The New Humanitarian’s Post

Great analysis of the current situation in #Haiti by Daniela Mohor The New Humanitarian, discussing plans for the transitional presidential council, the outlook of gang violence, and the devastating humanitarian impact of the insecurity crisis on Haitians 👇

Experts say Haiti’s political class is deeply divided and disconnected from a citizenry that feels trapped between supporting an elite it doesn´t trust or gang leaders who are promising to change the system. For more on the challenges of Haitian transition, read this analysis. https://lnkd.in/eGenpGWv

Jorge Heine explores the ongoing and escalating humanitarian crisis in Haiti, due to violent gang activities and civil disorder that is leading the nation towards a famine like scenario. The author criticises regional states for failing to provide aid under these urgent circumstances, stating it as both imprudent and unethical. Haiti, once a beacon of hope after a successful slave rebellion in the 1790s, is now considered one of the poorest nations in the world, muddled in chaos and violence. The breakdown in governance was further intensified post the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, leading to a puppets rule by Ariel Henry, a prime minister who lacks legitimacy. The author comments on the deterioration of Haiti's police force, which despite past efforts to professionalise, has faced severe casualties and a waning morale in the fight against violent gangs. The absence of an armed force, known more for its history of overthrowing governments, has left a daunting security vacuum in Haiti. Heine notes how current international response falls short; despite the United Nations record of 4,000 gang related deaths and 3,000 kidnappings in 2023 alone, Western Hemisphere nations have been reticent to intervene. He criticises the US's hollow commitment of sponsoring a 1,000 strong Kenyan police force, an absurd notion that stalled due to internal opposition in Kenya. The author denounces points made by critics of intervention, reminding them of the relative stability brought to Haiti by the UN mission MINUSTAH from 2004 to 2010, pre-earthquake. Here, he challenges not just the US and Canada, but also Latin American countries like Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay who were once central to this mission, to step in and prevent Haiti descending further into chaos. Haiti, if left to struggle alone, the author warns, could evolve into a nerve center for organized crime, terrorism, and drug trafficking a scenario no country would prefer having in their backyard. Thus, encouraging intervention not just on moral grounds, but from a perspective of global security as well. #globalaffairs #politics #usa #americas #latinamerica #caribbean #haiti #security #organizedcrime #gangs #terrorism #drugtrafficking Project Syndicate Jorge Heine

Humanitarian crises, gang violence, persistent multi-dimensional poverty and the protracted leadership crisis in Haiti caused in part by irresponsible foreign interventions, corrupt elites and poor local leadership are only a few of the things that have resulted in the implosion of the Haitian state. These are things that any solution must take into account and grapple with head on. Having said this, Haitians living in Haiti, from all cross-sections of Haitian society must be meaningfully engaged in the process and have a say if any solution brought is to be seen an legitimate by the population. Below is an excerpt from a TNH discussing the crisis in Haiti. "Experts say Haiti’s political class is deeply divided and disconnected from a citizenry that feels trapped between supporting an elite it doesn’t trust or gang leaders who are promising to change the system and empower the Haitian people. The CARICOM agreement, critics say, was only reached with Haitians taking part through video conferences overseen by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “Unfortunately, there wasn't much room for Haitians in the decision-making. It was CARICOM that wanted a council with so many people,” said Ésperance. “It's not efficient.” For Monique Clesca of the Montana Accord, which has a representative on the council, the transition plan isn’t perfect but everyone is going to have to compromise to make things work and move forward. The Montana Accord has been pushing Haitian-led solutions for three years and was opposed to the deployment of the MSS, which it might now have to accept. “We will have to enter this with a lot of humility and abnegation, because if people are going to be jostling for power once they're in, it's not going to work,” Clesca told The New Humanitarian. “Saying a Haitian solution doesn't mean that we are not open to getting support. We know some of our limitations.” The historical links between political and business elites and the gangs are a significant concern for Clesca and others. The CARICOM agreement excludes from the council anyone who is under indictment, has been previously convicted, or is under UN sanctions, but gangs still have ways to take over, experts say." https://lnkd.in/eBy58kDP

🇭🇹 #Haiti faces escalating #gangviolence since the coordinated attacks on Feb 29, plunging the country further into turmoil. ❗️The resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the struggles of the transitional presidential council underscore the urgent need for international support. 🛟 Beyond the immediate humanitarian aid, a concerted effort is required to address the complex interplay between political and criminal actors, bolster institutional structures, and foster inclusive dialogue for a sustainable resolution. Read more in our recent analysis 👇

Overriding Republican opposition in Congress, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has ordered the release of $109 million in US funds to pay for a UN-approved and Kenyan-led police support mission tasked with reining in rampant gangs and restoring order in Haiti. The move will cover the purchase of equipment that a Kenyan security team – sent to check the barracks in Port-au-Prince in advance – said was needed before the mission could start. It is expected to pave the way for the deployment of up to 1,000 Kenyan police from next week. Eight other countries have pledged to contribute personnel: The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Chad, Jamaica, and Suriname. Benin offered up to 2,000 soldiers, the Bahamas 150, and Jamaica 500. Figures for the other nations are still to be confirmed. The United States has been by far the main political and financial backer of the Multinational Security Support mission, pledging a total of $300 million to support it despite opposition in the US Congress, from many Haitians, and in the Kenyan courts. In Kenya, the deployment has faced fierce criticism from opposition lawmakers, human rights groups, and from lawyers, who termed it unconstitutional and accused President William Ruto of neglecting regions in his own country crippled by unrelenting decades-long insecurity. Haitians are wary because of US involvement in past interventions, especially a 13-year UN “stabilisation” mission (MINUSTAH) that left a legacy of allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as a cholera epidemic that claimed more than 10,000 lives. The mandate of the MSS is to provide “operational support” to the Haitian police by planning and conducting joint security operations to counter gangs, secure key infrastructure, and “help ensure unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for the population assistance”, but it’s not clear how this will work in practice. The gang violence, which killed at least 2,500 people in the first three months of the year alone, has seen displacement soar by 60% since March to nearly 580,000 people. It has also worsened a humanitarian crisis that has left more than one in ten Haitians on the brink of starvation, with aid agencies struggling to help them amid the rampant insecurity. For more background and information, read our in depth coverage of Haiti:

🇭🇹 Haiti faces escalating #gangviolence since the coordinated attacks on Feb 29, plunging the country further into turmoil. ❗️The resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the struggles of the transitional presidential council underscore the urgent need for international support. 🛟 Beyond the immediate humanitarian aid, a concerted effort is required to address the complex interplay between political and criminal actors, bolster institutional structures, and foster inclusive dialogue for a sustainable resolution. Read more in our latest analysis by Romain Le Cour Grandmaison 👇

Since the devastating earthquake in 2010, Haiti has grappled with political instability and the emergence of over 200 gangs, predominantly centered in the capital, Port-au-Prince, including rival factions G9 and GPep. Originally aligned with political parties, G9 has resorted to violence and crime, while GPep, associated with opposition parties, has engaged in deadly clashes with G9 for control, exacerbating violence, famine, and civilian deaths. Recent months have seen a surge in gang activities, including attempted takeovers of critical infrastructure and mass prison breakouts, severely impacting access to healthcare and escalating security concerns. With only 8% of the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan funded, the United Nations is urgently calling for increased support, emphasizing the necessity of aid for the police force to prevent potential genocide, alongside the imperative for international intervention to address Haiti's security crisis and establish lasting political stability.

The United States has sent back more than 70 Haitians in its first deportation flight since violence in Haiti worsened in February, with gangs attacking strategic targets and demanding the resignation of acting prime minister Ariel Henry, which officially happened today. As violence continues in the Caribbean nation, human rights groups have called the deportations inhumane, warning that the deportees might become targets of the armed gangs estimated to control 95% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. “This is reckless and cruel,” Nicole Phillips, legal director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a refugee advocacy group in Haiti, was quoted as saying by The Guardian. “These people are being sent back to an impossible situation where there is no work, no healthcare, and no schools to send their children to. On top of that, there is also no real Haitian government to consent to the flight, and no one who can keep these people safe.” In March, the US evacuated some of its embassy personnel from Haiti because of the escalating violence. Armed gangs have wreaked havoc in Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, but the situation has taken a drastic turn for the worse in recent months. The violence has claimed thousands of lives this year alone and left 1.4 million people on the verge of starvation. Health facilities have been forced to close, and it has been hard to get emergency assistance to those affected because of the insecurity. A transitional council has now been appointed to pick Henry’s interim successor and pave the way for new elections by 2026. The deployment of a UN-authorised security assistance mission – which Kenya was set to lead – remains uncertain. For more background, read here: ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eGenpGWv

🚨Critical Update: The Current Crisis in Haiti 🇭🇹 The control of Haiti has been forcefully taken over by criminal factions, resulting in an atmosphere of chaos and violence. The situation in Port-au-Prince, Haiti is critical as gangs have taken control of 80% of the capital city, causing chaos through violence and kidnappings. With the government declaring a state of emergency and the prime minister's whereabouts unknown, the city is in turmoil. Given Haiti's historical struggles with political instability and natural disasters, the current upheaval portends a challenging outlook for the nation's future. #HaitiCrisis #PoliticalInstability #PublicSafety 🇭🇹 Source: https://lnkd.in/d98DNE2M Check this out: https://lnkd.in/d98DNE2M