U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently sounded the alarm over the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Haiti. At a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he stressed that the Kenyan-led, U.S.-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS) is not enough to stem the extreme gang violence plaguing the country.
Criticism of the Kenyan mission’s effectiveness
Rubio acknowledged the commitment of Kenya and other countries involved in the MMSS, but he believes that this mission, despite the sacrifices made, is failing to significantly reduce the power of criminal groups. He recalled that over 30,000 gang members control the roads in Haiti, practicing extortion, kidnapping and fueling arms and drug trafficking. According to Rubio, “this traditional approach to peacekeeping will not solve this particular challenge”.
Call for OAS intervention
Given the scale of the crisis, Rubio called for a more coordinated regional response, under the aegis of the Organization of American States (OAS). He cited the precedent of 1965, when the OAS intervened militarily in the Dominican Republic, as an example of the organization’s ability to act collectively in major crises in the hemisphere.
Rubio criticized the passivity of several countries in the region and the lack of financial contributions, questioning the usefulness of the OAS if it remains incapable of responding to a disaster of such magnitude:
“Why do we have an Organization of American States if it is incapable of responding collectively to a serious catastrophe in our hemisphere?”
He thus called on the OAS to play a leading role in the creation of a new multinational force, believing that time is running out and that the situation could rapidly worsen if nothing is done.
Regional and humanitarian consequences
Rubio also warned of the regional consequences of prolonged inaction, pointing out that the Haitian crisis is already having repercussions on neighboring countries. He insisted that the United States is ready to assume a leadership role, but that resolving the problem requires the collective mobilization of countries in the region.
The humanitarian situation in Haiti is catastrophic: gang violence has led to thousands of deaths and injuries, the closure of over 1,600 schools, and over a million displaced people in Port-au-Prince. Insecurity is also hampering the delivery of humanitarian aid and exacerbating epidemics.
Conclusion
Marco Rubio denounces the inaction of the countries in the region in the face of the Haitian catastrophe, and believes that only a regional military intervention, coordinated by the OAS, could curb the escalation of violence and avert a total collapse of the country. In his view, Haiti is heading “very quickly in a very bad direction” if the regional community does not assume its responsibilities.