Haiti Govt Declares State of Emergency Amid Rising Tensions

by Hellen Njoroge on Monday, 4 March 2024 - 9:05 am

Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry (left) and a gang wreaking havoc in Canaan, Haiti.

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People's dispatch

The Haitian Government has declared a State of Emergency in the country, imposing a dusk-to-dawn curfew.

According to reports, the government has resorted to this policy decision after a wave of unrest that left at least 12 dead after a gang stormed a State penitentiary on Sunday and released 4,000 prisoners among them hardcore criminals.

The government stated that the State of Emergency and the 6:00p.m to 5:00 a.m. curfew would be effective from Sunday to Wednesday.

Economy Minister Patrick Michel Boisvert signed the statement in his capacity as Acting Prime Minister.

President William Ruto (far right), and Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry (far left) witnessed the signing of the agreement on the deployment of 1,000 police officers to Haiti.

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Both measures would apply to the Ouest region which includes the capital Port-au-Prince.

According to the government, the State of Emergency was a measure aimed at helping them, re-establish order and take the appropriate measures to take back control of the situation

Further details of the situation reveal that three American Airlines cancelled flights to the country with the American government requesting its citizens to evacuate the country as soon as possible.

“U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges."

“United States citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and information on security conditions from commercial transportation providers and should arrange to leave Haiti when security conditions permit doing so,” read a United States Government statement in part.

This curfew and State of Emergency came shortly after the Kenyan Government and the Haitian Government inked a deal to send 1,000 police officers to the troubled Caribbean nation.

However, the President’s deal with Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry was implemented despite a Court Order that barred the deployment of police to the war-torn country.

Additionally, in a bid to restore order to the country, Benin had pledged to deploy additional troops to support the proposed Kenya-led mission.