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CARICOM needs to face reality and accept that it is not equipped or properly positioned to address the crisis in Haiti. That is painfully obvious, and it has been for some time.
Let us speak frankly for a change, in stead of speaking eloquently about the history of Haiti and the impact of imperialism on its development. It seems that the minute that Haiti has domestic troubles, that’s all anyone wants to do – talk about the Haitian revolution.
Haiti is not on the brink of being a failed state. It is a failed state. Not only has the caretaker government of the last few years lost control over the majority of the country, including the the capital, but that government itself has now collapsed with the announcement that Ariel Henry will resign with no clear succession.
It has gotten to the point where a consortium of external states, including Caribbean states, are seeking to give effect to the nomination of a new transitional government in Haiti. The Haitian constitution has not been upheld and cannot be upheld in the circumstances.
Mass murder, kidnapping, extortion, and rape, are day to day realities in Haiti, committed by gangs who have taken on the role of insurgents rather than criminals, as they wage armed conflict against the security forces of the state, and have appropriated state territory under their governance. Ports have been laid siege to, and prisons have been emptied. This is ridiculous.
And the best that CARICOM can do for Haiti is to support dialogue. Why? Because we don’t have the money or the manpower to send an army over there to restore order. That’s the simple truth. Full stop. The only thing that is going to restore order in Haiti is armed intervention. And CARICOM does not have the capacity to do it.
Here is the part where all the anti-imperialists, and leftists and pan-Africanists jump-in, screaming no to foreign intervention led by the US or a consortium of western or regional nations. For them, the ultimate evil is Western-led intervention. They sit back in silence, holding on to their romaniticzed notion of Haiti as a shining becaon of Black self-determination, whilst in reality, the country collapses on itself. They would rather the murder, armed mayhem, kidnapping, gang warfare, vigilantism, rape, extortion, insurgency and absence of government continue endlessly, before they support the idea of US-led intervention.
But tell me, who else can do it? Which other nation has the resources, the nearness, the military, the technical capability, the global infrastructure, the intelligence infrastructure, and so on, to seriously mount an armed intervention to quell a criminal insurgency in a country of over 10 million people? CARICOM sure as hell does not.
CARICOM keeps speaking about elections. Are they serious? Elections in Haiti? The population lives under seige daily, and the state does not control most of the territory, not even the capital. Who’s voting? Who’s campaigning when roadways are policed by criminal organisations at war with the state? Is this a joke?
And what is this Kenyan plan? Does anyone in their right mind seriously think that a mere 1,000 additional men will turn the tide in Haiti? A country of 10 million people? Is that a joke?
And these officers are from Kenya – they are police, not military. Do they have experience is urban warfare and live combat? Do they have overseas deployment experience? Do they speak French? What nonsense is this?
The only reason that the US has pushed this nonsensical plan is to promote the idea of African/Black majority nations taking the lead in helping each other as opposed to intervention by the US and its partners like Canada, and other NATO countries.
But the reality is that no African nation has the capacity to intervene in Haiti seriously, and to be frank, the security forces and mitilitaries of the African continent have some of the worst track records when it comes to human rights abuses.
But the US knows that this kind of duncy bat plan will appease the left-leaning, anti-imperialist hawks who squawk whenever the spectre of US-led intervention raises its head. They would rather Haiti burn from now to eternity, than gain any modicum of salvation from a white saviour.
This is perhaps, the foolishness that has also invaded the thought of CARICOM’s leaders. Better Haiti burn while we keep the prospect of a “Haitian-led” solution alive than to endorse, or lobby the US to take up the mantle and help lead an intervention. Where has that led us?
How many women and children have been raped in the meantime? How many kidnapped and killed, or ransomed? How many murders and arson attacks, how much more food insecurity and hospital failure while we hold dear to this romantic notion of Haiti, which is long dead? How many more months of this? Six? 12? 18? 24?
The US is hesitant to get anywhere near Haiti for 4 reasons. Firstly, there is an election upcoming, and which President wants to lead a messy long haul foreign intervention on the cusp of an election? Secondly, the US knows that it will lack credibility in doing so, unless it has the backing of the regional and international community, which it does not yet have.
Thirdly, the US must consider how the domestic population and domestic forces in Haiti will react to its intervention, or a fight against gangs could become a fight against the people of Haiti taking up arms to resist intervention. Fourthly, how does the US justify putting the lives of its troops in danger to rescue a nation that its citizens probably don’t much care about, to be honest.
CARICOM needs to be lobbying the US for an intervention in Haiti on terms that are paletable to CARICOM (of which Haiti is a member). Get down to details. CARICOM should move toward the creation a multinational coalition at the UN level with the UN mandate of restoring the constitutional order in Haiti.
Design a mission that calls for Caribbean countries to supply leadership and oversight in the bodies that provide leadership for the mission. Rely more heavily on the US for the ground operations of the mission and the military capacity. Invite other nations to supply troops as well to make the troop coalition as broad as possible.
Create juduical mechanisms from the onset, and have them staffed by qualified international jurists and lawyers from participating countries, to immediately deal with any accusations, allegations or charges of unlawful and criminal behaviour on the part of the mission’s troops.
Design an intervention strategy from top to bottom with the right transparency and accountability measures to satisfy the international community that what is taking place is a mission (1) by authorized UN, (2) overseen by CARICOM + other partners and (3) relying upon qualified security and military personnel from nations like the US.
The problem is that CARICOM has never played politics at this level. They’ve never had to manage or participate in something as precarious as a multinational security intervention. We are usually just the bystanders watching from the sidelines.
The situation in Haiti calls upon CARICOM to actively lead the thrust for a meaningful mission to restore the constitutional order in Haiti. But they would rather sit back and watch Haiti fail, watch the Kenyan nonsense fail, and wait for the US to unilaterally intervene in a year or two, so that as always, we can sit on the sidelines and harp about imperialism, while putting no skin in the game in terms of fixing the problems of the world.
Ernest J. Farfingbottom
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I concur with you writer. In as much as most people do not want to openly say it , an International Force headed by the United States seem to be the only saving grace for Haiti. “Barbecue ” and his gangs are in total control and any semblance of normalcy is gone even if a provisional government is named and selected. The gang leaders would never answer to anyone and are in fact the defacto leaders at this stage. All the talks would amount to nothing if order is not quickly restored in Haiti.
I am not surprise that you would take that view. Do you really think the people of Haiti believe that the US is their solution or part of their problem? Perhaps you and the author should do a bit more research.
@audley: the Americans create the situation for a desired outcome of us seeing them as the solution, so right Infront of these supposedly modern eyes and brains we don’t see white hegemony manipulation with blinken dangling $100 million which Caribbean ministers think they will see, but that’s lobbying for the military industrial complex in the USA to procure the weapons to go kill the Haiti civic minded people we call gangs, who don’t want america and the white community installing a puppet leader for white interest, our leaders are like coconut, brown outside and white inside, all the elites should be left out and allow a meeting with these people and the country to solve this crises, the last time Haiti solve its own problem was freeing itself from slavery, the interim prime minister Arielle onliest fame to to leadership entitlement is that he is university graduate, that’s what the international community like to harp, a brains harvested by the academic system of the enemy that will carry out white functions as Doctor Henrick Clark opined, a lady like Mia motley is a choice to talk with the barbecue or any of these civic minded people to get power in the hands of Haitian and not the elites, the whites are their holding the best lands and resources leaving the blacks in poverty, appropriation of lands to the Haitians will held create the environment for a stable future, every intervention by Americans and their U.N is a disaster where they set up white global corporation, in straight talks they thief resources where ever they intervene and leave them in a worst state.
No, Haiti needs to solve its own problems. Antigua is broke and the US is also broke; It’s everyman for himself.
Mr Byam I can’t stand you. You are such a negative and brutal human. I feel sorry for you all the hate and anger you are carrying. May Almighty God save your soul.
If you want to help Haiti, purchase a one way ticket and tap dey. We have all the ALP foreign criminals running riot in Antigua that need shooting.
Totally agree with you writer. The heads of government of CARICOM ‘fraid! I don’t blame them!! Haiti is at a critical juncture. But, what we need to remember is that this could have been 268 or any other Caribbean country.. what would we have wanted our other Caribbean nations to do for us? Or indeed, what can we do for Haiti? I guess right now every country more concerned about how this looks. It’s getting hotter ’round here.
The imperialists have caused the problem Haiti faces today… they’ve been suppressing Haiti for so long that our brothers want out, and have decided to fight their way out of it. From whom did our brothers get guns?
The author has written unpalatable truths, but truths nontheless. What part can Caricom play in this unfolding tragedy? Absolutely nothing, zilch, Nada except to convene meetings and bay at the moon. It is nothing more than a bit part player at best in this sorry saga. Would ‘ Barbecue’ and his gangs pay one bit of notice to some of its leaders whose lifeblood is corruption? Who could in all honesty blame him? Haiti became the very first country in the Western Hemisphere to throw off the yoke of its slave masters through a glorious revolution and became an independent country in 1804, repeat 1804. Ever since it has been plagued with the most corrupt of corrupt leaders who cared very little for its citizens but cared very much for clinging to power in its presidential palace and terrorising its people if they dared to dissent (See the track record of Papa Doc Duvalier and his son Baby Doc).Author, you have exposed the festering wound of the talentless, incompetent brigade who shout Imperialism and Colonialism at the drop of a hat to cover up their clueless and incompetent shortcomings. Yes, only the USA and Canada can bring a semblance of order to Haiti. Caricom is a neutered cat, an empty vessel making much noise and trying to appear a relevant player which it is not. Haiti, independent since 1804 and nothing to show for it. Something has gone awfully wrong.
You all want America to come in as a matter of convenience then you all curse lady liberty bitter.
@Ernest J F. You’re spot on! 🎯
Surprise, Surprise. The Imperialists have caused the problem. What’s new? So, in over 200 years of independence Haiti hasn’t been able to solve the problem, why? Excuses and more excuses. Try blaming Imperialists for every woe and hey Bingo, problem solved. What a pile of nonsense.
Haiti’s freedom has been crippled by what has been taken between the France and the US do your research before you talk
@#JustCurious.
Kindly explain what you mean when you say “Haiti’s freedom has been crippled by what has been taken between France and the US”. It’s not very clear to me.
I recalled right after the assassination it was clear that the USA was not welcome and this was broadcast on every news media and came from the mouths of many high ranking officials and representatives of Haiti, even the common man on the street.
They claimed Haiti and it’s people must solve this by themselves, instead of the return of US boots on the ground again, which they didn’t want a repeat of.
I remembered right after the assassination it was clearly demonstrated on most news media that the US was not welcome. This came from the mouths of of very high ranking officials and representatives of Haiti, even the common man on the street.
It was stated they don’t want a repeat of what took place the last time,with US boots on the ground “we have to do this by ourselves.”
The same US who ousted the previous leadership and put who they wanted there????? The US isn’t the answer to any political issue in Haiti. There was unrest before but as the pandemic progressed the past leader stated Haiti didn’t need the vaccine they had their own natural remedies. He was later killed and the very next thing that was shipped to Haiti were vaccines instead of the much needed support.
One wonders how often persons wish to try the same unworkable solutions, then wonder why it failed. The US has often intervened in Haiti and actually always made the situation worse. Persons need to think back to 2004 when the US forcibly removed the democratically elected president of Haiti. There is a telling article by a Haitian professor entitled Empires Laboratory. For a video of it see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obEWfFejJ44. Caricom has made clear, whatever solution it pushes has to be a Haitian agreed solution. No more solution where the US props it persons it likes to suit its own financial interest
I might not have been clear when I referred to the US and Canada. Those countries should not impose a political solution on Haiti however, to bring the gun violence to an end requires military force which only the US and Canada can provide. That is my view.
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