U.S. Embassy personnel in Haiti evacuated amid rising violence
American citizens are told to leave ‘as soon as possible’ by commercial or private means as gang fighting eclipses the capital
(Washington Post)
The State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and diplomatic family members from its embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and advised all American citizens to leave the Caribbean nation as soon as possible amid rising gang violence.
The announcement of an “ordered departure” came late Thursday, after a week in which Haitians from the surrounding neighborhood swarmed the area outside the embassy, seeking protection from what the diplomatic mission called “heavy gunfire in the vicinity.” Embassy employees had already been ordered not to leave the U.S. compound “until further notice.”
Armed gangs have taken power in as much as 90 percent of the Haitian capital since the assassination two years ago of President Jovenel Moïse. Even as they contest territory and control of resources with each other, they have engaged in widespread campaigns of killings, rape and displacement of civilians.
Families have been burned out of their homes and left without food and water, a new cholera epidemic threatens, and a U.N. humanitarian campaign has received only a fraction of requested funding for the rest of the year.
Since Moïse’s death, the political chaos that has plagued Haiti for decades has worsened. His replacement, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, called for a multinational force last October to intervene and control the gangs. But the international community has been unable to work out how to form it, and no country has agreed to lead such a mission.
The United States, with its own history of interventions in Haiti, has expressed no interest in spearheading such a force. Hopes that Canada would take the leadalso fell apart.
Meeting with Henry this month during a visit to Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it was “imperative … for the international community to come together in support of Haiti.”
The idea for a multinational police force grew largely out of reluctance to send another U.N. peacekeeping force. An earlier U.N. force, sent to stem the growth of gang violence, was accused of sparking a cholera epidemic and failing to end the anarchy, and was highly unpopular with the Haitian people.
“We are not calling for a military or political mission of the United Nations,” U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said this month after visiting Haiti. “We are calling for a robust security force by member states to work hand-in-hand with the Haitian national police to defeat and dismantle the gangs and restore security across the country.” Civilians are trapped in “a living nightmare,” Guterres also, calling the conditions there “beyond appalling.”
But shortly after those comments, with no agreement on a non-U.N. force in sight, the U.N. Security Council on July 14 unanimously passed a resolution giving Guterres 30 days to report back with an outline of “the full range” of support options that the United Nations can provide, including a “possible peacekeeping operation.”
Such a U.N. force would require a Security Council vote, with no veto from one of the council’s five permanent members. Among them, China indicated skepticism, with Beijing’s U.N. representative instead saying that “all countries” must stop arms trafficking to the gangs and warning against “quick fixes implemented from the outside” that have long failed to deliver long-term results.
U.S. officials have continued to express optimism that some country will emerge to lead a non-U.N. force. “We continue to work with partner nations to identify a lead nation for a police-driven, multinational force,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters last week. “It is urgently needed, as the secretary said. I don’t have any updates … but I do hope to have them in the near future,” Miller said.
The U.N. resolution urgently called on “all Haitian stakeholders” to establish, with help from the United Nations, “a Haitian-led, Haitian-owned political process to permit the organization of free, fair and credible legislative and presidential elections.”
In the meantime, a new force has arisen in Haiti, with civilian vigilantes responding to the lack of security control by forming their own armed groups to combat the gangs.
Arrest of the Alleged Gang Leader of Bizoton while attempting to flee to the United States under the auspices of the Biden Program.
July 27, 2023
In a commendable stride towards combating criminal activities, Haitian law enforcement has achieved a major breakthrough with the announcement of the arrest of the alleged kingpin of the notorious Bizoton gang, Innocent Mackenley.
The operation was executed seamlessly on Wednesday at Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport, where the prominent member of the Ti Bwa gang was intercepted while attempting to flee to the United States under the auspices of the Biden Program.
Under Mackenley’s leadership, the gang had earned notoriety for its violent operations and extensive involvement in a myriad of illicit acts.
With his apprehension, Mackenley is now slated to face the full force of the Haitian judicial system, whereby he will be held accountable for his alleged deeds and subjected to a fair trial in accordance with the rule of law.
This unequivocal measure serves as a robust message to all criminals and active gang factions within the nation: no individual can be deemed exempt from legal repercussions, and those who transgress both societal and legal norms will be compelled to bear the weight of their actions.
US Congress : Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act
Meeks, McCaul, Salazar, Cherfilus-McCormick Issue Statement Following House Passage of Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act
July 25, 2023
Washington, DC – Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, Ranking Member and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Maria Salazar, Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick issued the following statement regarding the House passage of H.R. 1684, the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act. The bill would require the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti, and impose sanctions on political and economic elites involved in such criminal activities:
"Today's bipartisan House passage of H.R. 1684 underscores the United States’ unwavering commitment to holding corrupt Haitian political and economic elites accountable for their role in supporting Haiti’s destabilizing gang activity. Pervasive gang violence has exacerbated the ongoing humanitarian and security crises devastating the people of Haiti. In the political insecurity following President Moise’s assassination, criminals in Haiti have sought to profit from the chaos, supporting gangs to enrich themselves and claim more power.
“The United States must hold these corrupt individuals responsible for their support of criminal behaviors and prohibit their free travel and activities in the United States. This bill authorizes the Secretary of State to sanction corrupt actors who regularly use gangs as a lever of power and requires delivery of regular reports to Congress on Haitian gang activity.
“This legislative milestone represents significant progress in our efforts to support a Haitian-led resolution to this crisis. By curbing corruption and taking concrete actions against criminal networks, we aim to foster a more stable and hopeful future for Haiti and its people."
Haiti-Grenadiers are acclaimed despite their defeat
July 23, 2023
During the recent match between the Grenadiers and the English team at the Women’s World Cup, Haiti suffered a 1-0 defeat. Nevertheless, this performance did not go unnoticed, as the glories of world football and international media unanimously praised the Haitian team for their remarkable play, especially that of Melchie Dumornay, nicknamed Corventina.
In a laudatory article, the American newspaper Washington Post highlighted the determination and talent of the Haitian players. Despite the defeat, the team demonstrated an impressive strength of character and level of play, confirming their ability to compete with the best teams in the world.
It is important to emphasize that it was the first match of the Haitian women’s team in the World Cup, making their performance even more remarkable. The players clearly showed that they were not afraid to face the top nations in women’s football.
The Women’s World Cup is currently taking place in Australia and New Zealand, bringing together the best teams in the world in a fierce competition. Despite the result against England, the Grenadiers have proven that they fully deserve their place in this prestigious tournament.
Grenadiers
Programme Biden: Haitians Arriving by the Thousands…
July 27, 2023
Since the beginning of 2023, the Humanitarian Parole Program has been at the forefront of addressing migration challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean. This program, established by the United States, aims to provide a humanitarian admission opportunity to individuals facing difficult situations in their home countries.
According to available data, over 63,000 Haitians have been approved to benefit from the Humanitarian Parole Program in the first six months of the year. Among them, more than 50,000 have already successfully reached the United States through this program. These numbers underscore the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, driving a significant portion of its citizens to seek refuge and opportunities elsewhere.
The Humanitarian Parole Program is not exclusive to Haiti. In total, nearly 160,000 citizens from different countries, including Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, have also been beneficiaries of this program during the same period. These figures highlight the importance of this initiative in the region and the growing demand for protection and opportunities in the United States.