New imperialist intervention in Haiti approved by UN Security Council
Featured image: Brazilian Army repress masses of Haiti on behalf of US imperialism in 2007. Source: AND
On the 2nd of October the UN Security Council approved a resolution proposed by US imperialism to deploy a multinational force to Haiti. While the US has been the main proponent of a new military intervention, and providing most of the financing, the State of Kenya will official lead the intervention. Kenya is set to send 1.000 police officers to the Caribbean country, while the US will provide 100 million US dollars, and Canada will provide other resources to the intervention. More countries are expected to deploy forces to the operation, which will consist mostly of police forces from oppressed countries, in service of US imperialism.
Media reports that the People of Haiti are skeptical to foreign armed forces being deployed in their country. During 13 year long UN intervention from 2004 to 2017 foreign soldiers in service of US imperialism occupied the country. There are reports of rape, also of minors, and several massacres. The occupying soldiers were also accused of causing a cholera epidemic that killed nearly 10,000 people.
The 2004 intervention started with an invasion by the US, France, Canada and Chile. The invading force was soon replaced by UN occupation troops (Minustah) consisting mainly on forces from oppressed countries, militarily lead by the genocidal Army of Brazil, deployed by the Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio da Silva, in the service of US imperialism.
According to Brazilian democratic newspaper A Nova Democracia (AND) there were 200,000 reported cases of rape and widespread repression against the popular masses. The Brazilian Army, with experience of reactionary warfare against the people of the favelas, used Haiti as a training grounds to further develop this.
AND have also reported on the fierce struggle of the People of Haiti against the occupation. There were multiple protest against the occupation as well as attacks against military bases.
Brazilian President da Silva will again participate in the new intervention in Haiti. He will send military personnel from the Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police, as well as federal police officers.
The police force of Kenya, which will lead the new intervention, is also receiving attention about their violence against the people. According to a report from the New York Times, the Kenyan police force is accused of killing more than 100 people this year, and for shooting and beating hundreds of protesters. In 2021, two people were killed by the police after being arrested for violation a COVID curfew. The report includes an interview with Kenyan taxi driver, Joseph Abanja. Abanja explained that in 2017, after demonstrations had broken out after an election, police had barged into his home and hit his family with batons, killing his 6-month-old daughter.
Confronted with the Kenyan police’s crimes against the people, U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric makes no attempt to hide the reactionary character of the repressive forces by stating that few countries in the world have not had issues with police violence.
It is reported that the US, already in October of 2022 made efforts for an intervention in Haiti, but did not want to lead it themselves. It is clear that US imperialism again plans to employ a similar model as the 2004-2017 occupation of Haiti by keeping their own hands clean, while getting the reactionary forces of oppressed countries do the dirty work for them. This allows them to apply any brutal measures they need to achieve their goals, then the media can wash the hands of US imperialism by reporting on the atrocities committed by the reactionary forces of oppressed countries, a process they already have started.
