International force can shift balance of power in Haiti’s fight against gangs: Expert

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - The UN Security Council’s recent decision to approve the deployment of an armed multinational force to Haiti has brought hope to a population deeply affected by gang violence.

Kenya will lead the mission, offering to send around 1,000 police officers to Haiti by the end of the year. Other Caribbean nations, including Antigua, Barbuda, the Bahamas and Jamaica, have pledged support, while the US will provide logistical and medical assistance and $100 million in financing.

Haiti has been grappling with gang violence for years, resulting in a dire situation. From October last year to June, nearly 3,000 people were killed in gang warfare, and over 200,000 Haitians have been displaced, according to official figures.

Estimates suggest gangs currently control 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital where some 3 million people endure daily rights abuses, including rape, torture, kidnappings, extortion and murder, according to various rights organizations.

Access to essentials like drinking water, food and medicine has become increasingly challenging, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

The Security Council’s resolution offers a glimmer of hope to civilians who have become targets of indiscriminate attacks, with gangs seeking to seize control of more areas or deter collaboration with rival groups.

“The news was generally well received in Haiti, especially by those living in gang-controlled areas. They see this as a potential solution to a situation they felt had no remedy,” Diego Da Rin, a Haiti expert for the International Crisis Group, told Anadolu.

The resolution was approved by 13 of the 15 Security Council members, with Russia and China abstaining.

It came after repeated pleas for military assistance from Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and calls by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for international backing.

“The Haitian people say thank you very much to the Security Council and the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Henry said on X shortly after the UN vote.

The international force will protect vital public infrastructure such as hospitals, airports, ports and schools, in addition to coordinating and supporting anti-crime operations.

- ‘Quality more important than quantity’

Questions persist about whether the force’s size and composition will be sufficient to combat well-armed gangs.

Kenya confirmed it was going to send 1,000 police officers and expects other countries to contribute 1,000 more personnel for a total of about 2,000.

However, the Haitian National Commission on Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration estimated four years ago that there were more or less 3,000 armed gang members.

Today, that figure is estimated to have reached 10,000.

Da Rin emphasizes that the quality of the forces matters more than their quantity.

Well-trained units, even in smaller numbers, can significantly reduce violence levels, he said, pointing out that Haiti created a gang unit a year ago with some 200 troops “that has been able to carry out operations with great success.”

"If an additional 2,000 well-trained troops equipped for operations in challenging terrain were to arrive, it has the potential to shift the balance of power between the gangs and the security forces significantly,” he added.

The mission will involve pre-deployment and ongoing training, with joint planning of operations alongside national authorities in Haiti. This collaborative approach aims to overcome the lack of experience in the specific security context of Haiti.

The presence of international troops in Haiti has also sparked controversy, notably since the 2004 UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti.

That mission was blamed for introducing a cholera outbreak that claimed nearly 10,000 lives and was marred by sexual abuse scandals.

Maria Isabel Salvador, the UN special representative in Haiti, has clarified that “the multinational security support mission is not a UN mission.”

Critics, however, raise concerns about legitimizing a government with questionable democratic legitimacy and alleged ties to some gangs.

Prime Minister Henry has said he will delay long overdue elections until achieving a basic level of security, causing many Haitians to fear that the government may not reinstate democracy once the security situation improves in the disaster-stricken nation.​​​​​​​