United Nations Security Council Resolution 841
Encyclopedia
United Nations Security Council Resolution 841, adopted unanimously on June 16, 1993, after recognising the need for an urgent settlement to the situation in Haiti
and the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali
and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States
João Clemente Baena Soares
, the Council placed various international sanctions
on Haiti.
won 1990–1991 general election, after years of a military dictatorship
. However, in 1991, Aristide was overthrown in a military coup
and General Raoul Cédras
was made leader. Violent resistance to the coup in the country ensued. A number of sanctions were in place against Haiti by the Organization of American States
(OAS) and General Assembly
, however, these were not compulsory or legally enforceable.
s to neighbouring countries. Considering a request by the Permanent Representative of Haiti, the resolution acknowledged that the situation was unique and warranted exceptional measures.
Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
, the Council affirmed that a solution should take into account all previous General Assembly and OAS resolutions. It then decided that, on June 23, 1993 at 0:01 hours (EST
), the following trade embargo would take effect unless the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
reports to the Council that after negotiations such measures are not needed; if the authorities in Haiti did not comply, then the following measures would take effect:
all states should prohibit the sale of petroleum
, petroleum products, arms
and related materiel including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, police equipment and spare parts for any of the aforementioned to Haiti; a ban on all all traffic from entering the territory or territorial waters
of the country carrying any of the aforementioned products; any foreign funds held by the authorities in Haiti would be frozen.
A Committee of the Security Council was also established which was authorised to decide any exceptional imports of petroleum to Haiti for humanitarian reasons
. It was set the following tasks:
to report on measures taken by states to implement the sanctions; consider any violations of the current resolution and recommend appropriate measures; decide expeditiously requests for the approval of imports of petroleum and petroleum products for essential humanitarian needs; report periodically on violations of Resolution 841; to make guidelines to ensure effective implementation of the current resolution.
All countries were asked to co-operate fully with the measures taken and bring proceedings against persons and entities violating the measures. It also requested states to report to the Secretary-General by July 16, 1993, on the measures they had initiated, while Boutros-Ghali was requested to report on the progress he and the Secretary-General of the OAS had made to find a political solution by July 15, 1993. At the same time, the Council committed itself to reviewing the sanctions if the de facto authorities in Haiti signed an agreement to reinstate the legitimate government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and the efforts of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States
Secretary General of the Organization of American States
According to the Charter of the Organization of American States:-Secretaries General of the OAS:-Assistant Secretaries General of the OAS:*William Manger *William Sanders...
João Clemente Baena Soares
João Clemente Baena Soares
João Clemente Baena Soares is a Brazilian diplomat.Soares was born in Belém. He working at the Brazilian Ministry of External Relations for 31 years before being elected to serve as Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1984 to 1994.Between 1997 and 2006, he was a member of...
, the Council placed various international sanctions
International sanctions
International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.There are several types of sanctions....
on Haiti.
Background
Jean-Bertrand AristideJean-Bertrand Aristide
Jean-Bertrand Aristide is a Haitian former Catholic priest and politician who served as Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in 1982 after completing his studies...
won 1990–1991 general election, after years of a military dictatorship
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
. However, in 1991, Aristide was overthrown in a military coup
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and General Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras
Raoul Cédras is a former military officer, and was de facto ruler of Haiti from 1991 to 1994.-Background:Cédras was educated in the United States and was a member of the US-trained Leopard Corps...
was made leader. Violent resistance to the coup in the country ensued. A number of sanctions were in place against Haiti by the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
(OAS) and General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, however, these were not compulsory or legally enforceable.
Resolution
The situation was brought to the Security Council by representations from the OAS and Permanent Representative of Haiti. The Council regretted that the legitimate government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide had not been restored, expressing concern that the situation lead to a climate of fear and a possible influx of refugeeRefugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s to neighbouring countries. Considering a request by the Permanent Representative of Haiti, the resolution acknowledged that the situation was unique and warranted exceptional measures.
Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, the Council affirmed that a solution should take into account all previous General Assembly and OAS resolutions. It then decided that, on June 23, 1993 at 0:01 hours (EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
), the following trade embargo would take effect unless the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
reports to the Council that after negotiations such measures are not needed; if the authorities in Haiti did not comply, then the following measures would take effect:
all states should prohibit the sale of petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, petroleum products, arms
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
and related materiel including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, police equipment and spare parts for any of the aforementioned to Haiti; a ban on all all traffic from entering the territory or territorial waters
Territorial waters
Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most from the baseline of a coastal state...
of the country carrying any of the aforementioned products; any foreign funds held by the authorities in Haiti would be frozen.
A Committee of the Security Council was also established which was authorised to decide any exceptional imports of petroleum to Haiti for humanitarian reasons
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
. It was set the following tasks:
to report on measures taken by states to implement the sanctions; consider any violations of the current resolution and recommend appropriate measures; decide expeditiously requests for the approval of imports of petroleum and petroleum products for essential humanitarian needs; report periodically on violations of Resolution 841; to make guidelines to ensure effective implementation of the current resolution.
All countries were asked to co-operate fully with the measures taken and bring proceedings against persons and entities violating the measures. It also requested states to report to the Secretary-General by July 16, 1993, on the measures they had initiated, while Boutros-Ghali was requested to report on the progress he and the Secretary-General of the OAS had made to find a political solution by July 15, 1993. At the same time, the Council committed itself to reviewing the sanctions if the de facto authorities in Haiti signed an agreement to reinstate the legitimate government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
See also
- History of HaitiHistory of HaitiThe recorded history of Haiti began on December 5, 1492 when the European navigator Christopher Columbus happened upon a large island in the region of the western Atlantic Ocean that later came to be known as the Caribbean. It was inhabited by the Taíno, an Arawakan people, who variously called...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 801 to 900 (1993 – 1994)
- Resolutions 861United Nations Security Council Resolution 861United Nations Security Council Resolution 861, adopted unanimously on August 27, 1993, after recalling Resolution 841 and welcoming an agreement between the President of Haiti and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti, the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations...
and 862United Nations Security Council Resolution 862United Nations Security Council Resolution 862, adopted unanimously on August 31, 1993, after recalling resolutions 841 , 861 and an agreement between the President of Haiti and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti, the Council reaffirmed the international community's commitment to...