OCHA Situation Report
Haiti
Report for October 2006
20 November 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY SITUATION

1. The security situation in Haiti remains relatively calm, with some
incidents in the regions, in particular Cap Haitien and Gonaives. The
ongoing talks between the Haitian Government and the armed gangs seem to
have stabilized the situation.

2. However, in the capital, Port-au-Prince, the situation continues
volatile; with murders and kidnappings. In spite of the more forceful
joint operations, shootings and other attacks against MINUSTAH and HNP
in sensitive areas of Port-au-Prince continued. In Martissant, the
situation remains very tense. MINUSTAH and local authorities began a
series of discussions to develop a permanent security program, with the
setting up of a joint HNP/MINUSTAH office. Concerning Cite Soleil, after
weeks of a fragile calmness, renewed and sporadic clashes were reported
between Cite Soleil gangs and MINUSTAH forces. Meanwhile, PNH has been
visiting this area with the purpose of progressively reinstalling in
sites abandoned 3 years ago.

3. On the other hand, on 24 October, during the celebration of the
United Nations Day, in Port-au-Prince, students demonstrated against
MINUSTAH, damaging several UN vehicles. Some days before, around 3,000
sympathizers of Jean Bertrand ARISTIDE, former president of Haiti,
participated in a demonstration in Port-au-Prince to commemorate the
15th anniversary of 1991 coup d'etat. In Cap Haitien, demonstrations
counted around 2,000 participants.

4. MINUSTAH inaugurated its Liaison Office in the Haitian Parliament on
4 October. The President of the Senate, Joseph LAMBERT, declared that
this initiative highlights the good cooperation relations between
MINUSTAH and Parliament.

5. Concerning the forthcoming elections, the 3rd December 2006 was
confirmed as the date for municipal elections. Several political parties
and organizations criticized the Provisory Electoral Committee (CEP) for
fixing the date above, because that would not give necessary guarantees
for the process.

II. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION

6. OCHA presented a mapping product concerning the presence of the
humanitarian actors in Haiti, by sectors and communes (please, see below
the figure #1). This work is being made in collaboration with the
Humanitarian and Development Coordination Section and with the technical
support of the Geography Information Services Unit, both of MINUSTAH,
and reflects the contributions of the humanitarian actors in Haiti, who
provided their data. The data contained in the eleven elaborated maps
correspond to the information received until September 21, 2006 and will
be updated every four month. All maps were also sent to all the
participants. All organizations have been invited to continue sharing
information on their programmes using a form jointly agreed.

7. Concerning the setting up of the cluster approach in Haiti, to
facilitate the humanitarian coordination by sector in the event of
natural or man-made disaster, the UN Country Team will make a formal
validation in the forthcoming weeks.

8. Regarding the "Tables de Concertation", in order to enhance sectorial
coordination at departmental level, several meetings were held in West,
South-East, South, Grande-Anse and North, where 6 sectorial "tables"
were identified: water and sanitation, agriculture, education, health
and nutrition, institutional support and infrastructures.

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