The United Nations Security Council has stated that Haiti is counting on Kenya’s mission to the Carribean country to initiate dialogue and help achieve a peaceful election.
In a statement released after a meeting with the 15-nation organ on October 23, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), lamented that the situation was getting worse.
Additionally, the special representative, María Isabel Salvador, detailed that the security situation continued to deteriorate, adding that they were recording new high records of crime.
According to the statement, she hoped that the support from the Kenyan-led mission to the Haitian National Police will improve security conditions to a level conducive for polls.
She also indicated that further elements such as the adequate implementation of justice will be needed.
New Emerging Group Killing Haiti Gangs
Moreover, BINUH indicated that they had identified a group known as Bwa Kale vigilante movement between April 24 and September 30 across all of Haiti’s 10 departments that lynched at least 395 alleged gang members.
“Gangs carry out killings and sexual violence, including collective rape and mutilation every day and there is no support for victims or appropriate justice.
“The security situation on the ground continues to deteriorate as growing gang violence plunges the lives of the people of Haiti into disarray and major crimes are rising sharply to new record highs,” stated Salvador.
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Despite the alarming situation, Salvador added that she was engaging with political stakeholders to encourage a national dialogue as a path to credible and inclusive elections.
Gangs Take Control of Infrastructure
At the same time, Ghada Fathi Waly, the Executive Director of United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), indicated that gangs had seized control of some areas and key infrastructure in Haiti, and were perpetuating violence.
According to Waly, the gangs had sophisticated firearms brought into the country illegally adding that the ammunitions were majorly coming from the United States.
“Through these routes, traffickers are taking advantage of the Haitian security sector’s limited capacities, equipment and infrastructure for border and maritime control and surveillance,” she noted.
Moreover, the secretary general of the High Transitional Council of Haiti, Anthony Virginie Saint-Pierre, was kidnapped on October 18. A kidnapping the institution noted did not happen by chance.
Violence in Haiti and Kenya’s Mission
According to the security council, violence in Haiti has displaced almost 200,000 people, insecurity is expanding from the capital Port-au-Prince to other departments.
Also, it noted that Haiti remains a transit destination for drugs, primarily cocaine and cannabis.
Earlier, on October 9, the High Court temporarily barred Kenya from deploying police officers to Haiti in a landmark ruling signed by Justice E.C Mwita.
Notably, the ruling indicated that Kenya was restrained from deploying police officers to Haiti or to any other country until October 24, 2023.
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The ruling came as a response to a petition presented by Third way Alliance Kenya, Miriru Waweru and one other petitioner.
“It is hereby ordered that the pleadings be served to the respondents immediately” the ruling stated.
Moreover, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure stated that the deployment to Haiti will not cause any constitutional infractions.
“Deployment of our security officers to Haiti will not in any way compromise or undermine our commitment and responsibility to safety and security of our citizens,” he noted.
