NAIROBI, Kenya (CMC): Officials in Kenya say they are ready to lead a multinational force into Haiti as escalating violence between armed gangs and police is fueling a humanitarian crisis that has displaced thousands of people.
“At the request of Friends of Haiti Group of Nations, Kenya has accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti,” Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said in a statement yesterday, adding that “Kenya’s commitment is to deploy a contingent of 1,000 police officers to help train and assist Haitian police to restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations.”
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The Kenya Foreign Minister said his country’s proposal still needs a United Nations Security Council mandate and authorisation from Kenyan authorities.
“An Assessment Mission by a Task Team of the Kenya Police is scheduled within the next few weeks,” Mutua said.
Earlier this month, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to the Security Council and potential contribution countries to act fast to create the conditions for a multinational force in Haiti.
On Thursday, the United States of America (USA) issued a Level 4 (Do Not Travel) Advisory on Haiti, advising its officials and families as well as non-essential workers, to leave the Caribbean nation as soon as possible on commercial flights.
The advisory also asked other USA nationals not to travel to Haiti, adding that if they must travel there, they should register with the “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)…a free service that allows USA citizens and nationals travelling and living abroad to enrol their trip with the nearest USA Embassy or Consulate so that we can provide important security and other information to the USA citizen community in Haiti.”
In the first quarter of this year, the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commission (OHCHR) reported that “at least 160,000 people have been displaced…531 people were killed, 300 injured and 277 kidnapped in gang-related incidents that took place mainly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, according to information gathered by the Human Rights Service of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti”.
These statistics are from January to March 15 this year, the report stated.
