has two functions. On a broad level, it seeks to measure and welcome the progress achieved by the Haitian people on the path of consolidating democracy. On a more technical level, it also supports the mandate and objectives of the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH). I will discuss each of these in turn. Accordingly, draft resolutions concerning Haiti have evolved from statements condemning the abuses of the former regime to one of the principal means of expressing the international community’s support for the efforts of the Government of Haiti to establish democracy. As Haiti undertakes this task, the General Assembly has shifted its focus to providing technical assistance to the Government of Haiti in strengthening institutions, as well as other forms of assistance to facilitate the development of a culture deeply anchored in respect for human rights. The training and deployment of the Haitian National Police (HNP) and judicial and penal reform have been areas of special emphasis for such programmes. The draft resolution before us pays tribute to the progress already achieved and the ongoing quest of the Haitian people for lasting democracy, justice and economic prosperity, and we therefore lend it our unreserved support. (spoke in English) The recent report of the Secretary-General makes clear that considerable progress has been made in Haiti in maintaining political stability, in working towards economic reform and in ensuring the training and deployment of a new police force. It notes that, since the last resolution under this item, adopted on 3 April 1996, the human rights situation has continued to improve, and work on the reform of key institutions has continued apace. However, the report also draws our attention to the fact that the rate of improvement in the human rights situation has been slow, and there have been several incidents of serious human rights violations. The new Haitian National Police’s record has been mixed where the protection of human rights is concerned, with a concomitant inability of the justice system to bring suspected criminals speedily to trial. As the Secretary-General concludes in his report, what is required is an increase in public confidence in newly established institutions. This public confidence will be a critical factor in guaranteeing a democratic future One of the principal architects of the programme of assistance to Haiti in its consolidation of democracy and in the building of public confidence has been the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH). MICIVIH too has adapted to the profound changes in Haiti, seeking to provide assistance where it is most needed. The Secretary-General’s report bears witness to the significant contribution MICIVIH is making in Haiti towards rebuilding public confidence in institutions — particularly in law enforcement institutions — which is so urgently needed. The range of issues on which MICIVIH consults and provides support to the Haitian authorities, from the training of judges to the monitoring of new police officers, is indeed impressive. Having reduced its staff in March, it was none the less able to provide the United Nations with two significant reports, one on the judicial system, the other on the Haitian National Police and human rights, both of which are careful assessments of recent developments in these areas. Both of these reports pay tribute to the progress achieved and welcome the significant advances in the administration of justice in Haiti. At the same time, they also warn that progress is not irreversible, that there is still a considerable way to go before the protection of human rights becomes entrenched in the institutional framework in Haiti and that significant human rights abuses continue to occur and are even, in some cases, on the rise. MICIVIH’s recommendations in this regard should be carefully considered. In the light of these developments, the renewal of MICIVIH’s mandate is clearly of considerable importance, a point that the Government of Haiti has endorsed by requesting its continued presence. We are pleased to note also that MICIVIH has the financial resources to fulfil its mandate until 31 December 1996, as the General Assembly can allocate the required resources pursuant to resolution 50/231 of 22 July 1996. Accordingly, we support the mandate renewal contained in the draft resolution before us. Haiti is engaged in a long-term process of institution-building, economic reconstruction and the rehabilitation of its justice system. We, as members of the international community, must continue to play an important role in assisting the Haitian Government in this process, and we are privileged to do so. The last 18 months have seen an unprecedented improvement in the situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti. The ending of the military dictatorship and the return of President Aristide paved the way for the re-establishment of democracy in Haiti. In February, elected President Aristide voluntarily transferred office to the newly elected President Préval, an unprecedented occurrence in the history of Haiti. President Préval and Prime Minister Smarth have repeatedly affirmed their determination to consolidate democracy and the rule of law, to make the necessary institutional changes and to address the social and economic problems facing the Haitian people. The European Union welcomes these commitments, as well as the determination of the Haitian authorities to uphold human rights and to ensure the accountability of human rights violators. Along with the other members of the international community, we are actively supporting the implementation of these commitments. Action by the United Nations, including the activities of the United Nations Mission in Haiti (UNMIH) and its successor, the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti (UNSMIH), as well as the United Nations component of the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH), has been crucial to the effort to strengthen and consolidate democratic government and respect for human rights. The successful deployment in recent months of more than 5,000 agents of the Haitian National Police (HNP) was heavily dependent on the training and instruction provided by UNSMIH and MICIVIH. This deployment could contribute to an atmosphere of increased security for the individual, which is essential for the continued political and social development of the country. However, the European Union continues to be concerned by the continuation of serious human rights violations in Haiti, as documented in the report of the Secretary-General. There can be no justification for summary executions and torture by members of the security forces. We recognize that the Government and police authorities have demonstrated a commitment to investigating these abuses and to sanctioning those responsible. Nevertheless, only a few cases have resulted in We are also concerned at attacks in recent months against the Haitian National Police which have resulted in the deaths of a number of officers. We condemn unreservedly the renewed violence of recent days. There can never be a justification for such acts, irrespective of the identity of the victims or the motive of the perpetrators. These incidents can only serve to heighten tension, to set barriers to the consolidation of democracy and respect for human rights, and to undermine the climate necessary for the investment that is urgently needed to strengthen the Haitian economy. In the current situation, the International Civilian Mission to Haiti has a crucial role to play in monitoring respect for human rights by the security forces, providing technical assistance for institution-building, notably in training the police and the judiciary, and promoting the development of a programme for the promotion and protection of human rights. These activities are essential for the establishment of a climate of freedom and tolerance necessary for the long-term consolidation of democracy and the rule of law in Haiti. The members of the European Union are co-sponsoring this draft resolution aimed at extending the mandate of MICIVIH for a further four months. The European Union reiterates the importance it attaches to providing assured funding for this operation. At this stage, it still remains uncertain whether the expenses of MICIVIH can be fully provided “within existing resources”, but we hope that this proves to be the case. In this context, we look forward to the Secretary-General’s further report on funding issues relating to the current programme budget, which is due to be issued next month. The European Union remains prepared to agree on the financing of this Mission with additional assessments if it does not prove possible to absorb the expenditures involved through savings from the programme budget. We look forward to reverting to this issue later this year in the context of the first performance report.

Recent events have shown that the situation in Haiti still presents risks and that the unquestionable progress accomplished so far could be fragile. Despite these uncertainties, we should not overlook the importance for that country of the exemplary democratic transition it has The report submitted to us by the Secretary-General on the activities of MICIVIH indicates that the presence of observers charged with verifying Haiti’s full respect for human rights and particularly with furnishing technical assistance with a view to strengthening Haitian institutions is still fully warranted. For, indeed, a great deal remains to be done in Haiti. Important tasks in the areas of police training, of the establishment of an independent judiciary and of supporting the development of a programme to promote and protect human rights need to be carried out. These objectives, to which MICIVIH will make a key contribution, will help consolidate a lasting constitutional democracy in Haiti. I would like to add that the French Government, which is a sponsor of the draft resolution before the General Assembly, is gratified that the necessary conditions have been met for the continued funding of MICIVIH’s activities to be assured. I should particularly like, in this connection, to associate the French delegation with the comments made by the delegation of Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union.

Allow me once again, on behalf of the Government and the people of Haiti, to reiterate our gratitude to the Secretary- General for his tireless efforts to restore peace and security to Haiti. It is also a pleasure for me to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Enrique ter Horst, for his courage and his devotion to the cause of the Haitian people. I shall be for ever grateful to the Friends of the Secretary-General for Haiti, the member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the member countries of the European Union, the other sponsors of draft The positive evolution of the political situation in the country since the return to constitutional order through the aid of the international community gives us all reason for satisfaction. My country has reached a turning point in its history. It aspires to a set of fundamental reforms. The Government was able to curb the unfortunate effects of the political crisis and has now resolutely set about establishing a durable basis for a state of law. In the area of justice, the Government has adopted a set of measures intended to reform the judiciary and to provide better training for judges, agents of law and order, and all those called upon to make the state of law not just a thing of words but a thing of deeds. Despite the improvements that have been noted, the judiciary continues to have serious shortcomings. Of all the institutions in the country, it has perhaps the most corroded structure and for this reason has not yet lived up to the expectations of the majority. The maintenance of a climate of security is an essential condition for the success of any development programme. The National Police, which replaced the former army and whose behaviour stands in stark contrast with the brutal practices of the bygone days of dictatorship, is doing remarkable work. Law and order, as well as the rights of citizens and prisoners, are now beginning to be respected. Besides being young and inexperienced, it has very few resources to carry out its tasks. It needs to be strengthened, coordinated and professionalized even further. Nevertheless, it would be misguided to think that a legal framework, a new police force and administrative reforms in themselves can guarantee security and stability. Efforts to combat lack of security and strengthen institutions can fully yield the results expected of them only if they are accompanied by improved economic and social conditions for the population. The Government has inherited a heavy burden: a collapsed economy and shaky political and social structures have led to clearly legitimate demands from the population. There are many injustices to redress, many faltering structures to set right and many new institutions to build. We are convinced that these are priorities, and We cannot overlook the many obstacles that continue to block the road to peace. The persistence of various hotbeds of tension in various parts of the country and the proliferation of criminal gangs that live by theft, extortion, kidnapping and drug- trafficking are likely to sow the seeds of trouble among the population. All these challenges are being given attention by the Government. In his objective report (A/50/861/Add.2), the Secretary-General has emphasized the progress achieved in political matters and in respect for human rights since Haiti’s return to constitutional order in October 1994. This progress would have been impossible without the contribution of the International Civilian Mission to Haiti (MICIVIH). We are certain that by unanimously adopting draft resolution A/50/L.77, which authorizes the continued presence of MICIVIH in Haiti, the Assembly will continue to support our efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and guarantee more respect for human rights.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item. We shall now proceed to consider draft resolution A/50/L.77.

(interpretation from Spanish): As announced orally, there is a correction to the Spanish version of draft resolution A/50/L.77. Before we proceed to the vote, I am pleased to announce that since draft resolution A/50/L.77 was introduced, Nicaragua and Peru have been added to the list of sponsors. The Assembly will now take a decision on draft resolution A/50/L.77. May I take it that the Assembly decides to adopt draft resolution A/50/L.77? May I take it that it is the wish of the General Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 38?