United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH)

International Information

International Operation Name: United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti

International Mission Name: United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH)

Mandating Organization: United Nations

Region Name: Central America

Location: Haiti

Mission Date: 28 November 1997 - 16 March 2000

Mission Mandate: Supported by United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1141 (1997)

Canadian Forces (CF) Information (COMPLIMENT)

Name: COMPLIMENT

Date: 1 January 1998 - 16 March 2000

Canadian Task Force Mission Statement: To continue providing assistance to the Haitian government in professionalizing the Haitian national police force.

CF Mission/Operation Notes: In order to ensure that the work of professionalization of the Haitian National Police force continued, the United Nations, at the request of the president Rene Préval, authorized the formation of the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH), which marked the fourth in the series of UN missions. 

MIPONUH’s mandate, which began in December 1997, continued the work previously begun by placing special emphasis on assistance at the supervisory level and on training specialized police units. Other tasks included mentoring police performance, guiding police agents in their day-to-day duties and maintaining close coordination with technical advisers to the Haitian National Police funded by the United Nations Development Programme and bilateral donors. The task of providing assistance to MIPONUH personnel and protecting its property fell to MIPONUH’s special police unit. 

Under the Canadian Forces designation Operation COMPLIMENT, the Canadian military provided at any one time between six Bison armoured personnel carriers and up to eleven support personnel (driving instructors and maintenance personnel). The Canadian Bisons were operated by members of the Argentine Civilian Police Force that formed the “quick reaction force” of the United Nations Special Policy Unit serving with MIPONUH. 

The new International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH) was a joint undertaking of the United Nations and the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote respect for human rights in Haiti. It succeeded MIPONUH on 16 March 2000, with the mandate to consolidate the results achieved by MIPONUH and its predecessor missions of the United Nations in Haiti as well as by the International Civilian Mission in Haiti (MICIVIH). Canada did not participate in MICAH.