SITUATION IN HAITI: STRENGTHENING OF DEMOCRACY
(presented by the delegations of Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago) .
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
RECOGNIZING that the Charter of the Organization of American States affirms that representative democracy is indispensable for the stability, peace and development of the region. and that one of the fundamental purposes of the OAS is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, respect for democratic institutions, with due regard for the principle of non-intervention; and in keeping with the Charter of the United Nations, it establishes essential purposes of the Organization, including the maintenance of peace and security in the Hemisphere and the promotion and consolidation of representative democracy;
REAFFIRMING the principles contained in the Inter-American Democratic Charter and in particular that the peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it;
BEARING IN MIND that the Inter-American Democratic Charter recognizes as essential elements of representative democracy, inter alia, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, access to and the exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law, the holding of periodic, free, and fair elections based on secret balloting and universal suffrage as an expression of the sovereignty of the people, the pluralistic system of political parties and organizations, and the separation of powers and independence of the branches of government, and that representative democracy is strengthened and deepened by permanent ethical and responsible participation of the citizenry within a legal framework conforming to the respective constitutional order;
RECALLING its resolutions and those of the Permanent Council on the situation in Haiti, in particular CP/RES. 862 (1401/04), which called upon the United Nations Security Council to take the necessary and appropriate urgent measures, as established in the Charter of the United Nations, to address the crisis in Haiti;
CONCERNED by the political crisis in Haiti since May 2000, during which the progressive deterioration of political conditions was characterized by violence and electoral difficulties, serious breaches of the rule of law and a lack of agreement among the domestic political actors which impeded the efforts of the Organization American States, CARICOM and the International Community to facilitate a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis;
CONCERNED ALSO that on February 29, 2004, the crisis in Haiti, exacerbated by the inability to hold elections and the threat and use of violence, caused the abrupt departure of the democratically elected President of Haiti;;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the resignation and abrupt departure of the former President of Haiti and the appointment of a transitional government in view of the exigencies of the situation;
NOTING the subsequent questions surrounding his resignation;
EMPHASIZING that there was an alteration of the constitutional regime which began prior to February 29,2004 and which has damaged the democratic order in Haiti due to the non existence of a functioning parliament or democratically elected municipal authorities or an independent and free judiciary;
NOTING the United Nations Security Council resolution 1529, which called on member states to support the constitutional succession and political process under way in Haiti and authorized the deployment of a Multinational Interim Force, as well its resolution 1542, which established the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti;
REITERATING that the primary concern of the Organization of American States in Haiti is the full restoration of a lasting democratic order and the economic, social as well as political wellbeing of the citizens of Haiti;
CONSIDERING that countries of the Caribbean Community, in accordance with the provisions of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, requested that the Permanent Council undertake a collective assessment of the situation in Haiti;
EXPRESSING GRAVE CONCERN at the violence that was carried out by individuals and groups that resulted in loss of life, the destruction of private and public property and human rights violations;
EXPRESSING its support for the work of the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti, in particular the revitalization of democratic institutions in the areas of security, justice, human rights, and democratic governance;
ACKNOWLEDGING the importance of cooperation and coordination among the Organization of American States, the United Nations, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) with a view to strengthening democracy in Haiti;
SEEKING to promote the socioeconomic recovery of the Haitian people
in a peaceful and stable political environment,
RESOLVES:
1. To request the transitional government in Haiti to continue to create conditions conducive to the holding of free, fair, and democratic elections in Haiti, as soon as possible, in keeping with the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
2. To request the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti, in accordance with Articles 23 and 24 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to assist the Provisional Electoral Council in preparing, organizing and overseeing the elections and the proclamation of results, in cooperation with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUST AH).
3. To condemn the deplorable acts of violence that have resulted in tragic loss of life and destruction of private and public property in Haiti and to call for those responsible to be held accountable, in accordance with the rule a flaw.
4. To instruct the Permanent Council to undertake, in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, including Article 20, all necessary diplomatic initiatives, including good offices, to foster full restoration of democracy in Haiti.
5. To express solidarity with the people of Haiti and to support their resolve to promote full and lasting democracy and the strengthening of democratic institutions with guarantees for citizens and respect for fundamental freedoms within the frame-work of the Inter-American Democratic Charter; and to call on all sectors of the Haitian society to undertake all the necessary initiatives to achieve these objectives.
6. To call for the rapid normalization of democratic institutions in Haiti consistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
7. To urge member states to contribute to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti.
8. To reaffirm support for the Organization of American States Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti and its activities and the need to continue working in support of elections, the strengthening of democratic institutions and the protection of human rights.
9. To instruct the Permanent Council to review the mandates of the OAS Special Mission in light of the present circumstances and create, as appropriate, new mandates for that Mission.
10. To instruct the Secretary General to establish the necessary coordination with the Secretary General of United Nations and to identify the areas of collaboration between the Special Mission of the OAS and the United Nations, especially those related to strengthening of democratic institutions, the holding of elections and the promotion of human rights.
11. To call on the international community and international financial institutions to act on their commitments to strengthen democracy in Haiti by supporting economic and social programs and comply with their other prior commitments, in order to alleviate the poverty that affects the majority of the population.
12. To express its support for United Nations actions and programs under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1529 and 1542 and to encourage all member States to respond positively to the request made therein for assistance to Haiti.
13. To urge all internal political actors in Haiti to begin a process of dialogue and national reconciliation, without exclusions, in order to facilitate a democratic peaceful and electoral solution to the current crisis, which should foster a real and lasting democracy in Haiti.
14. To urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Haiti and to work with the OAS Special Mission in the promotion and observation of those rights.
15. To instruct the Secretary General of the Organization of American States to report quarterly to the Permanent Council on the situation in Haiti and to keep it informed of the cooperation between the Organization of American States and the United Nations and the work of the OAS Special Mission in Haiti.
16. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
17. To request the Secretary General to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
18. To request the Permanent Council to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.