UN expresses concern about violence in Haiti
PBS NewsHourDec 24, 2022
The Facts
Addressing the UN Security Council on Monday, Haiti's UN envoy warned of a "humanitarian catastrophe" amid severe gang violence and an economic and political crisis that has reportedly taken the island nation to "new levels of desparation."
This comes as weeks of violent protests in Haiti continue to escalate after interim PM Ariel Henry announced an end to government fuel subsidies on September 11, which prompted a surge in gasoline and diesel prices.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The current chaos and misery in Haiti make one thing clear: The island nation is not in a position to help itself. Therefore, in addition to military intervention to establish order, there's now an urgent need for economic intervention — organized in the form of a "shared governance." Only with the help of the international community is there any hope that the Caribbean island will get back on its feet.
Establishment-critical narrative
While there's certainly an urgent need for international aid, it's time for a different approach in Haiti. In the past, so-called "international assistance" included harmful Global North policies that prioritized foreign interests over Haiti's long-term development and conditional loans that trapped the island nation in a cycle of unjust debt and aid dependence. The only way to truly help this country is to focus on policies that fortify its self-determination and self-sufficiency.
