Kenya makes u-turn on Haiti security plan after gang’s warning
3 min read
In a change of security plan, Kenyan police deployed in Haiti will not actively fight crime in a bid to dismantle kidnapping gangs
In a change of security plan, Kenyan police deployed in Haiti will not actively fight crime in a bid to dismantle kidnapping gangs.
The Kenyan government has made a u-turn over the exact responsibilities assigned to the country’s Kenyan police officers.
According to a report by the Miami Herald, officials from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and accompanying delegates have told the Haitian government, the United Nations (UN) Representative and foreign diplomats that Kenyan police deployed to the country will not actively fight crime.
Kenya had at first agreed to send troops to the unrest-plagued nation to assist in dismantling and combating kidnapping gangs that have seized control of significant portions of the country.
Following change of mind, the Kenyan government now asserts that the police officers sent to the Haiti will solely protect vital government facilities.
The Kenyan delegation led by Ministry of Foreign Affairs General Director George Orina informed their Haitian counterparts and other stakeholders that Kenyan police officers will now guard airports, seaports and main roads but will not play an active role in restoring peace.
“Most of the critical infrastructure they were quoting are in the hands of the gangs. Before protecting this critical infrastructure, you have to first take them back,” the Miami Herald report detailed observing that Kenya’s proposal has frustrated the diplomatic community.
According to the report, Kenya has named its units to be deployed in the country as the Static Protection Force.
However, Haitian security experts have described Kenya’s plan as ineffective.
In addition to Ministry of Affairs officials, the 10-member security assessment team included Kenyan police officials.
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Notably, the Kenyan team was accompanied by U.S. soldiers for protection, and the meeting was attended by over a dozen officials from the U.S. State Department.
Besides the shift in the approach towards safeguarding Haiti residents from criminal gangs, Kenya presented certain prerequisites to both Haiti and the US before committing to deploy its officers.
The change of plans come amid threats by gangs in Haiti to fight back should the deployed officers commit human rights abuses during their mission.
“We will fight against them until our last breath. It will be a fight of the Haitian people to save the dignity of our country,” Jimmy Barbecue” Cherizier, the leader of the G9 Family and Allies gang alliance, stated, according to Al Jazeera.
From January 1 until Aug. 15, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and another 902 injured, according to the most recent U.N. statistics.
Gangs are now estimated to control up to 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince, with more than 200,000 people displaced after gangs pillaged and burned their homes.
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