Haitian PM tenders resignation after Jamaica talks

megopie, 2 months ago

It’s probably gonna get a lot worse from here. The nations got a long history of this, and a long history of foreign powers intervening and making the situation worse.

livus, 2 months ago

Yes, it has a long and difficult history. Going way back it was at a massive disadvantage at Independence with having to pay the French billions in reparations for no longer being slaves and that set the stage.

Really wondering whether Kenya is going to end up with boots on the ground.

livus, 2 months ago

From the article:

Henry's resignation comes alongside regional talks over participation in an international force, which he had requested to help police fight the gangs. Their brutal turf wars have fueled a humanitarian crisis, cut off food supplies and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes....

The U.N. believes Haitian gangs have amassed arsenals of weapons trafficked largely from the United States.

The United Nations estimates more than 362,000 people have been internally displaced, half of whom are children, and thousands have been killed in the conflict, with widespread reports of rape, torture and ransom kidnappings since 2021.
'A BLOODY REVOLUTION'

In Haiti, gang leader Cherizier has threatened to go after hotel owners hiding politicians or collaborating with Henry. He demanded the country's next leader be chosen by the people and live in Haiti, alongside their families.

Many influential Haitian political figures live abroad.

"We're not in a peaceful revolution. We are making a bloody revolution in the country because this system is an apartheid system, a wicked system," Cherizier said.

Residents in the capital saw heavy gunfire over the weekend as armed men downtown surrounded the National Palace on Friday night and by Sunday the United States had airlifted staff from its embassy. On Monday, authorities extended a nightly curfew until Thursday....

Henry first requested an international security force in 2022, but countries have been slow to offer support, with some raising doubts over the legitimacy of Henry's unelected government amid widespread protests.

Many in Haitian communities and abroad are wary of international interventions after previous U.N. missions left behind a devastating cholera epidemic and sex abuse scandals, for which reparations were never made.

Mike Ballard, intelligence director at security firm Global Guardian, said if gangs take control of ports and airports, they would be in charge of humanitarian aid to the country, adding he did not believe Kenyan forces would effectively police or maintain peace.

"Countries with actual stakes in the region will need to step up and help shore up security," he said, pointing to the United States, neighboring Dominican Republic and other CARICOM members.