By Avellon Williams
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – While the international community will seek to assist Haiti to resolve its security problems, in the end, it is up to Haitians themselves to deal with the situation in the country.
This statement was announced by the United States assistant secretary from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Todd D. Robinson.
US assistant secretary Robinson indicated that “there are authorities in Haiti who are responsible for the security of Haiti, in particular the HNP (Haitian National Police), adding “we will continue to work with members of the government around this problem of insecurity.”
Robinson went on to say, “Let’s be clear. Haiti faces several challenges, but gangs are the greatest threat to citizen stability. The US government takes this threat extremely seriously.”
“It will be the Haitians, the Haitian authorities and the HNP who are responsible for the security of the country, but it is not the international community that will intervene to save Haiti”.
U.S. Todd D. Robinson
He announced that the donation of the first tranche of 60 vehicles will be given to the HNP, additionally, 200 pieces of prospective equipment for the police will soon be delivered.
These donations he said show the US commitment to support the HNP’s in its efforts to improve security and protect the population.
Robinson said, during his trip to Haiti, he had the opportunity to witness first-hand the cooperation between the Haitian government and the United States government in security assistance. He said the US was proud to contribute growth to the HNP as a responsible professional institution and the strengthening of its capacity.
However, Robinson made it clear that Washington does not plan to send troops to Haiti but is working closely with officials “to release safely and as quickly as possible” the 16 US citizens and 1 Canadian who was kidnapped on October 16.
In addition to the kidnappings, the gangs are also blamed for blocking gas distribution terminals and hijacking supply trucks, which officials say has led to a shortage of fuel.
Earlier this week, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) said in a statement it was extremely concerned about the lack of fuel and called on all actors involved to do everything necessary to ensure a steady supply of gasoline.
The statement said, “The lack of delivery of petroleum products constitutes a serious obstacle to the provision of essential services as well as to the movement of people and goods.”
Police Chief Frantz Elbé said authorities are aware that trucks carrying goods such as rice, sugar, and cement are passing through gang-controlled territory but fuel trucks are not. He said police have a security plan to ensure gas will be delivered, but he did not elaborate.
Several criminal gangs have been blamed for a sequence of kidnappings, including the abduction of 17 missionaries, 16 of them from the United States and 1 Canadian.
Efforts between the gang and authorities to negotiate their release are ongoing, with the leader of the 400 Mawozo gangs that kidnapped the group, Wilson Joseph, demanding a US$17 million ransom for their release.
Haiti is also recovering from the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise and the August 14 earthquake that killed more than 2,200 people, mainly in the southeastern section of the country.
