Haiti: 60% Of Acceptance of Joint Military Force

More than 60 percent of the Haitian population accepts the deployment of a joint military force in the country, according to opinion polls. A high percentage of approval, considering the numerous criticisms and demonstrations of rejection of the announced deployment in the Caribbean country.

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This has to do with the ineffectiveness of the country’s police forces in confronting and protecting the civilian population from the violent actions of armed gangs. In this sense, there was a high proportion during the survey between those who welcome the joint force and those who strongly question the effectiveness of Haitian security institutions.

The opinion poll was carried out by the Alliance for Risk Management and Business Continuity. In the collection of information, great importance was given to the level of perception and their content, in relation to these two topics mentioned above, of the approval of one or other forces in relation to the improvement of security in the country.

The results showed that “the majority of our fellow citizens (66 percent) believe that the insecurity situation has deteriorated from January to July 2023, while 68 percent agree that the HNP needs the immediate support of an international force to restore security in the country.”

The tweet reads, "Writer Lyonel Trouillot sees Haiti's dire situation as the shadowy result of historical social injustices, intensified by the machinations of Western powers and international institutions."

The survey took into account the opinion of 1,387 adults out of a sample of 5,000 and 56 percent expressed lack of confidence in the security forces, while 75 percent believe that in order to restore security and deter armed gangs, the HNP needs the support of the Haitian Armed Forces.

The results are very similar to a February survey by Diagnostic Development Group, which showed that 69 percent of Haitians would favor the deployment of an international force to fight off gangs.

However, there is a high percentage of the Haitian population, intellectuals and politicians who reject what they call a military occupation disguised as humanitarian aid. These voices are also joined by powers such as Russia and China. At a time when Kenya promised a thousand security agents for Haiti, being the first country to take up the challenge launched by the Haitian authorities and the UN, Russian and Chinese diplomatic representatives were skeptical before the UN Security Council regarding the deployment.

“Some see a multinational force as a panacea, when history shows that such foreign interventions have done more harm than good in Haiti”, warned Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitri Poloanski, in an address to the council.

Meanwhile, high levels of violence continue in the streets of the country, which has been practically taken over by armed criminal gangs. Kidnappings, harassment, rapes and all kinds of atrocities have been instituted in a kind of war between gangs and street governments self-managed by gang leaders.