SSP Diaries | What’s happening with Haiti?

THE CARIBBEAN, I suspect, has been waiting anxiously to hear when its neighbour, Haiti, will be in receipt of aid that could restore law and order in that country. The talk of a UN international-backed intervention, led by Kenya, has been in the air for a long time now, but nothing appears to be materialising.

From our own perspective here in Jamaica, the Government has made a commitment to send military and police personnel, if I remember correctly, and so have a few other Caribbean states.

What has not been made public yet is how the Kenya-led intervention will be structured, what is its mandate, how much time does it have to achieve this, how will it go about doing so, what are the agreed priorities, how will it be supported, what is the desired outcome of the assistance being provided, etc, etc. It goes without saying that in an event of this nature, there must be a carefully thought-out plan conceived which must have the full blessing of the UN and all other parties concerned. This should be present from the start, failing which the intervention will be doomed.

For what it’s worth, this plan needs to take the following into consideration:

• There can be no sole police/military solution to solve Haiti’s problem.

• The aims and objectives of the intervention must be made clear to the entire population of Haiti.

• The evidence coming out of Haiti makes it clear that the leadership (inclusive of politicians, businessmen, the Church, etc) of the country and the lawless (gangs/criminals) enjoy a symbiotic relationship. There is a need to engage all aspects of this relationship with a view to charting the way forward to a secure and stable environment where the rule of law is respected and upheld.

• Some of the more prominent gangs enjoy the support of citizens. They are seen as liberators of the oppressed. This is reflective of the age-old saying, ‘One man’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter’.

• The armaments of the criminal element.

• How do the criminal elements perceive themselves.

• The conduct of the intervention must be in keeping with international law and the laws of Haiti.

In the implementation of the plan:

• The needs of the law-abiding citizens must be paramount.

• Restoration of an effective and efficient police force.

• Restoration of the courts.

• Restoration of the health, water, electricity, fire, food distribution, export/import, financial, garbage collection, burial, and tax collection services, for example.

• Restoration of leadership with integrity.

• The engagement methodology must be agreed, clearly articulated, and implemented by competent persons.

• Know who you are dealing with at all times. The present situation makes this extremely difficult, but it must be done.

• Schools and other educational facilities should resume at the earliest opportunity.

• Security forces must take control of public spaces to allow free movement of law-abiding citizens throughout the country.

• In the conduct of their duties, the security forces must gain the confidence and respect of the citizens. They must not deny or violate their rights.

• Key players in the Haitian society who can be trusted, should be a part of the restoration effort.

• Efforts should be made to arrest the illegal migration of citizens. Haiti needs everyone on board to help rebuild the nation.

As can be seen, this is not going to be the ordinary run-of-the-mill type intervention. It has all the makings of a nigh-impossible task; but the ‘sore’, having been left to fester for so long that it now negatively impacts other Caribbean nations, will need a treatment regime from just about every agency imaginable in a normal society, regionally and internationally, to bring about the healing required. In this sense, Haiti has become a global challenge, and if it is to survive and rebound this time around, donor nations must be prepared for the long haul ... there is no short-term fix here.

Interestingly, in all the current problems faced by this nation, I cannot recall the instigator of its sorrows, namely France, offering to come to its aid. I hope I am wrong, but if I am not, it merely emphasises the reality of our world today. Until something meaningful and lasting is done, Haiti remains in dire straits.

Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.