HISTORY OF INTERVENTIONS IN HAITI

A Kenyan court has temporarily halted the planned deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti, a move that is certainly welcome news for the predominately African state in the Caribbean Sea. Under the guise of tackling Haiti’s insecurity, Kenya, under US patronage to the tune of $200 million, announced it would have boots on the ground by the end of this year. Already, a small reconnaissance team was hosted at the US embassy in Haiti. African Stream hosted Kim Ives, editor at Haiti Liberté, to make sense of why Haiti is vehemently opposed to foreign forces on its shores.

Haiti’s history of foreign interventions is one replete with abuse and tragedy, and begins with a US occupation all the way to a UN deployment after the United States ousted democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. In every single instance, Haitians have paid a hefty price: Killings, rape, pollution of a key water artery and countless other crimes.

Kenya’s police are well known for their brutality. More than 30 people were killed at recent demonstrations against the rising cost of living. Innocent bystanders have been killed minding their own, including children. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the killing of two young men for curfew violation was news for months. There is little to show a police deployment to Haiti would be different.

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