How will we cover the MSS, this low-key invasion of  Haiti? | EDITORIAL

As the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission takes center stage this week with the latest news out of Nairobi that Kenyan President William Ruto has finally flagged off the first 200 police forces to Haiti, we decided to provide a clear overview of how The Haitian Times will continue covering this low-key invasion of Haiti, version 2024.

Of course, the trove of unanswered questions that have created such a swirl in the news—fake news, actual developments, and the stuff in between—still don’t help matters. And it gets even tougher for news professionals to discern what’s worth pursuing, lest we fall into media manipulation traps, as players across countless camps, out to grandstand or push their agendas, cross paths with media so greedy for content.

Sensationalism has always been a factor in news media. But today’s digital world makes this even more evident and potent—not just because of the media’s increased appetite for scoops and avidity for breaking news in an environment of more intense media competition but also because of the speed and ease by which information can be disseminated thanks to new communication technologies. It’s up to professional journalists and responsible news media to maintain vigilance and uphold high standards of accuracy. We must verify information more scrupulously before dissemination, thereby fostering trust and credibility with the audience.

Make no mistake. We won’t be able to police everyone and fact-check everything people say online or elsewhere. However, we must not contribute to amplifying the voices of deep fakers, which is something to be taken even more seriously in the era of AI-generated content.

At The Haitian Times, we do this daily, and our coverage of the MSS mission deployment to Haiti is no different. We are committed to always bridging the gap, and we mean it. Our reporting will continue to prioritize people and humanize policy decisions. We will continue to pay less attention to processes and more attention to results and solutions.

We’ll always ensure that our coverage deepens an understanding of all aspects that matter most to Haitians in Haiti and abroad. More importantly, we’ll dedicate our time and energy to coverage that provides a clear-eyed view of policies and decisions’ impacts on people.

That’s how we can continue to be guided by our steadfast mission and vision. For instance, even before the United Nations Security Council formally adopted Resolution 2699  in October 2023—authorizing the MSS to be deployed in Haiti—a year after now-former Prime Minister Ariel Henry requested it, we had made it clear in our reporting that another invasion of Haiti was inevitable. This is partly due to the environment left behind by MINUSTAH in 2017 after 13 years of occupation and to the behavior of Haitian politicians, who have been frankly more interested in chaos than governing.

Our coverage focus is what matters to you, Haitians abroad

We won’t report rumors, half-truths, or hearsay—yoyo di or jouda in Haiti’s context. With the accelerated use of social media platforms, media manipulation traps, disinformation, digression, falsehoods, actual developments, and misinformation can quickly become newsworthy or be consumed as fact and information. Our team of trained professionals works to earn and keep your trust. We have learned legal concepts and technical skills on real journalism, not joudalism. We know how to gather and report credible information.

Let’s be clear. We are news reporters, not newsmakers. Be patient! We will bring you the information or the news after questioning, verifying, and discerning whether it is true. Additionally, we will continue to do our job of holding up a mirror for our Haitian communities and holding the powerful accountable. After all, these are the basic principles of journalism anyway. It’s just a matter of ethics and being useful in the business of information.

As mentioned in our news analysis piece published on June 21, a professional news publication like The Haitian Times does not consider all the uncertainty, rumors, and “imminent” nature of developments worthy of chasing every minute. Do not expect us to follow all political horse-tradings that could easily lead us to report on the process instead of results or solutions.

We would rather be grounded in what transpires over what’s coming, may come, or may not come. If the political news you need to know about happens, we’ll bring it out from anywhere, whether it’s from Port-au-Prince, Washington, D.C., New York, Nairobi, or the power centers in between, such as the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Organization of the American States (OAS), and the European Union’s headquarters.

That said, rest assured that we’ll report on how much news and information developments might affect you, your family, your pocketbook, and the projects you might be involved in across communities in Haiti.

In the end, we’ll keep you informed on whether the MSS helps restore security and stability in Haiti and, more importantly, provides full-scale support for the PNH—bolstering, professionalizing, and equipping it to perform its duties. We’ll also inform you if this mission aids in re-establishing the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H) so Haiti won’t have to fall back after the multinational forces leave like before.

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