December 4, 2004.
The special representative of the UN secretary general is attempting to reassure the Haitian people about the statements made by the commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti, Minustah, General Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira, about the use of force to disarm gangs. Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdes affirms that Minustah is going to take action to reduce the rate of violence in Port-au-Prince. Amb. Valdes said, “We have all the necessary troops to do the work in Port-au-Prince. We are going to show the Haitian people that we are determined to use the force that our mandate permits us to use to confront the bandits and to disarm the groups that want to continue to use force against the state, the legitimate government, and the Haitian people.”