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Haiti facing big problem with violence
The island of Haiti is tearing itself apart with a culture of violence developing into a way of life. If not somehow stopped, Haiti will sink into an irretrievable quagmire of lawlessness that will ultimately be a true test of survival of the fittest. According to Amnesty International, Haiti is awash with small arms which are fueling violence and human rights abuses and threaten planned elections. It is a war zone controlled by "weapons of less destruction.'' Armed criminal gangs and police officers alike are said to be acting with impunity towards civilians. Amnesty International is urging the U.S.-appointed interim government and U.N. peacekeepers to carry out complete disarmament. But that is easier said than done without a real military takeover. The U.N. mission in the country is struggling to maintain law and order following a surge in violence in Haiti. The country has recently been hit by a string of abductions and police say that more than 450 people have been kidnapped since March. The U.N. has carried out a series of high-profile raids this past week on shanty towns on the edges of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in a bid to paralyze the armed gangs they say are behind the violence. But Amnesty says rogue police officers and demobilized Haitian armed forces are also responsible for human rights abuses. The country's interim Prime Minister, Gerard Latortue, has even admitted that police commit abuses but has maintained these are investigated. The truth, however, is that Latortue is powerless against the roving bands of armed thugs in his country. Corruption has long been a way of life in Haiti, but even that game is becoming ever more dangerous as just about every male over 15 has a weapon of some sort. Little tangible progress has been made to protect human rights since the interim government took office in early March 2004. The Amnesty report says that the country's interim government has not signed up to a comprehensive disarmament plan drawn up by the U.N. force. No headway will be made in this dark island state until the thugs are disarmed and local authorities rid themselves of those who would abuse human rights. Durable peace in Haiti will never be achieved unless those responsible for human rights are held to account. ©MyWestTexas.com 2005 |