New details have emerged about Canada's hesitance to deploy troops to Haiti alongside Kenya despite immense pressure from the United States Government.
A report by CBC News, a Canadian outlet, indicated that the North American country's government headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not volunteer to participate in restoring peace in the Caribbean nation.
Instead, pressure to take part emanated from President Joe Biden of the United States Government. The US reportedly argued that it was already handling far worse global crises.
According to the report, Canada preferred contributing in monetary terms and sending a team for a fact-finding mission instead of foot soldiers.
Trudeau, while refraining from committing mistakes Canada had done in past deployments, prefers that Haiti authorities take the lead role in resolving the conflict.
"We have to come to grips a bit with the history of large military interventions, where basically you're just pushing aside all of the Haitian institutions and (saying), 'We'll do this," the outlet quoted Trudeau.
"And then the pressures come from back home, saying, 'Well, how long are those troops going to be there?' Troops come out again, and then where are you? What have you got left?"
Trudeau's sentiments were supported by Bob Rae, who is Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, who argued that if Haiti took the lead role and asked for help, the country would have readily stepped in.
"We think with the appropriate kind of help and assistance, and whatever it is that they ask for and feel that they need, yes, we're going to do it. But it's really important for the Haitian political elite to take some responsibility for what's taking place and what continues to take place," Rae stated.
"That's exactly why in all of our discussions in Haiti on the ground ... we're saying to all other leaders, you've got to get together, you've got to create a path that leads to an election but ... also leads to it strengthening all of the institutions that make up a democratic society."
Kenya, on the other hand, is preparing to send over 1,000 police officers to Haiti to lead a mission for restoring peace.
The project, which is backed by President William Ruto, was put on ice weeks ago following the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry which threw an agreement between the two leaders into disarray.
Locally, Kenyans have continued to grow livid over the deployment with a majority arguing that the conflict was leaning more towards a war and deployment of police officers was deemed a suicide mission.
Gang's Trick Sleeve
Jacqueline Charles, longtime Haiti correspondent for the Miami Herald, told CBC News that the current conflict was worse than previous cases due to the sheer number of gangs and their collaboration to frustrate the State.
She further noted that one particular gang, the 5 Seconds gang, began appearing in the streets this week wearing new camouflage fatigues, sporting new FAL rifles, assault sidearms, and radios, and coordinating themselves as a paramilitary unit.
"In the last two weeks, what we're seeing is coordinated violent attacks by gangs that normally don't speak to each other. They've orchestrated two major prison breaks. We've got thousands of people on the streets, murderers, kidnappers, and other kinds of criminals. They're still out there. You have a police force that is overworked and outgunned. So I don't think anybody has seen this in Haiti in recent years," she explained.
Ruto Call With Trudeau
Four days ago, President William Ruto held a phone conversation with the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau where the latter welcomed the news of a political agreement among Haitian stakeholders decision to appoint a provisional council and a transitional government.
"Prime Minister Trudeau expressed his appreciation for Kenya’s leadership of the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to restore stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister and the President discussed the latest developments and shared their deep concerns over the security and humanitarian crises, reiterating their commitment to supporting the people of Haiti and the MSS mission," read the statement in part.
Canada pledged to contribute Ksh11 billion towards the mission.
