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Despite Haiti's long political deadlock for the implementation of a Prime Minister and a functioning government, the United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti (MIPONUH) has continued to fulfil its mandate and play a critical role in suppressing the civil unrest that the current political impasse has procured. However, the time has come to test Haiti's commitment to uphold democracy and the democratic process. On 11 January 1999, President Rene Preval declared he would no longer recognize the parliament, which is dominated by the opposition party, and stated he would appoint a new government by decree. This comes after 19 months of political stalemate between the President and the parliament, as they failed to reach an agreement on the nomination of a Prime Miriister - that has now been resolved by the approval of Jacques Edouard Alexis. The current problem lies with the parliament's refusal to approve Alexis' choice of cabinet, the consequence being Haiti still does not have a government to implement much-needed economic and social policies. There is a tremendous need for the passing of laws on judicial economic and social reform and this can only come about with the implementation of a functioning government.
MIPONUH's mandate is to "train national police forces, to assist them in carrying out their professional duties and to monitor their performance to ensure that they comply with national laws and in particular, that they respect human rights."' The reason the civilian police play such a vital role in not only the peacekeeping process but the peacebuilding process, lies in the fact that, as the Security Council observed, "[Haitian National Police (HNP)] can play a major role in restoring civil order, supporting the rule of law and fostering civil reconciliation. [The Security Council] sees an important role for the civilian police in contributing to the building of confidence and security between parties and among local populations, in order to prevent conflict, to contain conflict or to build peace in the aftermath of conflict."' The implementation of the mandate has been a challenge especially since the HNS is of relatively new existence and its members are young and inexperienced. Furthermore, traditionally there has never been a civil police force in Haiti; therefore, it is important for the HNP...