Should the UN intervene militarily in Haiti?

Background

Haiti has a long and troubled past.  The trouble started when Christopher Columbus landed on what is now known as Hispaniola (the island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and claimed it for Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella. While this has been regarded as the beginning of Haiti’s written history, the island had been inhabited by indigenous Taíno (who referred to the land as Ayiti) since the BC era and had a rich history long before Spanish conquest.

Revolutions, civil war, military interventions, military coups and natural disasters have rocked Haiti ever since.

The Current Crisis

A popular insurrection has unfolded in Haiti throughout 2022. These protests are the continuation of a cycle of resistance that began in 2016 in response to a social crisis developed by the coups in 1991 and 2004, the earthquake in 2010, and Hurricane Matthew in 2016. For more than a century, any attempt by the Haitian people to exit the neocolonial system imposed by the US military occupation (1915–34) has been met with military and economic interventions to preserve it. The structures of domination and exploitation established by that system have impoverished the Haitian people, with most of the population having no access to drinking water, health care, education, or decent housing. Of Haiti’s 11.4 million people, 4.6 million are food insecure and 70% are unemployed.l

A timeline of Haiti post 1492

UN efforts to control Gangs in Haiti to date

Yes

*A public health disaster is unfolding risking in Haiti and they need help

*Gangs are running wild limiting Haiti’s ability to help itself

*The UN chief has called for intervention in Haiti

*The UN should use the “Brazilian Model” for intervention – not base it off of past US interventions

*Military intervention is the foundation for other efforts to help Haiti

Nations consider sending troops to Haiti despite troubled past 

The head of the UN has called for armed intervention to restore stability and end suffering

Haiti needs a new and improve UN plan for intervention

Military security and peacekeeping are only the first step in helping Haiti

Haiti is a cholera time bomb without help

Gangs are forcing Haiti to close hospitals

Armed gangs are running wild and control 60% of Haiti

The United Nations should use the Brazilianmodel for intervention.  This is a long document page 8 directs you the Brazilian military experience in Haiti

No

*When we intervene to save “democracy” or to “preserve human rights” we devalue those terms

*Interventions have failed historically – there is no long term support

*Reparations from colonial powers is what would help Haiti

*The people of Haiti have united against intervention

The last thing that Haiti needs is another military intervention

Haitian have united in opposition to intervention

The last trying Haiti needs is another military intervention

US backed foreign interventions into Haiti have been disasters

What France needs to do to help its former colony – Reparations

Why the US should treat carefully when supporting armed intervention in Haiti 

U.S. Military Intervention In Haiti: Destined To Failure

Human rights coalition to Biden: No military intervention in Haiti