Thousands in Haiti Protest Government Call for Foreign Military Intervention
Bringing in foreign troops "means more bullets, more injuries, and more patients," said the leader of Doctors Without Borders' mission in Haiti. "We are afraid there will be a lot of bloodshed."
KENNY STANCIL
October 11, 2022
Amid a multi-pronged humanitarian crisis, thousands of people in Haiti have taken to the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince and other cities to protest the government's recent request for foreign military assistance to curb gang-related violence.
Demonstrators in the capital on Monday expressed opposition to a potential "foreign occupation" and demanded the resignation of de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who on Friday asked "Haiti's international partners" to help with "the immediate deployment of a specialized armed force, in sufficient quantity" to stop the "criminal actions" of armed gangs throughout the country.
Police responded to the demonstrations by firing tear gas. Several people were shot and at least one person was killed during the rallies and ensuing crackdown.
"It is a crime perpetrated by the police," an unnamed protester told Agence France Press. "This young girl posed no threat. She was killed expressing her desire to live in dignity."
Another protester said that "we certainly need help to develop our country, but we don't need boots [on the ground]." If other nations were to send troops, they would be "interfering in the internal affairs of Haiti," the person said, adding that the government had "no legitimacy to ask for military assistance."
Gang violence in Haiti has escalated since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse—which was quickly followed by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people and destroyed or damaged thousands of buildings—created a vacuum of political leadership and increased socio-economic instability on the island.
Henry's request for foreign military intervention comes as battles between more than 150 armed gangs for control of key roads and neighborhoods have effectively paralyzed the nation's economy.
Nearly a month ago, "one of the country's most powerful gangs surrounded a key fuel terminal in the capital of Port-au-Prince, preventing the distribution of some 10 million gallons of diesel and gasoline and more than 800,000 gallons of kerosene stored on site," Al Jazeera reported. The blockade has also triggered shortages of potable water and forced hospitals to shut down amid a deadly resurgence of cholera, which is hitting prisoners especially hard.
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