Earlier reports that Canada had actually made the decision may be premature as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and parliament weigh the urgent need for humanitarian intervention against the inevitable accusation of foreign meddling. The Haitian government has requested the intervention, but, as usual in Haiti, the opposition calls the government illegal.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
“On sait que des sanctions, ce n’est pas assez en soi, mais il faut faire très attention qu’une intervention soit acceptable pour le peuple (haïtien) et pour l’aider . . . On comprend à quel point il y a beaucoup d’Haïtiens qui ne veulent pas voir de l’intervention internationale. C’est une réalité. En même temps, on regarde la crise, les viols, la violence, la pauvreté, le choléra, la crise sanitaire et on se dit »Il faut qu’on intervienne d’une façon ou d’une autre»
In the meantime, the Haitian police used armored cars sent by Canada twenty days ago to clear the gangs out of the country’s main fuel depot, a big breakthrough as the depot held 70 percent of Haiti’s fuel. Canada’s decision may be eased if the fuel now flows into the country’s arteries, permitting the distribution of clean water and food to counter the dreadful spread of cholera and malnutrition.
As if inspired by the very prospect of aid, the police showed new resolve at the heavily contested fuel depot. Foreign police advisers should be able to advise and come in behind the Haitian police, as was MINUSTAH’s modus operandi for thirteen years. Backed by MINUSTAH the Haitian police were able to handle confrontations themselves, closely followed in by MINUSTAH, which was a dissuasive presence in case the police were overrun. (That rarely, if ever, happened.)
Meanwhile a Haitian radio station put the question to its listeners and got this answer
81% sont d’accord. Les autres 19% n’acceptent pas