That's my concern too, NALs. One can imagine that escapees after living a hellish life in Haitian prisons are going to focus on getting across the border into the D.R. to have a sense of normalcy. I would be surprised if President Abinader doesn't address this pressing issue tomorrow by sending more military to the border. I'm not trying to ratchet up drama, but out-of-control violent Haitian gangs launching seige of two national prisons, the airport, the soccer sports stadium,... the gangs have tipped the scales from small skirmishes with police to massive firepower with intent to take control of the government. Haitain gang dictator, Barbeque, saw P.M. Ariel's out-of-country visit to Africa as a vacuum of authority to make power moves in Haiti. The Haitian police are being out-gunned. The Dominican Republic is now at bigger risk of maintaining security.
Ariel was in Kenya to specifically sign the Kenya-Haiti Intervention agreement required by the Kenyan judiciary before Kenyan troops can set boots on Haitian soil. The legal agreement was signed last Friday. Another hurdle overcome. Money is still the big issue. The US upped the financial ante, Canada kicked in another $80 million but it’s still far short of the Kenyan $550 million asking price. The UN has to come up with the remaining funds.
Some airlines have stopped flying into Port Au Prince. One flight was hit by a bullet during a skirmish near the airport. Other flights diverted or refused to land because of the skirmishes. The prison invasion and resulting escape of hundreds of jailed gang members is just another step in Haiti’s continued downward spiral. BBQ got International media attention last week. Exactly what he was looking for to further his political cause by violent means. I think one can assume if he is elected President, it would be a carbon copy of the Poppa Doc and Baby Doc Duvalier regimes. Some would say that’s exactly what Haiti needs. A violent President to keep the people under heel.
Even Dante would have a hard time conceiving what kind of hell Haiti has become. It’s no surprise only Kenyan mercenaries are interested in putting their lives on the line for what has become a lost cause. The US and Canada are aware of the futility. That’s why they are willing to throw cash at it and not boots on the ground. Haiti continues to be a sideshow of a bigger sideshow, the Ukraine invasion and will be treated accordingly by the UN.
If, and it’s a big if, large scale violence washes over the DR border, the DR government might need help from other countries. Coalition forces may be needed to beef up DR military operations along the border and the DR coastline. Two of the most vulnerable areas.
apnews.com
