International Civilian Mission: Institution-building, Partnering with the Haiti Commission and Supporting Free Assembly in Haiti.

Carrie and Doug Melvin of Boise, Idaho have devoted their lives to defending human rights in Haiti. The International Civilian Mission in Haiti (MICIVIH) has made a number of important contributions to advocating human rights in Haiti, from strengthening institutions, to consulting with Haiti government to assisting with elections in Haiti.

Institution-building: Just One of the International Civilian Mission in Haiti Contributions.

The work of the International Civilian Mission in Haiti has increasingly included a focus upon the strengthening of democratic and judicial institutions and the process and implementation of penal reform in Haiti:

• The International Civilian Mission has worked in collaboration with the Haitian Government and international agencies such as the UN Development Program (UNDP).
• International Civilian Mission observers have a unique experience of the problems afflicting the justice system at the local level. The mission has conducted in-depth analysis of such problems and has submitted to the government a number of recommendations for judicial reform. MICIVIH legal experts are currently assisting in the development of a curriculum for the newly-created Ecole National de la Magistrature; and working with members of the UNDP in the design of a joint training course for public prosecutors.
• Members of the Civilian Mission have also worked with the UN Crime Prevention Criminal Justice Branch and UNDP to develop and implement a project of penal reform in Haiti which includes the creation of a prison registration system, the establishment of a penal administration system, the training of prison guards, the renovation of certain detention centers and the improvement of conditions of detention.
• The Civilian Mission actively monitors the work of the newly-created Haitian National Police. MICIVIH legal experts are currently acting as consultants in the development of human rights training programs for the new police force, including training on international standards for the use of force.

The International Civilian Mission and the Commission Nationale de Vérité et Justice Work Together to Stop Human Rights Abuses in Haiti.

The Haiti Commission, a governmental body created by presidential decree in December 1994, and composed of national and international members, is empowered to "establish the truth about the most serious human rights violations committed between 29 September 1991 and 15 October 1994 inside and outside" Haiti:

• The Civilian Mission has committed itself to providing technical support to the Haiti Commission throughout its period of operation. During the initial stages of the Commission's life, MICIVIH provided advice on working methods, budgetary matters, technical consultants and in the elaboration of a program of work. Assistance has also included technical expertise in the field of forensic anthropology.
• The most important element of MICIVIH support to the Haiti Commission concerns the transmission of documentary evidence of cases of human rights violations committed between September 1991 and October 1994. By early September 1995 the Commission had requested dossiers relating to many cases of grave human rights violations in Haiti and further requests are expected.
• No such dossier can be submitted to the Commission without the authorization of the victim or other source of the reported violation. In August and September MICIVIH observers visited a number of victims within the Port-au-Prince region in order to obtain this permission. Protection of the confidentiality of testimony provided by victims and witnesses has also required the preparation of special dossiers for presentation to the Haiti Commission.

The Haiti Commission Monitors the Elections in Haiti; Reports Help Protect Voters.

In November 1994 the Organization of American States (OAS) and the UN agreed that MICIVIH's responsibilities during the 1995 congressional and local government elections would include a number of activities broadly defined under the rubric of peace promotion.

• The activities defined for the Haiti Commission included: facilitating freedom of expression and assembly; monitoring acts of intimidation and of violence during the electoral campaign; and monitoring the polling and counting process in Haiti.
• Prior to the elections MICIVIH observers also monitored the technical aspects of candidate and voter registration, visiting registration offices and establishing contact with election officials at various levels. Technical monitoring of the electoral process was facilitated by the arrival of a small group of Organization of American States and MICIVIH electoral teams throughout the electoral period provided the basis for reports submitted, by the OAS Electoral Observation Mission, to the official Conseil Electoral Provisoire.

MICIVIH made public its own assessment of the human rights aspects of the pre-electoral process in a press release in early May 1995. It stated that while the registration process was initially disrupted by protests and some acts of intimidation, there were few serious incidents of violence.

A further press statement was issued on 14 July following the first round of elections on 25 June. It stated that despite sporadic violence, the elections were relatively free of political violence and there had been few incidents nationwide which resulted in physical injury. The main problems involved threats and intimidation, with some polling stations being ransacked or burned along with ballot papers. Many election officials reported fearing for their safety on polling day. However, threats by rejected candidates to disrupt the elections were not in the main carried out and some candidates called upon their supporters to respect the integrity of the electoral process.

From the MICIVIH website