Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Commission to Search for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis and the Bureau de suivi de l'Accord de Montana, which monitors the Montana Accord of August 30, 2021, thank you for this invitation.
Haiti is currently under siege by heavily armed men and women. What is worse, the government, politicians and economic sectors are funding and arming those gangs. We are mired in a situation of profound crisis characterized by a denial of justice and our fundamental rights. The Haitian government is incapable and unwilling to perform its essential function, which is to meet the needs and honour the basic rights of its population.
The present crisis, which has been caused and fomented by men who wield the country's political and economic power, is social, legal, constitutional, economic and political. However, the human rights situation in Haiti cannot be considered apart from the general situation that existed prior to the political crisis.
Since the Haitian Tèt Kale Party, the PHTK, came to power 11 years ago, the state, which should be protecting us, has become a predator state, a criminal state. It is a state in decay, given the pervasive corruption, impunity and ineptitude of its law enforcement agencies, which have also been infiltrated by gangs. As a result of his general indifference, the public has taken to the streets with their claims and demands for accountability for the scandals and respect for fundamental rights and human dignity.
We are experiencing a situation of insecurity, terror and abuse, a situation that I must say preceded the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, whose term in office was marred by 13 massacres, the politicization of the national police force and the scuttling of Haiti's institutions, including its parliament and high court of appeal.
Ariel Henry, who was sworn in as a result of a tweet from the international community, has no legitimacy. The situation under his autocratic rule is disastrous, and the gangs have rushed in to fill the void. His illegal power has lost its ability to secure even the country's strategic infrastructure and resources, such as its national roads and natural gas.
As the Haitians say, “Pa gen leta”, there is no state. The state doesn't listen to us. The state provides services, hence Haitians' complete loss of trust in the state.
However, there are many specific things that the Henry government could have done, but he has chosen to sit back and do nothing. Instead of rolling up his sleeves and getting to work, on October 7, the illegitimate man in power sought foreign assistance and called on the international community to conduct a military intervention in our country, a crime of high treason. His request underscores the failure of the Henry government and thus international diplomacy that installed him in power and that continues to support him, despite his illegitimate and disastrous governance, perhaps as a result of his complicity in the current disastrous situation.
The Montana Accord proposes a two-year disruptive transition in order to restore the state's sovereign functions and public trust in the country's institutions and political system. We must break with this predatory and autocratic political class and reestablish proper governance. This transition must lead to organized elections, but a framework must be provided in order to guarantee that they are free, credible, transparent and nonviolent.
We are opposed to military intervention in Haiti. However, we want the Police nationale d'Haïti, the PNH, to be reinforced. With technical, financial, logistical and technological assistance, the PNH will be able to make our national roads safe and to connect the country with itself.
The issue today is far greater than merely establishing some semblance of security, and no mopping up operations will solve the problems of the gangs and humanitarian needs. It's not a problem of boots on the ground, but rather a socioeconomic problem. We want programs that promote the entry of disadvantaged young men and women into the economy. We want cooperation consistent with our dignity and sovereignty.
We immediately need urgent humanitarian assistance for people displaced by gangs and living in occupied territories. We need an economic recovery with long-term impact. We will also need to organize a sovereign national conference so we can at last listen to the people.
Our struggle is part of the search for “a Haitian solution”, an expression that was conceived by the commission that drafted the Montana Accord and that refers to a broad consensus among all Haitians.