Carrie and Doug Melvin of Boise, Idaho have committed themselves to fighting human rights violations in Haiti. Some of the accomplishments of the International Civilian Mission in Haiti include setting up the Medical Unit to provide assistance to victims and promoting awareness of human rights laws.
Haiti Civilian Mission’s Medical Unit Provides Help for Victims.
Between 1993 and 1994 the International Civilian Mission in Haiti’s (MICIVIH) Medical Unit was the only structure in Haiti working to ensure that the victims of human rights violations received medical attention for problems - whether physical or psychological - associated with the abuses they had suffered. This objective was in practice achieved through the creation of a national network of Haitian medical practitioners willing to provide care to those who had suffered human rights violations. The Medical Unit in Haiti also produced official documents certifying that the medical condition of individuals was consistent with their testimony of human rights abuse.
Since the Haiti Civilian Mission's return to the country in October 1994, the MICIVIH Medical Unit in Haiti has worked in collaboration with doctors from the French non-governmental organization Médecins du Monde to provide care and reconstructive surgery to victims of human rights violations. The Medical Unit in Haiti continues to compile detailed documentation on the medical consequences of such human rights violations for victims and their families. During mid-1995 the Medical Unit gave priority to the preparation of medical evidence for submission to the Commission Nationale de Vérité et Justice.
The Medical Unit in Haiti is also undertaking research on the psychological effects on individuals and their families of the repression perpetrated during the de facto regime. An analytical assessment of the research material was completed and published before February 1996. Members of the Medical Unit work with local health professionals and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International towards the creation of a Haitian Community Clinic for Victims of Trauma, through a non-profit organization called M'ap viv (I'm alive).
Civic Education Provided by the International Civilian Mission in Haiti.
MICIVIH has worked closely with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Port-au-Prince and in the provinces to promote knowledge and awareness of international and domestic human rights law.
MICIVIH observers conduct human rights workshops for NGOs and other interested organizations, as well as attending meetings organized by popular and local organizations at which human rights issues are discussed.
The International Civilian Mission provides posters and other materials, as requested, to those organizing civic education seminars. The Haiti Civilian Mission has also participated in human rights education programs organized by UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations, such as UNICEF and the Martin Luther King Foundation.
MICIVIH will continue to develop programs of human rights education and to respond to requests for support by groups and individuals engaged in civic education.
The Bright Future of the Haiti Civilian Mission: Monitoring Respect for Human Rights in Haiti.
MICIVIH continues to monitor respect for human rights in all regions of the country and to document its findings. The Haiti Civilian Mission aims to contribute as fully as possible to the reinforcement of democratic institutions and in particular monitors the progress and implementation of judicial and penal reform. Technical assistance in both spheres will be provided whenever possible. Legal experts within the Haiti Civilian Mission will provide training for the newly-formed Haitian National Police on codes of conduct and human rights protection.
MICIVIH continues to publish statements setting forth its assessment of political and human rights questions, as part of its commitment to disseminating accurate information and stimulating public debate about democracy and human rights in Haiti. It will in addition produce more detailed reports on a number of phenomena which bear directly on civil and political rights and the safety and security of the civilian population.
MICIVIH's current mandate was renewed on 12 July 1995 by the General Assembly of the United Nations, after a written request was submitted by President Aristide to the UN Secretary-General. The mandate expires on 7 February 1996. The 50th Session of the UN General Assembly will consider the possibility of a further extension of MICIVIH's mandate. Such an extension would permit a continuing contribution to institution building and the strengthening of mechanisms for the long-term protection of human rights in Haiti, the cornerstones of an enduring democracy.
From the MICIVIH website
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