NAIROBI (KAAB TV) – Amnesty International Kenya has expressed its concerns regarding the UN Security Council’s decision to send an international security force, led by 1,000 Kenyan law enforcement officers, to Haiti.
The organization emphasizes the need for clear, mandatory, and enforceable human rights-based guidelines for the mission and calls for thorough examination of its human rights and humanitarian implications prior to deployment.
Haiti has a history marred by abuses and impunity associated with past multinational or foreign interventions. These interventions have often lacked accountability mechanisms for excessive use of force and have witnessed various abuses, including sexual exploitation. It is essential to acknowledge that these interventions occurred against the backdrop of a cholera epidemic triggered by UN personnel.
Amnesty International Kenya’s Executive Director, Irungu Houghton, insists that “clear, mandatory, and enforceable parameters must outline operational and oversight measures to prevent unlawful use of force, negligence causing harm to local populations, and other abuses before deployment.” This includes robust measures to protect individuals from sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as accessible and effective remedies for victims. The mission should adhere to UN human rights due diligence policies to assess and address potential human rights impacts.
At the national level, the deployment of 1,000 Kenyan Police Officers requires the explicit approval of the Inspector General and parliamentary oversight under the Kenyan Constitution. Amnesty International Kenya urges Parliament to table and discuss the proposal for this foreign mission, which involves Kenyan lives.
Additionally, the organization calls for meaningful consultations with Haitian civil society and mass media before the deployment of stabilisation support. Amnesty International Kenya underscores the importance of supporting Haitian-led solutions for long-term stability and addressing the root causes of violence in the country.
Amnesty International Kenya emphasizes that the human rights, accountability, safety, and dignity of the Haitian people must remain paramount in this policing mission.