Kenya’s high court extends a block on sending police to Haiti even as parliament approves deployment
BY EMMANUEL IGUNZA
Updated 12:33 PM EST, November 16, 2023
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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s high court on Thursday extended orders blocking the deployment of police officers to Haiti, even as parliament approved a government request to send 1,000 officers to the Caribbean nation to help deal with gang violence.
High Court Judge Chacha Mwita said he would issue a ruling on Jan. 26, effectively delaying the sending of security officers to Haiti, where they are slated to lead a multinational force backed by the U.N Security Council.
The planned deployment was first blocked by the High Court in Nairobi in October.
Whatever decision is reached by the High Court in January may be appealed, meaning there could be a protracted battle over sending the troops to Haiti.
US National Gallery of Art receives its first works of Haitian art, via two gifts
The 15 works, donated by two collecting couples, will form the core of an exhibition in autumn 2024
Philomé Obin, President Tiresias Sam entering Cap-Haitien, 1958. Gift of Kay and Roderick Heller Courtesy the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
The National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, DC, announced today that it has received a gift of 15 works of art by modern and contemporary Haitian artists, and that the suite of works will be on view in an exhibition slated for autumn 2024. These are the first pieces by Haitian artists to be added to the NGA’s permanent collection. Of the 15 works, 13 are paintings while two are sequined flags by the artist Myrlande Constant.
The pieces were donated to the museum from the collections of two couples: Kay and Roderick Heller and Beverly and John Fox Sullivan. They range from as early as the 1940s to as recently as 2001. A number of the artists included in the donation were associated with Centre d’Art, a school, gallery and cultural hub in Port-au-Prince founded in 1944 by American artist DeWitt Peters. The full list of artists included in these donations is: Castera Bazile, Rigaud Benoit, Wilson Bigaud, Myrlande Constant, Edouard Duval-Carrié, Hector Hyppolite, Philomé Obin, Andre Pierre, Louisiane Saint Fleurant and Gerard Valcin.
“Assembled with great care, curiosity and passion over many decades, the Heller and Sullivan collections demonstrate the remarkable spirit and strength of artistic production across the Republic of Haiti,” Kaywin Feldman, the NGA’s director, said in a statement. “We are immensely grateful for these generous gifts as they contribute to the National Gallery’s representation of the African Diaspora. The works included in the gift relate meaningfully to our collection of work by African American artists and enable us to tell significant global, transnational stories.”
Myrlande Constant, Guede Djable 2 Cornes, undated. From the collection of John and Beverly Fox Sullivan Courtesy the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
The autumn 2024 exhibition is tentatively titled Spirit and Strength, and was curated by Kanitra Fletcher, associate curator of African American and Afro-Diasporic art at the museum, with the assistance of art historian Justin M. Brown. Fletcher is the NGA’s first-ever curator of African American art, a position she has held since 2021. The 2024 show will also feature works related to the Haitian Indigenist Movement, as well as works by African American artists who traveled to or drew inspiration from Haiti, such as Jacob Lawrence, Lois Mailou Jones and William Edouard Scott.
“To have our 40-year passion for collecting Haitian art validated by the National Gallery brings us such joy and pleasure,” said John Fox Sullivan, who is, alongside his wife Beverly, the benefactor behind seven of the 15 donated pieces.
Roderick Heller, who donated the rest of the works alongside his wife Kay, added: “Sharing our appreciation of Haitian art with Beverly and John Sullivan as well as other friends has been an inspirational and instructive experience. We are so pleased that the uniqueness and significance of these works are being recognised by the National Gallery and presented to a much wider audience.”
National Center of Haitian Apostolate
REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS - 33rd SUNDAY YEAR A (Nov. 19, 2023)
Proverbs 31, 10-20; Psalm 128; 1 Thessalonians 5, 1-6; Matthew 25, 14-30
Msgr. Pierre André Pierre
Sunday after Sunday, we gather in Church to celebrate our faith, to worship the resurrected Lord, and to follow his command: “Do this in memory of me.” Today at the end of the liturgical year the moment has come for accountability: the Church stresses the theme of the Last Judgement.
The story told by Jesus is called the Parable of the Talents. It sounds like judgment, with reward and punishment. A master leaving for a long journey entrusts his property to three servants who must give an account upon his return. The first one receives five talents; the second receives two; and the third one. When the owner returns from his trip at an unexpected time, the servants report the fruits of their work. The first two doubled the stake through their work. They are praised and promoted. The third servant did nothing and buried his talent. He is afraid. He justifies his laziness by fear of the master's faults. The master blamed him for having done nothing. If with his talent, he had produced a second talent, just one, he would have had the same compliments as the first two.
It is up to everyone to develop the talents received, to make them bear fruit; and not to bury his abilities, his possibilities, his gifts. It does not matter if the profit was two or five, even if the value of one talent is 10.000 US$. Everyone grew according to the gifts received and according to their abilities. The Compliments are not based on the master's profit but on the work of each person, to their extent.
The message from this parable is clear: Jesus wants us to be responsible partners in his mission of salvation. His Father runs a great risk because he trusts us and entrusts us with the world, his estate so that we can recreate it, make it more habitable, more human, more at peace. Above all, He entrusts us with his children, our brothers and sisters, to love and care for. We are called to build with them the human family.
For that purpose, God equipped us with good talents. Everything that we have, our qualities or our abilities, are gifts from Him. It is up to everyone to develop them, to make them bear fruit, and not to bury them. No one who has received a talent from God, but has not paid attention to it, will be able to grow or progress. While on the opposite side, those who try to grow their relationship with God will never stop growing in it. God gives his good news and his help to everyone, but we must know how to listen, receive it, and then make it bear fruit on a daily basis. Only those who through hard work enrich God’s kingdom will be largely rewarded. The lazy, the careless, and the irresponsible are to be rejected into the place of torment and grinding teeth. In other terms, we must be “good stewards” of God’s gifts.
Our talent is our life, and it is a gift, not to bury and recover when He comes, but to deliver now and be put at the service of our brothers and sisters. Paul reminds all Christians that the final coming of Jesus is unpredictable. The Lord is coming. We live in waiting: A wait full of peace, trust, and light, responsibly prepare for the second coming through vigilance and labors of love! The time for accountability is near. The Christian is not afraid of the Day of the Lord, because he lives in the love of God and his brothers. We are the one-talented servant. "He who loses his life will gain it; he who saves his life will lose it."
OAS Adopts Resolution on the Situation in Haiti
Remarks by
Ambassador Francisco O. Mora
November 17, 2023
Mr. Chairman and colleagues, the United States welcomes the adoption of today’s OAS Permanent Council resolution concerning the security situation in Haiti.
This resolution represents a crucial step forward in addressing the pressing challenges Haiti faces, and reaffirms our collective commitment to supporting the people of Haiti in their quest for peace, security, and stability.
First and foremost, I would like to commend the leadership of Ambassador Phillips-Spencer, the chair of our Working Group on Haiti, in coordinating today’s text. We express our gratitude to him and the delegation of Trinidad and Tobago for aiding our Organization in responding to Haiti’s call for assistance.
We also recognize the willingness of Kenya to positively consider leading the new Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti. Their initiative is testament to a strong dedication to international peace and security.
Mr. Chair, the United Nations Security Council’s authorization of the MSS mission on October 2, through a resolution co-penned by the United States and Ecuador, was a historic moment. It marked a significant turning point in our collective efforts to address the multidimensional crisis that has plagued Haiti, characterized by alarming levels of gang violence, insecurity, and a dire humanitarian situation.
We extend our appreciation to Ecuador for its tireless work on that resolution, demonstrating through action a strong commitment to the cause of peace and stability in Haiti.
The new MSS mission, which was initiated at the request of the Haitian government, the UN Secretary General, and various members of civil society, addresses the urgent need to combat insecurity and provide immediate support to the Haitian National Police.
Its success depends on a truly multinational effort, and we urge all fellow OAS member states to contribute funding, equipment, training, and personnel to ensure the mission’s success.
While the MSS mission is a significant step forward, it is just one part of a broader effort to address Haiti’s multifaceted crisis. Our resolution today clearly underscores this point.
This crisis encompasses acute food insecurity, humanitarian challenges, economic difficulties, and political instability. To address these issues comprehensively, the MSS mission will closely coordinate with the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and relevant UN agencies. It will also be important to ensure coordination and support on the part of Inter-American bodies, including the OAS Haiti Working Group.
The MSS mission is committed to operating in strict compliance with international law, with a focus on anti-gang operations, community-oriented policing, and protecting vulnerable groups, including women and children.
It will also take necessary measures to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, upholding the highest standards of conduct and discipline.
We are heartened by the strong and united response from the international community, including on the part of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and particularly the support from Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda — who have pledged personnel to the mission. We acknowledge the leadership they have demonstrated.
Mr. Chair, as we have heard in various OAS meetings, the adoption of the Chapter VII UN Security Council resolution was a requirement for many contributing nations, and it underscores a collective commitment to addressing Haiti’s urgent needs.
Since October 2022, the United States has taken steps to impose sanctions and visa restrictions on over 50 individuals for undermining Haiti’s democratic processes, supporting or financing gangs and criminal organizations, or engaging in significant corruption and human rights violations. We call on all OAS member states to impose these sanctions.
Taken together, colleagues, these steps reflect what President Biden emphasized at the recent UN General Assembly: “The people of Haiti cannot wait much longer.” With the adoption of these new UN and OAS resolutions, we can now work together to answer that call.
In terms of next steps, colleagues, the OAS Working Group on Haiti has a critical role to play in facilitating regional contributions and support for the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions. We urge the Working Group to prioritize these efforts and work closely with all member and observer states, as well as the Government of Kenya, to ensure the success of the MSS mission.
The global community owes a debt of gratitude to Kenya and all the nations that have pledged their support for this mission to date. Together, we must now focus on mobilizing support needed to deploy the mission swiftly, effectively, and safely.
Of course, we recognize that the ultimate resolution of the situation in Haiti must be determined by the Haitian people themselves.
In conclusion, the United States reaffirms its strong commitment to the people of Haiti and will continue to advocate for free and fair elections as soon as conditions permit. The conduct of these overdue elections is essential to restoring democratic governance and enabling Haiti to overcome its current challenges.
Together, we can make a difference in the lives of the Haitian people and help them on their path towards peace, stability, and prosperity.
Thank you very much, Chair.