Crisis in Haiti: a military intervention seen with a dim view in Quebec

Members of the Haitian diaspora in Quebec oppose foreign military intervention in their country of origin, citing the disastrous consequences of similar operations in the past.

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« That’s not what we need. They’ve been going there several times and it doesn’t change anything, on the contrary,” says Abise Victor, owner of the Haitian restaurant Adonaï, located in Montreal North.

Like other members of the Quebec community of Haitian origin interviewed by The newspapershe takes a dim view of the possibility considered by the UN Security Council to carry out a military intervention in the country of the Antilles to fight against insecurity and the threat of gangs.

« People in Haiti do not want it and we also in the diaspora, we do not want it, » insists Chantal Ismé, vice-president of the board of directors of the Maison d’Haïti, located in Montreal.

Bad memories

“To date, none of the forms of occupation has ever brought anything to Haiti. While I don’t think it’s the one that will bring something more, » continues M^me Isme.

This argument of bad past experiences is invoked by the four members of the diaspora to whom The newspaper talked. They have particularly bad memories of the UN military intervention in 2004 following the coup.

« What are they going to bring [sic] this time? » M asks^me Victor, referring to the cholera disease that was imported by Nepalese peacekeepers after the 2010 earthquake.

Cholera is also mentioned by Chantal Ismé, who remembers that the 2004 intervention had led to the “rape of women and children”.

Many believe instead that the causes of insecurity should be tackled, such as the ability of gangs to obtain arms and ammunition.

“Haiti does not make weapons or ammunition. We know very well that the source of the weapons comes from the United States”, raises Chantal Ismé.

A position shared by Frantz André, who also believes in targeting those who finance the gangs that cause the current chaos.

“I believe that the international has the power to know who the sponsors of the mercenaries are and can [sic] impose sanctions on these people.”

Jean-Claude Icart, from Concertation pour Haïti, deplores the fact that the crisis is only seen through the eyes of insecurity. He underlines that what the population, which has been demonstrating for several weeks in Haiti, is asking for is little listened to by the international community.

« The gangs have smothered all popular grievances, and the only things the international has held back is insecurity. »