MMAS vs. Bwakale : Les Stratégies Dissuasives Peuvent-elles Maîtriser le Mouvement de Vigilance en Haïti ?
MMAS vs. Bwakale: Can Deterrent Strategies Tame Haiti's Vigilante Movement? By Patrick Prézeau Stephenson (Le Français suit) The imminent deployment of the Multinational Security Support (MMAS) mission in Haiti is sparking intense debates, particularly regarding the coordination between Kenyan forces and the Haitian National Police (PNH). Leslie Voltaire, a member of the Presidential Transition Council (CPT), recently stated in an interview with Wendell Theodore that there are no contradictions between his statements on France24 and those of Kenyan President William Ruto about the role of Kenyan soldiers who will accompany the PNH "side by side." [1,2,3]. However, one of the major challenges remains the language barrier and understanding the Haitian psyche, especially in relation to the Bwakale phenomenon. Context and Origins of the Bwakale Movement The Bwakale movement emerges as a popular response to the Haitian state’s inability to protect its citizens. Th...