Canada stationed a military aircraft over Haiti to handle a “dire security situation”, the Canadian government said on Sunday, and to support attempts to combat the activities of Haitian gangs.
In a statement, Canada said that it stands with the Haitian National Police and deployed a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft acknowledging Haiti’s request for help as violence rises in the country.
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, the gangs in Haiti have widened their territory. The violence that followed left most parts of the country off-bound to the government leading to regular gun battles with police. Haiti’s situation is said to be on the agenda when US President Joe Biden visits Canada next month.
The Canadian patrol aircraft consist of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability to strengthen the measures taken to foster and maintain peace and will persist in the region “for a number of days”, the Canadian government said.
The United Nations, in October, advised for a “rapid action force” to be deployed in Haiti to quell the rising violence from armed gangs whose turf battles have caused several deaths and displaced most people.
But many have expressed disbelief, mentioning the misuse from past missions and doubting a force helping the governance of Prime Minister Ariel Henry which has been without any democratically elected representatives since early January.
Most nations are cautious of sending their troops, though Haiti’s neighbour, El Salvador has provided “technical assistance” along with Jamaica’s willingness to participate.
A survey conducted in January stated that seven out of 10 people in Haiti proposed the creation of an international force to act with the national police against armed gangs.
