Watch how the Kenyan police are soon the targets of massive attacks.
On Tuesday, a contingent of foreign police from Kenya arrived in Haiti, marking a significant development nearly two years after Haiti urgently sought international assistance to combat escalating gang violence. The Kenyan police force, consisting of several hundred officers, landed in Port-au-Prince. This arrival comes after the city’s main international airport resumed operations in late May, having been closed for almost three months due to severe gang-related disruptions.
A group of #Kenyan police waved their national flag as they arrived in #Haiti for a controversial peacekeeping mission to combat powerful gangs. pic.twitter.com/8IrgZIuw8N
— ❀ N ✿ (@8zal) June 26, 2024
The precise responsibilities initially assigned to the Kenyan officers were not disclosed immediately upon their arrival. However, they are set to confront powerful gangs that dominate approximately 80% of the capital and have rendered over 580,000 Haitians homeless. These gangs have been aggressively expanding their control, resulting in numerous fatalities over recent years.
This initiative represents the fourth significant international intervention in Haiti. The response from the Haitian populace is mixed, with some viewing the deployment with skepticism due to past grievances associated with foreign interventions, such as the U.N. peacekeeping mission from 2004 to 2017, which faced severe criticism for sexual misconduct and inadvertently introducing cholera, causing nearly 10,000 deaths.
Romain Le Cour, a senior expert from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, has called for transparency from the international community and Haitian government, emphasizing the need for clear communication about the operational and engagement strategies of this mission.
400 Kenyan police officers arrive in Haiti to enforce US neocolonialism as riots take over Kenya pic.twitter.com/yRJempRcTc
— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) June 26, 2024
Shortly after the Kenyan contingent’s arrival, Prime Minister Garry Conille expressed gratitude towards Kenya, outlining the dire conditions in Haiti exacerbated by gang activities that have destroyed homes and vital public services, rendering the nation “unlivable.” Conille declared a determined effort to reclaim control of the country.
The Kenyan team, led by Monica Juma, Kenya’s former foreign affairs minister and now a national security advisor, is expected to begin deployment within days. Juma highlighted the mission’s aim to restore public order and instill a sense of hope and stability in Haiti, stressing that the intervention is intended to be temporary.
The deployment follows months of heightened violence in which gangs orchestrated widespread attacks on governmental infrastructure, overtaking numerous police stations and targeting major facilities, including releasing over 4,000 inmates from the nation’s largest prisons.
Kenyan Police arrived in Haiti for a US-funded intervention on the same day that they killed at least 13 protesters in during protests in Kenya. President Ruto applies the IMF’s neoliberal recipes at home while serving US interests abroad. pic.twitter.com/K6pY4Pr7ps
— red. (@redstreamnet) June 26, 2024
Despite the arrival of the Kenyan police, challenges persist. Critics argue that earlier deployment might have mitigated some of the recent violence, which was further complicated by legal and political hurdles both in Kenya and Haiti.
As Haiti continues to grapple with profound socioeconomic issues and an under-resourced police force, experts like Le Cour suggest that the gangs’ response to the new mission could vary significantly, with potential outcomes ranging from violent resistance to possible negotiations for peace.
Major Points
- A contingent of Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to help combat escalating gang violence, nearly two years after Haiti requested international aid.
- The Kenyan force landed in Port-au-Prince, with their specific initial assignments undisclosed, tasked with tackling gangs that dominate much of the city.
- This marks the fourth significant international intervention in Haiti, with past efforts, such as the 2004-2017 U.N. peacekeeping mission, marred by controversies including misconduct and disease outbreaks.
- Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and Kenya’s security advisor Monica Juma highlighted the mission’s goals of restoring order and ensuring the deployment is temporary.
- The deployment follows severe gang attacks on Haitian infrastructure and ongoing violence, with calls for transparency in the mission’s operations and goals.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
