For Seme Rockens, a law student in his mid-20s, Champ de Mars Plaza in the heart of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, was once a place of leisure, conversation, and camaraderie. After long hours in class, he and his friends would often gather at the plaza, enjoying a cold drink and engaging in light-hearted conversations. However, today, the plaza stands eerily deserted, and Rockens finds himself sitting alone on a bench, his friends nowhere in sight.
In the distance, the crackling sound of gunfire echoes from a few blocks away. Mr. Rockens does not even flinch — it has become the new normal in Haiti’s capital, where gang violence continues to tighten its grip. Over the past two years, more than 10,000 people have lost their lives, and over one million residents have been forced to flee their homes due to unrelenting gang violence.
Kenyan Troops Arrive to Restore Peace
In a desperate effort to restore law and order, Haiti’s government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, formally requested international military assistance in late 2024. Responding to the call, Kenya took the bold step of **deploying over