Haiti: Amnesty International calls for civilian safeguards
Amnesty wants the agreement with El Salvador made public. The UN has clarified that the vast majority of the additional deployment falls outside the international force’s mandate.
On 9 November Amnesty International asked the governments of Haiti and El Salvador to explain who oversees the Salvadoran troops, what rules govern the use of force and how civilians can report potential abuses without fear of reprisals. It also called for publication of the agreement governing the deployment.
On 3 November UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric clarified that the vast majority of the additional deployment fell outside the Gang Suppression Force. He estimated that around 200 personnel came under the force’s mandate and therefore under the UN monitoring and reporting mechanism. The figure was approximate and reflected the briefing on that date.
Amnesty called for measures to protect access to food and medical care during operations and for independent investigations into possible violations. Its intervention raises questions about accountability; it does not establish that a specific violation occurred.
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