Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has stepped down following a rebel uprising against his administration that caused chaos in the country and hindered his travel back from Kenya.
Henry, who is now in Puerto Rico, said he would formally quit after the installation of a transitional council to lead the Caribbean state, which has been submerged in chaos since the assassination of its president Jovenel Moïses in July 2021 by Colombian mercenaries.
“In a video statement, Henry stated that our country has seen a rise in various forms of violence, including assassinations, attacks on law enforcement, looting, and intentional destruction of both public and private structures, for over a week.”
”
“We condemn the multitude of fatalities. My administration cannot ignore this state of affairs. As I have consistently stated, no sacrifice is too great for our shared country of Haiti.”
I urge all individuals from Haiti to maintain composure and make efforts towards restoring peace and stability as swiftly as possible.
Leaders from Haiti have gathered in Jamaica and decided to establish a fresh interim government, headed by a council consisting of seven members, that will select a new temporary prime minister. However, it remains uncertain who will be responsible for leading the country out of its current crisis, which has resulted in a complete breakdown of democratic processes. Haiti has not held an election since 2016.
Henry had been attempting to establish a team of international soldiers, supported by the United Nations, to strengthen the nation’s law enforcement and stabilize the situation since October 2022. On March 1st, he was finally successful in persuading Kenya to sign a contract to deploy 1,000 officers to the Caribbean.
Unfortunately, the promise was made too late. During Henry’s stay in Nairobi, rival armed groups united against him and threatened “genocide” if he refused to step down.
It is unclear how Haiti’s gangs – who now control 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince – can be persuaded to disarm. “Even if you have a different kind of government, the reality is that you need to talk to the gangs,” said Robert Fatton, a Haitian politics expert at the University of Virginia. “You can’t suppress them.”
According to Fatton, authorities will still need to address the issue of gangs and attempt to persuade them to surrender their weapons. However, what compromises would be offered?
Emphasizing this statement, ex-cop and renowned gang leader of Haiti, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, warned the media that supporting a transition could lead to more chaos in the country.
“We as Haitians must determine who will lead our country and the type of government we desire,” stated Chérizier, the leader of G9 Family and Allies gang federation. “We must also find a solution to alleviate the current suffering and poverty within Haiti.”
For 10 consecutive days, Haiti’s gangs banded together and caused chaos through various actions such as burning police stations, attacking ports and prisons, and surrounding the capital’s airport.
Henry was prevented from entering Haiti due to the ongoing violence and the closure of its main international airports. Last week, he finally arrived in Puerto Rico after being denied entry to the Dominican Republic because he did not have a necessary flight plan, according to officials.
According to a high-ranking US government representative, Henry is still in Puerto Rico and the choice for him to resign was made on Friday. The official mentioned that Henry mentioned his intention to come back to Haiti at a later time.
It is unlikely that Henry’s resignation will resolve Haiti’s longstanding problem of ineffective leadership. The country has continuously faced violence, natural disasters, and interference from outside forces, such as the US and UN. This turmoil has persisted since the abdication of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, which was sparked by a rebellion.
Unable to resist the effects of Moïses’s assassination on his residence in Pétion-Ville, Haiti’s weakened government has crumbled due to the overwhelming presence of gang and vigilante violence, which is partially connected to political individuals.
Haiti, the most impoverished nation in the western hemisphere, has faced significant challenges with pervasive corruption within its government and business leaders. The presence of heavily armed gangs, often surpassing the capabilities of the country’s inadequate police force, has resulted in the establishment of no-go zones with checkpoints to control access to roads and communities.
Many people believed that Henry’s administration was dishonest and not legally valid because it consistently neglected to conduct elections.
Videos distributed on Haitian social media appeared to show celebrations in the street, with people dancing to music in a party atmosphere while fireworks were launched.
During the reign of the 74-year-old leader, gangs took over a significant portion of the nation and constantly instilled fear in civilians by restricting access to food, fuel, and transportation routes. A staggering 4.35 million people, nearly half of the population, suffer from chronic hunger.
Some individuals who have the right to vote in the new council include members of the Pitit Desalin party, which is led by former senator and presidential candidate Moïse Jean-Charles. Jean-Charles is now an ally of Guy Philippe, a former rebel leader who orchestrated a successful coup in 2004 and was recently freed from a US prison where he had pleaded guilty to money laundering.
Source: theguardian.com
