SOUTH FLORIDA – An open letter to the Biden Administration about Haiti’s Intervention from the Nationwide Haitian American Elected Officers Community (NHAEON) and FANM In Motion.
Pricey President Biden and Secretary Blinken,
The Nationwide Haitian American Elected Officers Community (NHAEON) and FANM in Motion write to strongly oppose your Administration’s proposed worldwide navy intervention in Haiti.
Any navy intervention supporting Haiti’s corrupt, repressive, unelected regime will doubtless exacerbate its present political disaster to a catastrophic one. It’s going to additional entrench the regime, deepening Haiti’s political disaster whereas producing vital civilian casualties and migration stress. If the U.S. is genuinely fascinated about stabilizing the political scenario to keep away from a catastrophic humanitarian disaster in Haiti, it is going to begin by ceasing to prop up the corrupt authorities and permit the emergence of a consensus transitional authorities with the legitimacy to determine how the worldwide group can contribute.
The present unconstitutional de-facto authorities, led by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, has been ineffective and inept in governing and offering fundamental safety to guard weak Haitians. This regime has dismantled Haiti’s democratic buildings whereas facilitating and conceding control of the country to many gang leaders. The PHTK governments didn’t run a good or well timed election. They’ve created a prevalent tradition of corruption that deprives the federal government of the mandatory funds to assist the Haiti Nationwide Police and supply fundamental governmental providers to the Haitian inhabitants. No less than 21 Haitian officers linked to the PHTK Celebration faceinternational sanctions for corruption or ongoing gang violence in Haiti. Harvard Regulation Faculty and a number of other Haitian human rights teamsconcluded of their 2021 research that many Haitian authorities officers have colluded with allied gangs to assault opposition neighborhoods, and their fixed assaults have contributed considerably to widespread and politically motivated gang violence that constitutes crimes towards humanity. For instance, many gangs are at present working in Haiti and controlling the nation with the assist of PHTK officers. The gang operations have displaced over 150,000 individuals as a result of their fixed violence. PHTK corruption has looted Haiti’s total financial system: inflation has exceeded 20% for 3 years, and over half of all Haitians face starvation, together with over 100,000 youngsters going throughsevere malnutrition. In consequence, many succesful and weak Haitians are fleeing the nation to keep away from political persecution.
Aletter from at the very least 60 Haitian organizations and people to the African Union urges the rejection of the de-facto regime’s name for help from the worldwide group to ship international forces to Haiti. Many Haitians oppose any international intervention, and such a proposal is unlikely to realize any fashionable assist to pursue gangs entrenched in neighborhoods affiliated with the de-facto regime. They may doubtless have interaction in vital firefights in hostile, densely-packed city neighborhoods, resulting insignificant civilian casualties.
The U.S. should instantly cease propping up the unconstitutional de facto regime to stabilize Haiti’s present political disaster and encourage the constructing of a consensus authorities to maneuver Haiti towards embracing a democratic course of. Dr. Ariel Henry got here to energy not by a democratic course of however by a declaration by theCore Group, which the united statesleads. The State Division insists that Dr. Henry should be a part of any transitional authorities. Dr. Henry has used the U.S.’s indifference to clinch energy and continues toveto any proposed consensus to create an inclusive transitional authorities with out him. The State Division continues to advertise Dr. Henry’s December 21 Accord as a viable path ahead, despite the fact that not a single political celebration received greater than 1% within the final elections, and the accord is broadly rejected as one other unconstitutional energy seize for the PHTK. In case your Administration have been to withdraw its assist for Dr. Henry, he would have been pressured to barter with Haitian civil society and different teams towards a peaceable answer to Haiti’s present political disaster.
We’re assured that, given an opportunity, our brothers and sisters in Haiti will come collectively to develop an answer to the political disaster. Over the previous three years, teams throughout the spectrum have gathered, usually placing long-running political disagreements apart, to agree on sensible, promising plans for a transitional authorities. However every time, the de facto authorities defeat the promising effort by refusing any compromise.
Along with ceasing to prop up the present regime, your administration can contribute to safety in Haiti by blocking arms shipments to Haiti and enforcing accountability for weapons traffickers and those profiteering from the violence in Haiti. Haiti doesn’t manufacture weapons and ammunition, however they originate from the U.S. and proceed to destroy many lives, together with U.S. Residents. We strongly urge your Administration to successfully examine armed trafficking to Haiti and supply extra assets to the U.S. Customs and Border Patrols to examine cargo leaving the USA to Haiti.
In abstract, these are the actions in your administration:
- No navy intervention and/or UN led mission in Haiti
- Withdraw assist for the De Facto Dr. Ariel Henry Regime
- Help the Institution of a Professional Transitional Authorities
- Block and examine arms shipments to Haiti
NHAEON and FANM in Motion thanks in your immediate consideration of our requests. Though Haiti’s issues are complicated, we’re assured that the nation can instantly start its journey again to the democratic course of along with your real assist. We look ahead to working along with your Administration to assist change the trajectory of Haiti’s political scenario in each the lengthy and brief phrases.