January 26, 2025: Haitians had hoped that, as time went on, their failed state situation would improve. Foreign aid continues to arrive as do more peacekeepers to protect the population, and the foreign aid. Large coalitions of criminal gangs see the foreign aid as theirs to steal and often get away with it despite protection provided by peacekeepers and a few local police. The reality is that the large criminal gang militias have become private armies that do what they want. Last year was a disaster with 12,000 gang members, operating in several large criminal organizations that have done what they pleased, taking what they want, fighting off the dwindling number of police and intimidating the UN Peacekeepers into submissive bystanders.

The gangs have displaced nearly a million people from their homes, which the gangs then pillage. The gangs smash or burn what they cannot carry away in their backs, in cars and a few stolen vehicles. Motorized transport doesn’t last long because most of the fueling stations have been looted and the firms that deliver fuel to these retail outlets fear getting hijacked while driving into areas where gangs are active.

Currently efforts continue to organize a larger and more structured peacekeeping mission. The Americans will provide cash but no one wants to send in peacekeepers. Haiti is a chaotic situation and there is no peace to keep. The U.S. has tried. In the early 20th century Americans troops occupied Haiti for thirty peaceful and prosperous years. After the Americans left Haiti gradually fell apart.

For the last thirty years, Haiti has not had any armed forces. There have been proposals to revive the armed forces, something many Haitians oppose. The government believed that an army was needed to defend the country. That has not been the case for a long time, as no one in their right mind would invade poor, chaotic Haiti.

The military was disbanded in 1995 because, well, the army had not done Haiti much good. For two centuries, Haiti has seen one coup, and dictator, after another. A lack of an honest, and popularly elected, government has resulted in corruption, economic decline and what Haiti is today. The army has been responsible for over 30 coups and much grief over the last two centuries though in 1995 there was an elected president powerful enough to eliminate the army.

The 1995 armed forces had about 7,500 troops and over 90 percent belonged to the army. This force was more of a paramilitary operation, organized into 30 infantry companies and some support units. Even after they lost their jobs, the soldiers were a lethal nuisance. Many kept their weapons and hired out to warlords and criminal gangs.

In 2004, the government, backed by over 10,000 UN peacekeepers, made a deal to disarm the ex-soldiers. The ex-soldiers received compensation for being illegally dismissed in 1995 when deposed President Aristide was installed as president by American forces. The 6,000 former soldiers received about $4,800 each. Payments were spread over three months, and soldiers were expected to turn in their weapons as part of the deal. Not all of the ex-soldiers were willing to accept this deal. They wanted the army revived, but the government was unwilling to do that, until now.

It was proposed that the new army would have 3,400 personnel. Troops and officers were to be carefully selected and trained. The new army will still be more of a paramilitary force, because Haiti has never had enough police. The UN is helping to recruit and train more police, so that the force will have 10,000 police and civilians. But most police experts believe Haiti needs twice as many. The problem is, Haiti cannot afford to maintain a force that large. Currently there is only a pretend government, few police and plenty of chaos.

One thing Haiti does still have is a tradition of private militias, corruption and little respect for the law. It will take more than a larger police force, and a new army, to deal with that.