Kenya Warned Ahead of Police Deployment to Haiti
Kenya Warned Ahead of Police Deployment to Haiti
In a report dated Friday, January 5, the International Crisis Group (ICG), based in Belgium, cautioned President William Ruto’s administration that if Kenyan police officers were sent to Haiti, they would confront unsurmountable CS zcc. obstacles.
Although Ruto has previously assured the world that Kenya would bring peace to the gang-ridden Caribbean country, ICG questioned whether Kenyan police officers were prepared to handle such a mission.
The 1,000 officers set to be deployed will face internal sabotage from the Haitian government as the report identified corruption between Haitian police, politicians and gangs reigning terror to the vulnerable populace.
ICG further noted that the country was experiencing overcrowded prisons and apart from the police officers being compromised, they were also outnumbered.
Additionally, the Belgium-based group noted that the Kenyan police force being deployed could find it impossible to protect civilians in urban warfare.
“The police are completely outnumbered and outgunned by the gangs,” the report warned.
In their report, the International Crisis Group also stated that gangs totaling more than 300 members had already taken over 80% of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. “Where are the jails to house thousands of members of gangs?
“Is the global community advocating for the mass murder of thousands of young men?” questioned a security specialist that ICG spoke with. What systems are in place to help these youths become productive members of society again? What’s not mentioned horrifies me.
The majority of Haitians also believe that the Kenyan police will not make much of an impact.
200,000 citizens have already left the war-torn nation, and in 2023, gangs are expected to have killed 4,000 people and abducted 3,000 more.
Troops from Burundi, Chad, Senegal, Jamaica, and Belize are anticipated to assist Kenya in maintaining stability in Haiti.
The High Court prolonged a suspension on deployment to Haiti in October 2023, so it is unclear when or if Kenya would send troops there.
This relates to a lawsuit brought by attorney Ekuru Aukot, who claimed that because the deployment was not supported by any laws or treaties, it was unlawful.
