SNA (Birmingham) — Haiti is currently facing its highest levels of gang violence in recent years, prompting the country’s self-proclaimed prime minister to seek foreign intervention. Despite the complications and failures of previous interventions, recent surveys indicate that both citizens and local charities might be open to this approach.

Earlier this month, Haiti’s unelected Prime Minister Ariel Henry appealed to the international community for the establishment of a “specialized armed force,” citing the Haitian National Police’s inability to control escalating gang violence and vigilante activities within the country.

In response, the Kenyan government has volunteered to lead an intervention mission by deploying a thousand police officers in support the Haitian police.

The most recent military intervention in Haiti occurred through UN peacekeeper forces in 2010. Unfortunately, this intervention gained notoriety due to reported cases of UN troops engaging in rape and the outbreak of cholera.

Despite the long history of failed foreign interventions, Nadesha Mijoba, chief of the Haitian Health Foundation, noted in an interview with SNA that recent surveys indicate a willingness among the Haitian population to accept foreign military intervention. At the start of the year, Mijoba stated, “68% of the people in Haiti—around 1,300 respondents—expressed support for intervention.” In the latest survey, this number increased to 74.7%.

This shift in sentiment could be directly related to the alarming increase in violence over the past few months. Gang activities have led to the displacement of over 150,000 people. A United Nations report found that the majority of the violence has been concentrated in the capital city, Port-au-Prince.

Local NGOs and relief agencies estimate that approximately 80% of the population in the capital lives under the control of gangs. Due to road blockades by these gangs, local vendors are forced to pay extortionate tolls to pass or risk losing their merchandise. As a consequence, more than 1.5 million people are now facing severe food scarcity and poor hygiene conditions.

Rising prices have further contributed to hunger. Mijoba commented, “80% of people cannot afford food, and this situation has only worsened despite people having even less money than before. Food costs have risen, and even those with money struggle to find essential items.”

The impact of gangs on food availability isn’t as quantifiable as the alarming increase in incidents of rape, homicides, and kidnappings. According to Maria Salvador, head of the United Nations Office in Haiti, there were over 1,600 recorded cases of such crimes in the first quarter of 2023—far surpassing the 600 cases reported during the same period last year.

Mijoba reflected on how life in Haiti used to be, stating that “when I first arrived, you could go out for dinner and enjoy a jazz band. It was a normal life.” Haitian citizens, she adds, long for a return to normalcy, which is why many support foreign intervention.

However, Mijoba also suggests that while foreign intervention might be a short-term solution, there should be a more effective and locally-driven approach. “I also believe that Haitians living in Haiti, in collaboration with those living outside of Haiti, should come up with the right plan. Parallel to foreign efforts, there should be ongoing discussions about what we, as Haitians, can do. This, I believe, is the Haitian solution.”

Despite Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s appeal for foreign intervention, its implementation has yet to occur, prompting questions from NGO leaders regarding the delay.

Haiti is currently grappling with one of its most challenging periods in its troubled history, leading more people to support foreign intervention in the hope of making a meaningful difference. As Mijoba puts it: “people are saying we just want to be poor again.”

For our full news coverage, become a Shingetsu News supporter on Patreon and receive our “Japan and the World” newsletter.