In a recent interview with BBC, Haiti’s Interim Prime Minister Garry Conille acknowledged that international support was arriving too slowly, and Haitian gangs continued to terrorize the country. During late July, 400 elite Kenyan police forces arrived in Port-au-Prince Airport as part of a U.N-backed security force. They aimed to support the undermanned Haitian Police Force and reinforce the transitional government. While these efforts have alleviated conditions in certain sectors of Port-au-Prince, most of the capital is still a no-go zone, and the gangs have turned their attention to the outskirts of the country. Haiti expected that 2,500 personnel would arrive as part of the UN-backed contingent. However, a lack of funding, logistics, and limited resources on the ground hindered the arrival of these forces. As a result, public confidence in the Kenyan troops has fallen, and Haitians are frustrated that the authorities haven’t acted more decisively. According to the U.N., violence has displaced 578,000 people, and 5 million lack enough food and water. Schools and hospitals in the capital are inaccessible because of the gangs. The humanitarian situation is dire.
“There are a lot of promises being made but no positive signs of change yet. The capital is still cut off from the rest of the country by the gangs. They control the roads, and they are still taking territory,” said Kesner Pharel, a leading Haitian economist.
The past three years have been especially difficult for Haiti. The country has faced violence and economic ruin that have forced hundreds of thousands to flee and have left millions more in dire need of essentials. While dealing with the gangs is vital to ensuring Haiti’s future security, it’s more critical to guarantee civilians have access to necessities like food and water. Ensuring the safety of the civilian populace is imperative to prevent gang recruitment and continued violence. If Haitians have access to food, water, medical care, and safety, they will be less likely to join gangs in an attempt to meet their basic needs. The forces on the ground must continue securing Port-au-Prince so its residents can live in peace. The U.N. authorization for the current mission expires in October, and the Security Council must ensure China’s and Russia’s support to extend the authorization. Therefore, the U.N. and the international community must do everything in their power to extend the Security Council authorization and implement it fully to see proper results. Additionally, international aid must arrive more quickly to alleviate the situation. Stabilizing Haiti would alleviate heavy migratory trends in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Haiti’s situation began after a destructive earthquake in 2010 left the country in tatters. Subsequent natural disasters only made the problem worse. Billions of aid poured into the country, but different groups vied to control the reconstruction and funding. First, it was the politicians, and then it was the armed groups supporting them. Other groups formed, claiming to aid neighborhoods, but have instead been accused of various crimes. Corruption became rampant as elected politicians used gangs and armed groups to do their bidding. Existing violence exploded following the assassination of democratically elected president Jovenel Moïse in 2021. His assassination left a power vacuum that saw his prime Minister, Ariel Henry, ascend to power with the support of various nations and the U.S. Under Henry’s control, Haiti failed to hold elections multiple times, which Henry claimed was due to the violence. After he announced elections would be postponed until 2025, the armed groups increased the violence, and it has remained that way since.
The international community must closely monitor aid going into Haiti to ensure it doesn’t fund the illicit activities of the gangs terrorizing the country. In the meantime, Prime Minister Conille must work to ensure the safety of his citizens instead of focusing solely on eradicating the gangs. Ensuring access to essentials and safe zones would deter more people from joining gangs to meet their needs. If violence is seen as the only way to meet their needs, then violence will continue to be the norm. However, gang violence must be de-escalated through due process and by rebuilding institutions with a careful emphasis on not fostering more casualties and violence. Democratic elections must also be held in Haiti to promote peace and security. Ensuring Haiti’s stability is critical to the security of the Caribbean as a whole, as gang violence can spill over into neighboring countries and destabilize them as well. The international community and interim government must do everything possible to ensure Haiti’s and its people’s prosperous and peaceful future.
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