UN asked to deploy more police, troops to Haiti
By DPA, IANSMonday, January 18, 2010
NEW YORK - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday asked the UN Security Council to send 2,000 more military troops and 1,500 police to Haiti to provide security and assist in the massive relief operations following last week’s earthquake.
The additional military and police personnel are expected to strengthen the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which currently has about 7,000 troops and 2,000 international police.
There are also about 3,000 other civilian personnel and Haitians working for MINUSTAH, which was hard hit by Tuesday’s quake.
“The Haitian people need to know that today is better than yesterday and this year better than last year,” Ban told reporters after a closed-door session with the 15-nation council. Ban visited Port-au-Prince Sunday for a first-hand look at the destruction.
