Haiti, as a country, was born out of violence. The Haitian Revolution is a well-researched and documented historical event that has been key to understanding Caribbean Decolonisation. However, Haiti has never been able to have a stable government or a significant international presence. This subsequently gave rise to gangs in various parts of the country, especially in the capital city, Port-au-Prince. The gangs in control are rooted in the historic lack of government institutions and are a present-day reaction to the recent past when there was a glimmer of democracy. The earthquake of 2010 left the country’s government in shambles, and businesses took it upon themselves to protect their respective businesses by creating armed groups. These armed groups then took charge of the situation, taking the form of the present-day gangs. These gangs are not controlled by any businesses or governments anymore and now deal with trafficking drugs, arms, kidnapping for ransom, and human trafficking.
The situation in present-day Haiti is exceptionally dire. The presence of the state is negligible, impunity reigns, and nearly half the population is acutely food insecure. The UN estimates that criminal groups in Haiti killed more than 2,000 people in the first half of 2023, kidnapped more than 1,000, and used sexual violence to terrorise the population. Human Rights Watch documented 67 killings, including of 11 children and 12 women, and more than 20 cases of rape, many of them gang rapes by multiple perpetrators. There are over 250 gangs operating in the capital city, with two major gangs having maximum control - G-Pèp federation and the G9 alliance. The densely populated commune of Cité Soleil caught in a protracted conflict between the G9 alliance led by Jimmy Chérizier, or “Barbecue,” and its rival, the G-Pèp federation led by Gabriel Jean-Pierre.
The government of Haiti has been highly negligent of the safety of its citizens. The criminal groups have been extracting arms and ammunition for themselves from various sources, largely from the US state of Florida. These gangs have tie-ups with senior political officials, economic actors, and police officers and barely face any consequences. With the rise of kidnappings and violence, there have not been any reports of prosecutions or convictions of those responsible for killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence, or their supporters, since the start of 2023. According to UN estimates, there are about 60 percent of Haiti’s population of 11.5 million people that live below the poverty line. Nearly 200,000 people have become IDPs (Internally Displaced People), over tens of thousands of people fleeing from the country, and other countries have returned about 74,000 refugees back to Haiti in the first half of 2023. The Haitian civil society has maintained its position on needing immediate international assistance with respect to peacekeeping and safeguarding citizens. They have also maintained that their Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, whom they see as heading an illegitimate and corrupt government with alleged links to criminal groups, should not be receiving aid from other countries.
Picture Credits: https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2024/1/19/fear-grips-haitis-port-au-prince-amid-gang-violence
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