On October 2nd, the UN Security Council approved in a 13-0 vote a peacekeeping force to the chaos-torn nation of Haiti. 2 members of the UNSC decided to abstain from the vote, China and Russia, both urging those involved to take caution and consul with Haitian officials.
The island nation was brought to near anarchy after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, who was killed by mercenaries in 2021. Since then, there have been no elections in Haiti, and since earlier this year there has been no democratically elected government. Moise’s murder came amid a wave of gang violence, which has brought the economy of the poorest nation in the western hemisphere to a standstill as people are afraid to do business and gangs control vital supply routes. The problem has only gotten worse since 2021, with the UN reporting over 3,000 homicides and 1,500 kidnappings so far this year, and around 80% of the capital of Port-Au-Prince is now controlled by violent gangs. Additionally, hunger and sexual assault plagues the crime-stricken nation. The interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry first requested international military assistance in October last year, as the country was beginning to descend into chaos and cholera made a reappearance.
Kenya first offered to lead the multinational force in July, after US officials failed to convince Canada to lead the mission. Kenyan President William Ruto called the vote “a crucial instrument” providing “a different in the history of international interventions in Haiti.” Analysts speaking to Al Jazeera noted that Kenya is also likely to gain politically from the mission. Dismas Mokua, an analyst in Nairobi told Al Jazeera that “On the global stage, sending its forces to Haiti gives Kenya a very serious political capital. In the eyes of the world, Kenya becomes a dependable ally who is willing to help other countries.” Kenya also stands to gain from the training and experience its police will receive while in Haiti, and the resources provided to them by the US and other for the mission.
The multinational force will be led by Kenyan police, with Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, and Jamaica also offering to send manpower. The US agreed to send Kenya $100 million and logistical support for the operation. The resolution also calls for an arms embargo towards Haiti, with exceptions for already approved purposes. The mission’s primary goals will be to assist Haitian police in fighting the gangs and regain control of the country. However, while the operation is sanctioned by the UN, it is not an official UN peacekeeping operation.
It is in part due to this lack of UN safeguards that many civil rights groups in Kenya, Haiti, and internationally, have urged against the operation. In a letter addressed the UNSC, Amnesty International emphasized “…the importance of examining the human rights track record of Kenyan security forces in full before endorsing their deployment to Haiti. Amnesty International has recently condemned the continued unlawful use of force against protestors by Kenyan police in the country.” Amnesty International then points out the reports of police brutality against protestors in Kenya, with Kenyan police accused of killing around 30 protestors over the last year. They also referenced the poor record of Interntional interventions in Haiti, as a UN peacekeeping operation that lasted from 2004-2017 was riddled with sexual abuse scandals and the reintroduction of cholera into the country.
The Kenyan government has dismissed these concerns and referred to the allegations of police brutality in Kenya as “inaccurate.” The Haitian government has welcomed the operation, the foreign minister responding that “More than just a simple vote, this is in fact an expression of solidarity with a population in distress. It’s a glimmer of hope for the people who have been suffering for too long.”
