Haiti at the Crossroads: Civil Society Responses for a Haitian-led Solution

Pamela A White, former US Ambassador to Haiti

Testimony for House Committee on Foreign Relations

September 29, 2022

I first served in Haiti from 1982-1985 and again as US Ambassador from 2012-2015.  I have seen many ups and downs in Haiti – including the extraordinary USA response to the horrific 2010 earthquake when over fifty percent of US citizens sent some sort of donation to help the Haitian people.  I have seen corruption and gang warfare and hundreds of burning tires.  I have seen demonstrations in the streets and violence against innocent civilians.  I have never seen anything like the total breakdown of civility that is the current situation in Haiti.  

It pains me to say this since I have spent forty years working as a diplomat around the world, but it is time to throw away the gloves and stop pretending that ‘normal” diplomacy will work in Haiti.  As everyone knows who cares about the Haitian people, Haiti is a failed state.  There is no legitimate government, no judiciary, no parliament, and a weak police force incapable of stopping the gangs that now rule over 60% of the capital.  There is no chance of planning elections under the current security crisis.

There is absolutely zero doubt that Haitians are living in hellish conditions – all social services were terminated months ago. Port au Prince has the highest number of kidnappings in the world. There are weekly beatings and body burnings.  The Haitian National police (HNP)has fewer weapons, fewer members, and a lot less money with which to carry out operations than gangs do.  

On September 18, a well-respected employee of Digicel was found beaten to death in her car – a victim of a botched kidnapping attempt. Last week two respected Haitian journalists were gunned down in broad daylight.   According to the UN, 209 people were killed in a Port-au-Prince slum between July 8-17.  A further 254 sustained gunshot wounds. Thousands have been forced from their homes. 

I personally don’t care if security is addressed with the help of marines, or UN troops or former New York policemen – the killing has got to stop. Perhaps the Haitian private sector can be convinced to FINALLY step up to the plate and instead of paying gangs, start supporting peace efforts and the HNP. 

Even desperately needed humanitarian aid is under siege. Gangs are hijacking boats, planes and trucks that are attempting to deliver critical food and medical items to the most vulnerable. Days ago, the UN reported that an estimated 2,000 tons of food were lost following attacks.  That would have supported up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable people for thirty days. The World Food Program’s executive director said “The situation in Haiti has sadly reached new levels of desperation.  Forty percent of the country is relying on food assistance to survive.”

The UN, Spain, France, Canada, and many others have ordered evacuation of all but essential staff.  Even essential staff are on lock down for the most part.  Most businesses are closed, and transport services are not running.  

 If we are truly serious about letting the leadership be determined by Haitians themselves, then let’s ask the Haitian people.  Some sort of referendum allowing people to vote for four possible scenarios going forward could be accomplished quickly without a lot of money.  If a referendum is not practical amid such violence, organize a series of thirty town meetings. Let the people speak.  My first choice would be a small group of trusted leaders to serve as a transition government with only three mandates: security, food, and elections.  Two-year mandate. All who serve will have zero roles in government after transition.  

I agree with the Washington Post’s editorial board which stated, “The Biden administration, having already deported more than 25,000 Haitians, might imagine it can maintain that status quo, ignoring Haiti’s turmoil.  It should think again, for it is folly to imagine things in Haiti cannot deteriorate.”  I also agree with the editorial board that the PM’s government lacks legitimacy and “whose grip on power owes more to backing from Washington than to popular support in Haiti, where he is broadly reviled and regarded as impotent.” 

I am not going to go down the road either of saying if you don’t do something about Haiti, you will find thousands of refugees on the USG borders begging for a chance.  Although this is in fact true, I don’t want that to be the reason for policy change in Haiti. We need to give a darn about Haitians because they are our neighbors. We need to give a darn about Haiti because we are compassionate people who reach out when we see people who are suffering from hunger and neglect and violence.  We need to give a darn about Haiti because we cannot watch gang members terrorize a country that we have befriended and supported for decades. Americans help people who are in desperate need. Haitians are in desperate need.  

NOTHING will move if we cannot ensure security.  Nothing will move except the wholesale takeover of a nation by thugs. Once again, I heartily agree with the Washington Post’s editorial which states, “The situation is not tenable, and waiting for worse to come is not a policy, it is an abdication of responsibility. The United Nations, the Organization of American States, and key governments, including the Biden administration, must face Haiti’s collapse squarely, and act to prevent further carnage and suffering.”