Ariel Henry, Prime Minister of Haiti signaled on Friday that he plans to mobilize Haiti’s military to help the National Haiti Police battle the country’s increasingly strong gangs.
Henry said during an arrival at the Haitian Armed Forces headquarters that he plans to mobilize all of the country’s security forces in the battle against gang violence.
Henry’s comments come as Haiti and some U.N. officials continue to press the international community to deploy foreign armies to support quelling the widespread violence.
What we are living today is not a joke.”
Henry said.
Jean Robenson Servilius, who works in the press office for Haiti’s Defense Ministry, confirmed that officials are working on strategies to activate the military. He said that the Armed Forces currently have some 2,000 soldiers and that more are being recruited, adding that they have been trained by experts in Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia. Robenson said he could not provide further details.
Haiti’s military was disbanded in 1995 after it partook in multiple coups and was accused of other political interference. The Armed Forces were reinstated by assassinated President Jovenel Moïse in 2017 after the U.N. ended its peacekeeping operation in Haiti. Since then, it has played a limited role, which includes protecting Haiti’s prime minister. Henry asked during his visit to Haiti’s military headquarters that are we ready to work hand-in-hand with the police force in the fight against insecurity?
It was not instantly clear when the military would be activated, how many troopers would be called to task, or what part they would play. But Henry said their help was needed.
The Haiti that we want, we will not be able to build it with gangs that are rampant everywhere. They must listen to reason, or we will make them listen to reason in spite of themselves.”
Henry said.
Gangs hold an estimated 60% of the capital of Port-au-Prince, and they have killed hundreds of people in recent months in their battle to hold more territory in the aftermath of the July 2021 assassination of Moïse at his home. Tens of thousands of Haitians have been displaced by the continuing violence, which U.N. officials say has achieved levels not seen in decades.
