Foreign law enforcement officers have recently arrived in Haiti following a plea from the Prime Minister to other countries for assistance in curbing the widespread gang violence that has plagued the Caribbean nation for over a year. The first group of 400 officers from Kenya marks the beginning of a larger deployment involving officers from eight different nations. Their primary objective is to regain control of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, which has been heavily impacted by numerous armed groups engaging in activities such as attacking police stations, releasing prisoners, and carrying out violent acts with impunity.
Since their arrival, the foreign officers have conducted several patrols in and around Port-au-Prince without encountering any armed opposition. However, security experts warn that the Kenyan officers will face a daunting task in supporting Haiti’s police forces and confronting well-armed, organized gangs that have openly declared their intention to resist the foreign intervention. Moreover, concerns have been raised about the conduct of the Kenyan police in their home country, with allegations of civilian killings and abuses by human rights groups, prompting scrutiny of their actions in Haiti.
A Kenyan officer in Port-au-Prince. Credit: Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters
