Latest news with #HaitianNationalPolice
5 days ago
- Politics
As Haiti turns to lethal drones to fight gangs, Canada is among those who are uneasy
Haiti's battle against criminal gangs has leaned into the lethal use of drones this year, with senior officials defending the tactic that some outside parties, including Canada's government, have voiced qualms about. The embattled Caribbean nation has been struggling to expel the powerful armed gangs that senior United Nations officials say (new window) have taken near-total control of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The gangs' reach extends beyond the capital, though, with violence surging in Haiti's central region, where three police officers and two civilians were slain (new window) this week. The Haitian National Police (HNP) is one player in the effort to oust these gangs, and the country is also receiving some support on this front from a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police (new window) . But the state has also looked to drones to both conduct surveillance on gangs and to strike them. Enlarge image (new window) A Kenyan police officer patrols the area near the international airport in Port-au-Prince on July 3, 2024. The Haitian National Police is receiving some support in fighting gangs from a United Nations-backed mission led by Kenyan police. Photo: Associated Press / Odelyn Joseph These strikes, led by a government-created task force and supported by private contractors (new window) , have drawn media attention (new window) for months — including when a prominent gang leader, Jimmy Barbecue Chérizier, said he'd survived a strike (new window) involving explosive drones. The population has had it up to here, and the government cannot just sit and watch, Fritz Alphonse Jean, chair of Haiti's transitional presidential council, told the Financial Times (new window) earlier this month, arguing the strikes are needed to defeat the gangs. Gangs have 'near-total control' in Haiti, UN warns (new window) Yet some observers believe the use of drones to hit back against the gangs falls short of a legal standard for the use of such weapons, even if Haiti faces sustained pressure from those adversaries. The intentional use of lethal force by law enforcement is legal under international human rights law only when it is strictly unavoidable to protect life [when] facing an imminent threat, and as a last resort when other less lethal alternatives — such as capture or non-lethal incapacitation — have been exhausted, William O'Neill, the UN's designated expert on human rights in Haiti, recently told the Economist (new window) . Canada has donated drones for non-lethal use That raises questions for Canada, which has provided drones to Haiti — though not of a type designed for lethal use, according to the federal government. Canada has donated surveillance drones to the Haitian National Police with the intent to help reduce the danger faced by uniformed officers as they conduct patrols, Global Affairs Canada told CBC News in a statement. None of the drone models that have been provided by Canada were designed or intended for lethal use or load transport. Enlarge image (new window) People take cover from gunfire during clashes between police and gangs in the Delmas neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince on Dec. 2, 2024. Photo: Associated Press / Odelyn Joseph That said, Canada "is concerned by reports of extrajudicial executions (new window) , which are a violation of international human rights law, and continues to call on Haiti to respect all domestic and international laws in its efforts to restore security in the country, including in its use of drones." Global Affairs Canada did not clarify if Ottawa definitively knows of cases in which Canadian-provided drones have been used for lethal purposes in Haiti. But it said Haiti had agreed that the equipment provided would not be used to commit or facilitate any violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law. Diego Da Rin, a Haiti analyst with the International Crisis Group, a global think-tank, said the HNP needs these tools for surveillance, particularly because gangs are using them for the same purpose. Several gangs have been using drones to collect intelligence to conduct operations, he said in a telephone interview, noting these gangs are not known to be using strike drones. The Réseau National de Défense des Droits Humains , a local human rights group, said in June that it believed the state's drone strikes had killed at least 300 gang members (new window) and wounded another 400. Enlarge image (new window) A neighbourhood watch member walks outside a police station in a residential area after gangs torched homes amid a surge in violence, in Furcy, Haiti, on June 24. Photo: Reuters / Jean Feguens Regala CBC News asked the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) whether it has concerns about the lethal use of drones by Haitian forces against gangs within the country. Regarding the lethal use of force by law enforcement in operations, it should be conducted in respect of human rights and adhere to the principles of necessity, proportionality, and precaution, spokesperson Mathias Gillmann said in an email. Gillmann said a communication channel had been established with the HNP's General Inspectorate through which documented cases of human rights violations potentially involving police officers are referred for further investigation and the adoption of appropriate administrative and legal measures. Prolonged instability Haiti has faced years of instability following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse (new window) in July 2021. The country has not had a president since. Ariel Henry, who served as acting prime minister and led Haiti's government (new window) after Moïse's assassination, stepped down from his role after gang-driven turmoil erupted (new window) while he was outside the country. WATCH | Canada's ambassador to Haiti on surging gang violence: A transitional council took power after Henry's departure (new window) . The council appointed Alix Didier Fils-Aimé as prime minister (new window) last November. The challenges the government faces in quelling the gangs were on display on Wednesday, as a police union demanded officials do more to protect officers on the ground. The government does not give the police any importance. If they took this seriously, they would have made the means and support available to the police and the military to end the insecurity, the SPNH-17 union said, in the wake of the killing of the three officers in central Haiti. Too many police officers have fallen. The transitional presidential council said the government was mobilizing all necessary resources to investigate the killings and honour the memory of those slain. Geoff Nixon (new window) · CBC News Geoff Nixon is a writer on CBC's national digital desk in Toronto. He has covered a wealth of topics, from real estate to technology to world events. With files from The Associated Press
NBC News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Haiti's gangs have 'near-total control' of the capital as violence escalates, U.N. says
Gangs have grown in power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 and previously were estimated to control 85% of the capital. Haiti has not had a president since the assassination. A U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police arrived in Haiti last year to help quell gang violence, but the mission remains understaffed and underfunded, with only about 40% of the 2,500 personnel originally envisioned. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' proposal in February to have the U.N. provide drones, fuel, ground and air transport and other non-lethal support to the Kenya-led mission has languished in the council. In response to the gangs, the UNODC's Waly said there has been a rapid growth in the number and activities of private security companies and vigilante self-defense groups, with some trying to protect their communities while others act illegally and collude with gangs. "Over the last three months," Jenca said, "these groups reportedly killed at least 100 men and one woman suspected of gang association or collaboration." He said the last three months have also seen an increase in sexual violence by gangs with the U.N. political mission in Haiti documenting 364 incidents of sexual violence involving 378 survivors just from March to April. A new report by U.N. experts covering the period from last October through February said the gangs have exploited political turmoil and the disorganized response to Haiti's security crisis, pointing to competing political ambitions and allegations of corruption within Haiti's transitional governing bodies that have stymied action. "While the expansion of territorial control brings gangs additional sources of revenue and bargaining power," the experts said, "these attacks are also backed by individuals trying to destabilize the political transition for their own political goals." One major result is that very little progress has been made toward restoring public security or implementing the roadmap for organizing national elections by February 2026, the experts monitoring an arms embargo on Haiti and sanctions against key gang leaders said in the report to the Security Council. With a weak national police force facing acute tensions in its leadership, an army that needs rebuilding, and the limited ability of the multinational force, the experts warned that the gangs will continue "to have the upper hand unless stronger international support is provided." As for vigilante groups, the experts said, they "often include local police officers, some of whom actively participate in human rights violations." The Haitian National Police have also carried out "a worrying number of extrajudicial killings … with suspected gang members often summarily executed," the experts said, pointing to 281 summary executions by specialized police units in 2024 including 22 women and 8 children. Despite the U.N. arms embargo on Haiti, gangs continue to obtain more powerful weapons not only from regional civilian markets but from police stockpiles in Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic, the experts said.
Indianapolis Star
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Travel ban upends lives in Haiti, heightens fears for Haitian immigrants
Luckner Raymond of Haiti was just a month away from his visa appointment when he learned he would no longer be allowed to travel to Indianapolis to meet with U.S.-based colleagues at the charitable non-profit for which he runs Haitian operations. Planning the trip had been difficult. Travel logistics in Haiti are challenging with major airlines only operating in the northern part of the country. Haitian travelers who wanted to come to the States had to provide assurance at their visa appointments that they would stay no longer than allowed. But Raymond, 42, was willing to jump through all those hoops to meet with the board of Project Rouj, which he cofounded with Zionsville-based Jamalyn Williamson. The initiative aims to end the cycle of poverty in Haiti by hiring Haitians to build homes made with materials purchased within the country During his month-long trip to Indiana, Raymond planned to attend trainings and speak with donors and follow-up with another trip next February, for Project Rouj's annual plans were put on indefinite hold June 4 when President Donald Trump's administration issued a full ban on travel from the Caribbean nation, making it the only country in the Western Hemisphere with fully restricted travel. The ban took effect June 9, barring nationals from 11 other countries and heightening travel restrictions for those from seven additional countries, including Venezuela and Cuba. Williamson, who spent two years living in Fondwa, a rural community two hours from the capital, said she cried when she heard her colleague will have to remain in Haiti indefinitely. '(Raymond) has carried this organization on his back,' she said. 'And we wanted desperately to be able to see him face to face, but also to help him understand that what he's doing is making a big difference, and we trust him and we believe in what he's doing.' Raymond is just one of the countless Haitians and would-be visitors from the 18 other countries impacted by the policies. Haitians who travel to Miami or New York to do business can no longer make the trip. Those who planned to travel to the U.S. for life-saving medical care may be forced to turn instead to Haiti's dwindling hospitals, which are often understaffed and in dire need of medical supplies and fuel. The Trump administration cited high visa overstay rates and national security concerns as reasons for issuing the ban against Haiti. Haitians who currently hold visas or green cards are exempt from the ban, as well as children being adopted, people applying for visas in connection with immediate family members who are U.S. citizens and athletes competing in the World Cup or Olympics. Long before Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, became consumed by gang violence, Pastor Lucame Charles lived and worked there. As a member of the Haitian National Police, he saw firsthand how quickly the political situation was deteriorating and left the country in 2006. Six days a week, Charles drives a truck for a company that contracts with the U.S. Postal Service. His passion, however, comes from his role as a pastor at the Jesus Christ Worship Center in northwest Indianapolis, which he does without pay. The congregation sits at 400-500, he said, but Sunday attendance has slipped amid increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and anti-immigrant rhetoric. 'People are afraid to go out or go to church,' Charles said. The sudden shift in the country's approach to immigration, accompanied by a litany of orders that are often challenged in court, has left immigrants in a state of limbo. Some Haitians who have legal status still fear deportation, Williamson said, unsure of their protections as new orders like the travel ban continue to be announced. "Not everyone is 100% sure what's right, what's not," she said. "You know, they're scared of ICE. They're scared of just kind of being outside." The stakes are particularly high for Haitians. Unlike immigrants from some other countries, most Haitians do not come to the U.S. for economic opportunity, Charles said. Instead they come to escape violence. In some cases, they extend their trip beyond the dates on their visas because there's nowhere safe for them to go. 'They're overstaying because they can't go home,' Exodus Refugee Immigration CEO Cole Varga said. Now even Haitians who have been granted temporary protected status, a status the U.S. government gives to those living here who cannot safely return to their home countries, face an uncertain future in the U.S. As the situation deteriorated in Haiti, former president Joe Biden extended this status for Haitians until February 2026, but Trump cancelled that extension earlier this year. TPS status for Haitians is expected to expire Aug. 3, leaving those who currently hold this status vulnerable to deportation. "Since Trump took office, it's been just an assault on all fronts for all immigrants," Varga said. The ban is yet another locked door for the thousands of people from restricted countries who just one month ago enjoyed the ability to travel freely to the U.S, immigration advocates say. For Raymond, learning he would be barred from the U.S. ahead of his travel plans left him feeling embarrassed. Raymond said he understands why the U.S. might restrict some people — such as criminals — from entering. Still, he said, he hopes the Trump administration will modify its restrictions to allow people like himself the chance to visit America.
Business Insider
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
With home security under strain, Kenya rallies Brazil's support for Haiti deployment
Kenya's government has requested Brazil's expertise and funding to enhance efforts in restoring peace and rebuilding broken communities in Haiti. Kenya has sought Brazil's expertise and funding for restoring peace and rebuilding communities in Haiti. Kenya leads the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, deploying 800 officers with plans for additional contributions. Despite judicial objections in Kenya, Parliament approved the deployment of police to Haiti, raising domestic and international concerns. Kenya Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, made the request during a recent visit to Brazil, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to address the crisis in Haiti. During his visit, Mudavadi urged the international community, particularly the United Nations and the United States, and other members of the American continent to fulfill and augment their pledged funding for the UN-backed security mission in Haiti. The mission, now in its second year, has received support from the US and the UN, but faced significant funding constraints. Mudavadi held talks with Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Mauro Vieira, on the sidelines of the 5th Kenya-Brazil summit. The two leaders discussed opportunities for enhanced cooperation in areas such as agriculture, trade, and security. Mudavadi also met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed the United States' support for Kenya's leadership in the Haiti MSS. ' We reaffirmed our commitment to deepening bilateral ties with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism. Our discussions explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation in agriculture, trade, investment, health, climate resilience, and security, alongside shared priorities on the multilateral stage', Mudavadi said. Funding Challenges and Concerns Kenya is leading the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, which includes contributions from countries like Jamaica, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Benin, and Chad. Over 800 Kenyan officers have been deployed to restore law and order, combat gang violence, and support the Haitian National Police. In 2023, a Nairobi High Court issued an injunction halting Kenya's planned deployment of police to Haiti, following a petition by opposition leader and constitutional lawyer Ekuru Aukot. He argued the mission lacked legal basis and criticized the move as reckless, given Kenya's own domestic security challenges. Rights groups also warned that Kenyan police, accused of using excessive force at home, could pose a risk in Haiti—where past foreign interventions have led to abuses. Despite the court order, Parliament later approved the deployment, sparking further controversy over the government's defiance of judicial authority. The mission is faced with a significant funding crisis, with only $85 million pledged out of a target $600 million annual budget. Additionally, there are concerns over logistics, personnel shortages, and human rights violations. Kenya is yet to deploy its full contingent of 1,000 police officers. Future of the Mission The United States has proposed replacing the Kenya-led mission with a UN-led peacekeeping operation due to funding concerns. However, some argue that the UN should strengthen the current mission instead of replacing it. Mudavadi's appeal to Brazil for support aims to bolster efforts in restoring peace and rebuilding Haitian communities. Strengthening Bilateral Ties During his visit, Mudavadi and Brazilian officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding on tourism, deepening bilateral ties between the two countries. The talks explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation in various areas, including agriculture, trade, investment, health, and climate resilience. The Kenya-led MSS Mission in Haiti remains a crucial effort to restore stability and security in the country. With international support and cooperation, the mission can continue to make progress in rebuilding Haitian communities and promoting peace.
Boston Globe
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Haiti turns to weaponized drones in fight against gangs
Advertisement 'If the intention is to create the illusion that the situation is under control, this is quite the opposite,' said Romain Le Cour Grandmaison, a Haiti analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. 'This is a very, very dangerous escalation.' A humanitarian worker in Port-au-Prince said aid groups are figuring out how to adapt. 'We work in places where thousands of people are present,' said the aid worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. 'This situation is clearly dangerous for civilians, especially if something were to detonate during a distribution.' Since drones were first deployed in early March, they have not killed any gang leaders. But they have injured at least nine civilians, including women and children, according to a health care worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals by Haitian officials. Two had such severe burns that they were transferred to specialized facilities for treatment. Advertisement Little is known about the drones. Haitians say they see them and hear the explosions. Gang leaders post videos of them in their territory and the injuries they say they have sustained from them. They appear to be commercial drones that were weaponized with improvised munitions, analysts say. It's also unclear who is in charge of the drone operations. Neither Haiti's interim government nor its police have publicly claimed responsibility for them. But a Haitian government official said the unit is run by a task force created this year by interim prime minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and the transitional presidential council. 'They have no transparency,' said Nathalye Cotrino, a senior researcher for the Americas at Human Rights Watch, 'and we haven't seen any accountability.' The Haitian official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive security issue, defended the drone operations. Haiti, he said, is 'at war.' The drones have killed 'many' gang members, though he did not have a number, and without them, he said, the gangs would have taken over the affluent neighborhood of Pétion-Ville. The drones are being used to target gang strongholds that civilians have already fled, he added. But when asked about the civilian casualties - which have not been previously reported - he said they would not be a 'surprise.' 'Let's be honest - it's inevitable,' the official said, adding, 'To me, it's just a detail. As long as you're in a zone controlled by gangs and there are attacks, collateral damage is going to happen.' Advertisement The official said the task force responsible for the drones includes specialized police units. But Haitian National Police spokesman Lionel Lazarre said police use drones for surveillance and referred questions about weaponized drones to the government. Godfrey Otunge, the commander of a UN-backed, Kenya-led international police mission to Haiti, said that the force does not use weaponized drones and that Haiti's transitional government is in charge. Neither the secretary of state for public security nor a spokesman for Haiti's transitional presidential council responded to requests for comment. Canada and the United States, which have provided equipment for the Haitian police, said their support has not included lethal drones or logistical support or training for their use. A spokesman for Canada's Foreign Ministry said that 'to our knowledge, neither the Haitian National Police nor the Haitian military forces were involved in the new Haitian task force's drone attacks.' Analysts worry that Haiti's gangs could now be spurred to add weaponized drones to their arsenals. 'Be careful,' Jimmy 'Barbecue' Chérizier, one of Haiti's most powerful gang leaders, warned authorities in a video after a drone attack failed to kill him last month. 'The world sells everything. I can buy what you bought.'
