(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Caribbean Matters: The push for yet another 'intervention' in Haiti [1]

[]

Date: 2024-02-29  

Watching outside diplomatic efforts to once again “deal with” Haiti while knowing the history of past failed interventions there—which have kept Haiti from being able to govern itself—is frustrating and rage-inducing. Not just for Haitians, but also for anyone who’s been steeped in the history of Haiti’s ongoing punishment for having dared to become the first symbol of Black freedom from enslavement.

It’s a revolution for which they are still paying the price.

This week, headlines about Kenyan soldiers heading to the poorest nation in the western hemisphere once again blare “Haiti in crisis” and “gangs roam the streets,” while unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry is well into his third year in power, propped up by the U.S.

Notably, elections have not been held since the July 2021 assassination of Prime Minister Jovenel Moïse that led to Henry’s ascension.

Caribbean Matters is a weekly series from Daily Kos. If you are unfamiliar with the region, check out Caribbean Matters: Getting to know the countries of the Caribbean.

In 2022, I wrote “Caribbean Matters: Intervention or no intervention? That is the Haiti question.”

As the world watches, Haiti is in crisis. The nation of nearly 11.5 million is currently facing so much: ongoing political unrest, protests against the current, un-elected Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the PHTK political party, protests against the U.S.-backed government, labor strikes, a cholera outbreak, gang warfare, and food shortages. There are calls from certain sectors in Haiti, and in mainstream U.S. media, for intervention by the United Nations and the United States. There are also forceful arguments being made by longtime Haiti observers—political scientists, historians, and Haitians themselves—warning that outside intervention will not resolve the situation, and in actuality will make things worse.

This week, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry attended CARICOM’s meeting, held in Guyana.

From a Sunday Associated Press report:

Caribbean leaders met with embattled Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Sunday to talk about his country’s unrelenting gang violence, with one top official noting that his continued presence as head of government remains a main stumbling block to progress. Bahamian Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell told The Associated Press that opposition leaders and other groups in Haiti oppose Henry as prime minister, even as the regional trade bloc known as Caricom keeps trying to help change the country’s situation. Mitchell said the international community also questions how the country would function if Haiti’s prime minister resigns or is removed, adding that “there needs to be a political solution.”

The Guardian produced a short video about the gang situation in Haiti and its history last year; it’s an episode of the outlet’s aptly named “It’s Complicated” series.

x YouTube Video

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/2/29/2225407/-Caribbean-Matters-The-push-for-yet-another-intervention-in-Haiti?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/