Haiti requests troops from US, UN for security
July 10, 2021
Haiti's interim government on Friday asked the US and United Nations to send troops to help secure the country, after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
"We definitely need assistance and we've asked our international partners for help. We believe our partners can assist the national police in resolving the situation," interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph told The Associated Press.
The US had already offered the services of the FBI and other agents a day after the murder of Moise by gunmen who entered his residence. However, a senior US official said there are no plans to provide Haiti with military assistance "at this time."
Haiti has also requested military assistance from the UN Security Council. The international body is yet to respond. A UN diplomatic source told news agency AFP that a Security Council resolution was needed to do as the Haitians had asked.
Haiti officials fear attacks on airport, energy supply
"We thought that mercenaries could destroy some infrastructure to create chaos. During a conversation with the US secretary of state and the UN we made this request," Elections Minister Mathias Pierre said.
"We were in a situation where we believed that infrastructure of the country — the port, airport and energy infrastructure — might be a target," Pierre added.
At least 28 people were allegedly involved in the assassination, including two US citizens, police chief Leon Charles said on Thursday.
Moise assumed the presidency in February 2017 and was a controversial figure during his tenure in the role. Higher gas prices, economic problems and the government's response to the pandemic had led to protesters calling for his resignation in recent years.
A group of Haitian senators declared Senate leader Joseph Lambert as provisional president on Friday. The move has been ignored by interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph. The UN views Joseph as Haiti's legitimate leader until elections are held later this year.
US congressman says put Haitians' needs first
US Congressman Andy Levin, a senior member of the Haiti Caucus in the US House of Representatives, told DW that Haiti has been in turmoil for years.
"I don't think it's credible to say that that security of the country and of the Haitian people is under anyone's control," Levin said.
"I'm not saying I'm absolutely against sending US troops, but we have to be very cautious and collaborative with Haitians about how we do it, how many, under what conditions. And we certainly need to do it in a way that is really welcomed by Haitian society at large."
tg/dj (AFP, AP, Reuters)