Step into the heart of chaos as Haiti battles a surge of violence unseen before. Criminal gangs emerge from the shadows, nearly seizing control of the entire nation, clashing with government forces, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. With over 1,190 lives lost in 2024 alone, Haiti teeters on the brink of catastrophe.
Join us as we dissect the root causes, the failed international aid efforts, and the escalating tensions threatening to plunge Haiti into further turmoil. Will there be a glimmer of hope for this besieged nation, or are darker days yet to come?
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry faces a daunting challenge as he endeavors to reclaim authority amidst a wave of gang violence that has paralyzed the nation’s primary international airport and freed over 4,000 prisoners in recent times.
Calls for Henry’s resignation have intensified since he assumed office, backed by international support. Demands come from various quarters, including gangs seeking political influence and Haitians frustrated by the absence of general elections for nearly a decade. Henry’s appointment lacked formal Haitian procedures, raising questions about his legitimacy. Despite affirming his commitment to unity and dialogue, Henry’s tenure has been marked by delays in elections due to escalating gang violence, with over 8,400 casualties reported last year alone, highlighting the nation’s deepening crisis.
The current outbreak of serious violence erupted when Prime Minister Ariel Henry departed Haiti for a regional summit in Guyana for a Caricom conference, where the crisis in Haiti was a major topic of discussion. He then headed to Kenya to advocate for the United Nations-backed deployment of a police force to combat the gangs but faced constitutional obstacles in Kenya.
Amid promises to hold elections in mid-2025, coordinated gang attacks erupted in Haiti shortly after.
According to local media, the police station in the bustling Salomon market is the most recent target. When Prime Minister Henry left the country for the regional summit in Guyana, the city’s violent gangs increased their attacks.
When Prime Minister Henry attempted to fly back to Haiti, He was unable to land in the Haitian capital because the international airport was closed while the military fought gunmen’s attempts to take it. His return was therefore uncertain, leading to speculations until he unexpectedly landed in Puerto Rico after being denied entry into the neighboring Dominican Republic due to airspace closure issues to and from Haiti. Civil aviation authorities in the Dominican Republic turned the prime minister’s plane away, claiming they had not been given the proper flight plan.
Isolated from his homeland for the time being, Henry finds himself at a standstill as more officials join the chorus urging his resignation or gently pushing him towards it.
Haiti’s once peaceful Caribbean country has now become one of the most dangerous places on earth. There is no doubt that the criminal gangs and the authorities of the state are currently at war with each other. Gangs, with more authority than Haiti’s national security forces, have stormed prisons and the capital’s airport, causing businesses and schools to close and driving an estimated 15,000 people from their homes in Port-au-Prince.
The United Nations’ top human rights official warned that the situation in Haiti was “beyond untenable, with more than 1,190 people dead since the beginning of 2024 alone. However, the chaos and bloodshed in this small, impoverished Caribbean nation began far earlier, and international efforts to provide aid have so far failed.
Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has asked for the immediate deployment of a global security force to support Haiti’s battered police and military, stating that there is “no realistic alternative available to protect lives.”
Heavy gunfire reverberated around the capital as notable gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier declared that his group, G9, was forming alliances with other gangs to compel Henry to step down. Finance Minister Patrick Boisvert, who is acting as Haiti’s prime minister in Henry’s absence, declared a state of emergency on March 3 and announced nightly curfew to “take appropriate measures in order to regain control of the situation.”
On March 5, with Henry still in office but not in the country, Cherizier stated that if the premier did not quit and “if the international community continues to support him, we’ll be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide.”
“Either Haiti will be a paradise or a misery for all of us. It’s absurd for a tiny group of wealthy individuals living in large hotels to decide the fate of people living in working-class neighborhoods,” Cherizier added, possibly referring to the emergency U.N. Security Council meeting concerning his country’s fate in New York.
On March 6, a Caribbean official told The Associated Press that Caricom leaders had spoken with Henry the previous evening and given him multiple options to end the escalating issue, including his resignation, which he declined.
When asked the same day if the U.S. government had urged Henry to step down, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said only that the Biden administration had asked him to “move forward on a political process that will lead to the establishment of a presidential transitional council that will lead to elections.“
Now, one may wonder, how did things turn out this way? Well, government corruption lies at the heart of Haiti’s long-running instability. This little country has been plagued by brutal political upheaval for decades.
In addition to the political turmoil, natural disasters such as the 2010 earthquake were some of the worst on record, killing almost a quarter of a million people and wreaking havoc on the island’s already fragile infrastructure.
Haiti has Not held parliamentary or general elections in years. The newest series of attacks began in late February, after Henry promised to hold long-awaited general elections, but only in mid-2025. He was supposed to stand down voluntarily in February, but he refused, angering many Haitians and prompting the gang rebellion.
The current situation can be traced back to 2021, when then-Prime Minister Jovenel Moïse, who was facing a developing economic and political crisis as he led the country by fiat and without a democratic mandate, was assassinated. Henry was sworn in as prime minister shortly after, with the support of the international community, but his power was never established as Haitians struggled with rising prices and collapsing infrastructure.
Now, how many gangs are there? Haiti has an estimated 200 gangs, with 23 operating in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince. Until recently, they controlled over 60% of the city, but that figure has since risen to around 80%, according to U.N. officials.
Smuggled weaponry and ransom payments to kidnappers have helped the gangs grow more financially independent. As the state disintegrated, their authority grew, and an impoverished, under-resourced police agency could not contain them.
According to a recent report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime, “modern gangs have far more military capability than those a decade ago.” “This has largely been driven by the gangs’ ability to acquire high-caliber weapons.”
Mr. Henry had not made any public pronouncements since his travel to Kenya when he met with President William Ruto to rescue an agreement for the African country to head a multinational army to help restore order in Haiti.
The two leaders inked a reciprocal agreement that allows 2,000 Kenyan police personnel to be transported to Haiti, but a Kenyan opposition legislator has said he will challenge the accord in court. Meanwhile, numerous Kenyan police officers who had volunteered for the deployment have decided not to go due to safety concerns.
One officer told the BBC that there were no clear guidelines for how they were expected to work while on the assignment. Another said that some of his squad members had withdrawn in response to the recent increase in violence.
So far, the situation has been at its worst, and nothing seems to be going towards any reconciliation. The government is in no mood to back off, and the gangs are pretty adamant that until their demands are fulfilled, they will show the worst side of them, which will be pretty bad news for the people of Haiti.
Where Do We Go From Here?
As we witness the turmoil gripping Haiti, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale of the crisis. Yet, amidst the chaos, there’s hope. Hope in the resilience of the Haitian people, in the strength of their spirit to overcome adversity.
But hope alone is not enough. We must take action. We cannot stand idly by as Haiti suffers. Here are some actionable steps we can take to quell the violence and restore normalcy to this embattled nation:
By addressing corruption and promoting accountability, Haiti can create a more transparent and accountable governance system that fosters trust among its citizens and international partners. This, in turn, can help build a foundation for sustainable peace, stability, and development in the country.
Here are some actionable steps we at Caribbean Focus believe will help foster that environment of accountability:
- Combat corruption through transparency and accountability measures: Corruption has long plagued Haiti, undermining trust in government institutions and hindering development efforts. Implementing robust transparency measures, such as publicly disclosing government contracts and expenditures, can help expose corrupt practices and hold officials accountable for their actions.
- Strengthen anti-corruption institutions and laws: Haiti must strengthen its anti-corruption institutions and enact comprehensive legislation to combat corruption effectively. This includes establishing independent oversight bodies, such as anti-corruption commissions, and passing laws that impose harsh penalties for corruption-related offenses.
- Engage civil society and the media: Civil society organizations and the media play a crucial role in exposing corruption and holding government officials accountable. Supporting investigative journalism and empowering civil society to monitor and report on corruption can help shine a light on corrupt practices and pressure authorities to take action.
- Encourage international cooperation: Corruption is a global phenomenon that often transcends borders. International cooperation and collaboration are essential for combating corruption effectively in Haiti. By partnering with international organizations and sharing best practices, Haiti can leverage external expertise and resources to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts.
In addition to the aforementioned steps:
- Support grassroots organizations: Many local organizations in Haiti are working tirelessly to provide aid, support, and resources to those affected by the violence. By donating to or volunteering with these organizations, we can directly impact the lives of Haitian citizens and contribute to positive change.
- Advocate for international intervention: The situation in Haiti requires urgent international attention and support. We can use our voices to urge world leaders and organizations to prioritize Haiti’s crisis and provide the necessary resources and assistance to restore peace and stability.
- Promote dialogue and reconciliation: Building bridges between communities and fostering dialogue between opposing factions is crucial for long-term peace and stability in Haiti. We can support initiatives that promote dialogue, reconciliation, and understanding among different groups within Haitian society.
- Empower Haitian youth: Investing in education, job training, and opportunities for Haitian youth is essential for breaking the cycle of violence and poverty. By empowering young people with the skills and resources they need to build a brighter future, we can help create a more stable and prosperous Haiti.
Let’s stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti and work together to build a better tomorrow. Together, we can make a difference and help Haiti rise from the ashes of conflict to become a beacon of hope and resilience once again.
As we navigate through the complexities of Haiti’s crisis, we want to hear from you. What are your thoughts on the current situation in Haiti?
Do you believe international intervention is necessary to restore peace?
How can we effectively combat corruption and promote accountability in Haiti?
Leave your insights and opinions in the comment section below. Your perspective matters. Let’s continue this important conversation together.
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This is Caribbean Focus by J-irie