By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Although Haiti is taking tentative steps toward stability and development, the situation in that Caribbean nation is still fraught with uncertainty in the face of armed violence, weak rule of law and serious violations of human rights, according to new, separate reports from the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS).

In his September 7 report on Haiti, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (known as MINUSTAH) has made a "promising start" in 2004 by progressively restoring security to areas of the country as the mission deploys more and more troops.

But Annan warned that in the absence of national police in the country, "illegitimate" armed groups claim to be exercising official security and administrative responsibilities, especially in Haiti's north and east regions along the border with the Dominican Republic.

Annan said there have been reports of "isolated instances of violence and gunfire," with killings, home invasions, kidnappings and gang activity. The armed groups include former soldiers and police, street gangs, organized criminals, and supporters of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who resigned from office February 29 after weeks of unrest in the country.

The presence of the armed groups and their ability to act in quasi-official roles weakens the legitimacy of Haiti's democratic institutions, Annan warned. His report called on Haiti's transitional government to strengthen the institutions and overhaul or abolish those that do not achieve democratic standards.

Annan identified the restoration of the rule of law as another key challenge for Haiti, arguing that it is crucial to ensuring that Haitians have confidence again in their national institutions.

"The government of Haiti must do more to establish a well-functioning justice system that is accessible to all and operates free of inappropriate governmental, political, or private influence," Annan said.

Meanwhile, the OAS Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said it came away from its September 1-3 visit to Haiti with a "sense of hope" for the Haitian population.

In a September 7 statement, the IACHR said Haiti continues to face many serious problems concerning the protection of human rights, while adding that Haiti's transitional government has expressed a strong commitment to making human-rights protection a central component of its work.

IACHR members said they emphasized to Haiti's leaders the importance of scheduled 2005 elections in the country. The IACHR said the elections "provide an opportunity to establish greater stability for the future in Haiti."

The IACHR echoed the U.N. warning that the security situation in Haiti is particularly grave. The IACHR said armed groups "appear to control security in significant areas of the country" and concluded that the Haitian government is not "providing effective protection to the people living in those regions."

Another major concern, the IACHR said, is weakness in the administration of justice in Haiti, as well as the "ongoing problem of impunity." The IACHR said "deficiencies" in the Haitian judicial system continue to include a severe shortage of resources for judges, magistrates, courts, and the police, as well as due-process violations, such as individuals being detained for long periods without being brought before a judge.

On the positive side, the IACHR said it was told that members of the Haitian judiciary have received increases in their salaries, and that although the increases may still be insufficient, these measures "constituted a first step in efforts to improve the administration of justice in the country."

The IACHR called upon the international community to provide Haiti with the support and assistance necessary to "break away from the difficulties of the past and move Haiti toward a future in which the rule of law, democracy, and respect for human rights can be fully realized."

On that point, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell announced July 20 at a donors' conference for Haiti that the United States had pledged $230 million to the Caribbean nation for job creation and economic growth, budget support to Haitian government ministries, security improvements and judicial reform, support for conducting free and fair elections in the country, and improved health care, nutrition, and education.

The pledge is in addition to the current U.S. contribution to international peacekeeping efforts in Haiti, the secretary said.

The world community must help Haiti rebuild, "not just because it is right and good to do so," Powell said. "We must also help the Haitian people because the international community will benefit from the transformation of Haiti into a fully democratic, stable, and prosperous country."