NHAEON LOGO, FANM in Action Logo
August 31, 2023
To: The Honorable President Joe Biden
The Honorable Anthony Blinken President of the United States
U.S. Secretary of State
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 2201 C St NW,
Washington, DC 20500 Washington, DC 20528
Dear President Biden and Secretary Blinken,
The National Haitian-American Elected Officials’ Network (NHAEON), comprised of over 70 current elected officialsfrom the District of Columbia and 14 states throughand the U.S., and FANM in Action are writing to you to most forcefully oppose the proposed international military intervention in Haiti. Any intervention under the corrupt, repressive, unelected regime in Haiti that created the acute crisis situation will be catastrophic. It will further entrench the regime, deepening Haiti’s political crisis, while generating significant civilian casualties and migration pressure. If the international community wants to contribute to security and stability in Haiti, it will start by ceasing to prop up the corrupt government and allow the emergence of a consensus transitional government with the legitimacy to decide how the international community can contribute.
The current unconstitutional de facto government, led by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, is the latest in a string of governments dominated by the PHTK party that have ruled Haiti for most of the past decade, dismantling the country’s democratic structures while facilitating gang control. The PHTK governments have never run a fair or timely election, and have engaged in spectacular corruption that deprives the government of the funds it needs for police and other basic government services. 21 PHTK-linked officials face international sanctions for corruption or gang violence. A 2021 analysis by Harvard Law School and Haitian human rights groups concluded that attacks organized by government officials and allied gangs against opposition neighborhoods were sufficiently widespread and politically motivated to constitute crimes against humanity.
Gangs, some of them with the support of PHTK officials, now control over half the country, and over 150,000 people are displaced by violence. PHTK corruption has looted Haiti’s entire economy: inflation has exceeded 20% for three years, and over half of all Haitians face hunger, including over 100,000 children facing severe wasting malnutrition. The violence, political persecution and hunger are forcing Haitians to flee overseas.
International troops sent at the request of de facto Prime Minister Henry will be perceived in Haiti as propping up the hated government, as leading Haitian civil society organizations have articulated over the past year, including an Open Letter Warning Against Harms of Illegitimate Foreign Intervention, a letter from 60 Haitian organizations and individuals the to the African Union and the open letter against the call by the current Haitian government for assistance from foreign forces penned by Haitian organizations and individuals, buttressed by the Joint Solidarity Declaration with the Haitian peasantry and an open letter from leading Haitian human rights organizations. Haitians opposition to the intervention has been supported by the Haitian-American community, including many NHAEON members, and human rights groups such as Amnesty International. Troops perceived as supporting the government will not be able to develop popular support to pursue gangs entrenched in neighborhoods (and supported by the government). They will likely engage in significant firefights in hostile, densely-packed urban neighborhoods that will lead to significant civilian casualties.
The United States can immediately move Haiti towards democracy, security and stability by ceasing to prop up the unconstitutional de facto regime. Dr. Henry came to power not through a Haitian process, but a declaration by the Core Group , which is led by the United States. The State Department continues to insist that Dr. Henry is essential to any transitional government, which grants him a veto over any transition, and removes any incentive for him to negotiate towards fair elections he cannot win. The Department continues to promote Dr. Henry’s December 24 Accord as a viable path forward, even though not a single political party that won more than 1% in the last elections has joined it, and the accord is broadly rejected as another unconstitutional power grab for the PHTK. If your administration were to withdraw his veto, Dr. Henry would be forced to negotiate with Haitian civil society towards a peaceful solution to the crisis.
We are confident that, given a chance, our brothers and sisters in Haiti will come together to develop a solution to the political crisis. Over the past three years, groups from across the spectrum have gathered, often putting long-running political disagreements aside, to agree on practical, promising plans for a transitional government. But each time the de facto authorities defeat the promising effort by refusing any compromise.
In addition to ceasing to prop up the current regime, your administration could contribute to security in Haiti by blocking arms shipments to Haiti and enforcing accountability for weapons traffickers and those profiteering from the violence in Haiti. Haiti does not manufacture weapons; the guns and bullets destroying the lives of our friends and family there almost all come from the United States. Haitians linked to gangs travel to the United States and own property and bank accounts here. More effective investigations and customs inspections in the United States will lead to fewer killings in Haiti.
NHAEON thanks you for your consideration of our requests. Although Haiti’s problems are deep-rooted and complex, we are confident that the country can immediately begin its journey back to democracy and stability, with the support of your Administration. We look forward to working with your Administration to maximize the opportunities for Haiti in both the long and short terms.
Sincerely,
Charnette Frederic Marleine Bastien
Chairwoman Executive Director NHAEON FANM in Action