Announced since November 2023, and then postponed several times, the Défenseurs Plus collective finally noted the arrival of Kenyan troops on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Indeed, it should be recalled that this deployment is carried out within the framework of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699/2023. In other words, this mission has no other prerogatives than those conferred by this resolution, which include providing operational support to the Haitian National Police (PNH), strengthening the capacities of the PNH, conducting joint security support operations, and combating gangs spreading terror in Haiti. To achieve all these objectives, the Défenseurs Plus collective insists that respect for human rights be at the forefront of all operations.
Regarding the security crisis characterized by assassinations, cases of rape and kidnapping, and looting that the country is experiencing, it has become increasingly clear that the need for a foreign force is being felt. However, the solution to this crisis must not be found outside the norms governing the functioning of the country and those related to international law. These norms mainly refer to the right to life, the right to self-determination of the Haitian people, the right to respect for others’ private property, and the right to the environment. This is why the Defenseurs Plus collective has been demanding transparency in the entire process of deploying the multinational security support mission in Haiti for several months and continues to demand it today. However, despite all these efforts, this lack of communication still plagues this process.
As a result, the Défenseurs Plus collective reaffirms its position, which is that of respecting human rights so that the violations inflicted on the Haitian people, such as cholera, cases of rape, and theft in previous international missions, do not repeat in this current mission.