Growing number of Haitians favorable to foreign intervention

Joseph Guyler C. Delva

Oct. 10, 2022

Update Oct. 11, 2022

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (HCNN)— A growing number of Haitians expressed on Monday their approval for a rapid deployment of an international military force to Haiti to backup the Haitian national police in conducting operations to dislodge violent armed gangs blocking the distribution of gas, healthcare services, and other vital activities in the troubled Caribbean country.

One of Haiti’s most popular radio stations, Scoop FM, held on Monday a live program in which 81% of callers said they were favorable to the deployment of a security force to help stablize the country where violent gangs continue to call the shots.

“I think such a force should be deployed immediately. To be honest with you, I believe those troops should have already been here to save us from the gangs,” the caller indicated on Scoop FM.

“Imagine I have a friend who died because there was no gas to take her to the haspital after armed bandits had decided to block the distribution of gas in the capital”, said a caller.

“But you know, what is worst in all the situation is that there’s no one you can call to come to help you, not the police, absolutely no one. We are totally at the mercy of armed bands,” another caller added.

However, several political leaders and other civil society groups have fiercely condemned such intent and have accused interim athorities of treason against the country.

"Prime minister Henry should step down because he has invited a foreign force to come and occupy the land our ancestors sacrificed their lives for," said Jacques Joazil, a social science teacher told HCNN on Monday.

"We've seen several foreign interventions, but nothing has changed and we don't think that any kind of occupation can help bring about positive change in Haiti," stated Jean Saint-Fort. "Only Haitians can," he said.

Prominent and veteran journalist, Gary Pierre-Paul Charles, said the purpose of his show on Scoop FM on Monday afternoon was to allow people to say freely what they thought about a possible intervention.

“They (the government) ask for a robust international force, first, to facilitate gas distribution, second, to crack down on gangs and third, to create a peaceful and secure environment in the prospect of the holding of elections through a political agreement so that life could resume in Haiti,” stated Gary Pierre-Paul Charles who cited a security official who spoke to him.

But Pierre-Paul Charles, who said he was not taking position either in favor or against a deployment of foreign troops, warned that many people would be killed in Haiti should the expected force fail to be deployed. “If the force failed to come, many people would be killed, the gangs would feel stronger and reinforced…” he said.

According to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres,the Haitian government has submitted a request to the United Nations asking for the deployment of a security force which “would, in particular, support HNP (Haitian National Police) primarily in the Port-AU-Prince metropolitan area in securing the free movement of water, fuel, food and medical supplies from main ports and airports to communities and health care facilities.”

“To this end, the force would support the HNP’s efforts to remove the threats posed by armed gangs and provide immediate protection to critical infrastructure and services,” said Gutteres presenting those who would be deployed as a rapid action force which would be led by one specific country he did not name as yet.

Gutteres did not provide a specific timetable for the presence of the force on the Haitian soil. He said the force “would be gradually phased out as the HNP regained state control of critical infrastructure targeted by gangs and began to restore general security and freedom of movement.”

Reporting and writing by Joseph Guyler C. Delva

Oct. 10, 2022