“What is known about the takeover of gangs in Haiti that has caused the country to grind to a halt?”

The situation in Haiti is worsening as armed gang members released numerous inmates, set fire to government structures, and caused the prime minister to step down following his departure from the nation in search of aid.

According to The Associated Press, numerous individuals have lost their lives and approximately 15,000 individuals have been compelled to abandon their residences as a result of gang attacks. These individuals are now dealing with depleting resources of nourishment and hydration.

On February 29th, the level of violence increased as Haiti’s influential gangs, who already commanded significant portions of the economy and the majority of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, initiated a string of assaults on police stations, prisons, and other official structures.

The capture of all major international airports in the capital by gangs left Prime Minister Ariel Henry stranded outside of the country, facing calls from both domestic and foreign sources to step down from his position.

On 5 March, the leader of the unified gangs Jimmy Chérizier — known by his childhood nickname, “Barbecue” — threatened continued violence if Mr Henry did not step down.

He stated that if the international community continues to stand behind [Mr Henry], it will result in a civil war and ultimately lead to genocide.

According to Mr Cherizier, Haiti will either become a paradise or a hell for everyone. He believes that it is unfair for a select group of wealthy individuals residing in luxurious hotels to dictate the future of those living in lower-class communities.

Mr Henry resigned on Monday.

The United States has deployed additional armed forces to protect its embassy in Port-au-Prince, while leaders from Caribbean nations have gathered in Jamaica to address the ongoing crisis.

What was the cause of this situation?

The heightened upheaval this month began while former Prime Minister Ariel Henry was travelling to Kenya to push forward a United Nations deal that would bring 1,000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti to help restore security.

On February 28, the leaders of Caricom, a group consisting of 15 Caribbean nations or territories, stated that Henry had committed to conducting elections by the middle of 2025, after making and not fulfilling this promise twice before.

It is unclear why Haiti’s influential criminal groups decided to attack at that specific time. However, the following day, they launched a series of brutal attacks that resulted in the deaths of at least four law enforcement officials. This forced the closure of airports, businesses, and schools, and caused many Haitians to evacuate their residences.

According to a video recording, Chérizier, a gang leader and ex-police officer, announced his intention to apprehend multiple government ministers and hinder Henry from traveling into the nation.

Chérizier, who has previously stated that he considers himself a “revolutionary” and not just a criminal, stated, “We will liberate the country with the help of our weapons and the Haitian people.”

Gangs led a mass jailbreak at Haiti’s national penitentiary, reportedly releasing nearly all of its roughly 4,000 prisoners. Three people were found fatally shot outside the facility, while the other Port-au-Prince prison, which held 1,400 people, was also taken over.

According to Haitian government officials, there were injuries among both prisoners and prison staff during two separate raids. The statement provided was not particularly reassuring.

The statement stated that during various operations, our police officers were faced with heavily armed criminals who were determined to release individuals in custody at any cost, specifically those charged with kidnapping, murder, and other serious crimes. Despite the collusions, the authorities were unable to prevent the bandits from freeing a significant number of prisoners, resulting in the destruction of public and private property and even the execution of civilians.

According to their lawyer, Samuel Madistin, a small number of prisoners, including 18 Colombian mercenaries who are suspected of planning the murder of former Haitian president Jovenel Moïse in 2021, chose not to escape and are still in custody due to safety concerns.

After the assassination of Mr. Moïse, Haiti has experienced extensive violence committed by various gangs. A United Nations report states that in 2023, there were almost 5,000 murders, which is twice the number from the previous year.

Boisvert, the current acting prime minister of Haiti while Henry is absent, has announced a state of emergency and implemented a curfew for evenings.

However, as of Sunday, March 10th, the government was still facing difficulties in ending the unrest. There were sporadic sounds of gunshots in Port-au-Prince and ordinary citizens were running low on necessary resources.

On the afternoon of 13 November 2018, a police armoured vehicle drove into the La Saline neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince and unloaded its cargo of armed men, some of whom were wearing police uniforms.

What happened next was one of Haiti’s worst massacres in decades. At least 71 people were killed, 11 raped, and 150 homes looted and destroyed, according to a report by human rights observers.

According to the report, the one responsible for the massacre was Jimmy Chérizier, who was a police officer at the time. It is alleged that he had the backing of high-ranking Haitian officials who wanted to retaliate against La Saline for participating in a series of demonstrations against President Moïse at the time.

It is believed that this was the initial instance of numerous brutal deeds supposedly supported by the leadership of Moïse, which specialists claim became increasingly complicit with offenders in order to maintain control over the turmoil.

According to the French news agency AFP, geographer Jean-Marie Theodat of Sorbonne University described “Barbecue” as a “Frankenstein-esque creature that has escaped from its creator.”

The

Since its establishment in 1804 by leaders of the Black revolution, Haiti has faced enduring challenges of poverty and political unrest. This was exacerbated by being compelled to pay hefty reparations to former French slave owners, which hindered the country’s progress for over 100 years.

Since at least 1959, Haitian leaders have used armed groups to maintain their authority. The notorious dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier established a paramilitary force called the Tonton Macoute, named after a legendary villain.

The issue persisted after the fall of the Duvalier regime in 1986, as Haiti faced a series of military takeovers and interference from foreign powers.

In 1995 the Haitian military was disbanded after one coup too many, but that put thousands of armed men out of work while creating a power vacuum. When a rogue police official attempted another coup in 2001, it was armed civilians, not soldiers, that thwarted him.

Due to its location between Latin America and the US, Haiti became a desirable path for those involved in drug trafficking. This resulted in the gangs creating a new source of income through trade.

According to experts, René Préval, the only Haitian leader to win and successfully complete two terms through democratic processes, made some improvements by taking strong action against gangs.

However, in 2010, Haiti experienced a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and caused the deaths of approximately 100,000 to 316,000 individuals. This disaster severely damaged the Haitian economy and resulted in numerous former gang members escaping from prison.

Since then, democratic government has steadily crumbled in Haiti. Before his death, Moïse was accused of consolidating power and ruling by decree, repeatedly violating the constitution while refusing to step down at the end of his term.

Although the motives behind his killing are unclear, a recent probe by The New York Times revealed proof that he was getting ready to reveal the identities of influential Haitian officials and wealthy individuals involved in drug trafficking.

Ariel Henry has continuously failed to follow through on his commitments to organize elections, citing concerns about gang-related violence as a barrier to guaranteeing a fair electoral process.

Haiti is caught in a difficult predicament. The United Nations has cautioned that security must be enhanced before elections can take place. However, the absence of elections has resulted in a legitimacy crisis, giving the gangs more power and confidence.

According to University of Virginia professor Robert Fatton, in the past three years, the gangs have become more independent and now hold significant control.

Just ask Jimmy Chérizier, who gave an interview to AP earlier this year as he strolled through the slums of La Saline, flanked by armed guards and watched from above by a personal monitoring drone.

According to him, the administration headed by Ariel Henry is considered a de-facto government, lacking legitimacy. He claims to be innocent of theft, kidnapping, and rape, stating that his actions are solely for the purpose of advocating for social justice.

After being denied entry by the Dominican Republic, which shares a land border with Haiti, Henry found himself stranded in Puerto Rico. As a result, he faced mounting pressure to step down from his position.

Chérizier and other leaders of the gang are determined to oust him and have offered to temporarily cease the violent acts if he agrees to step down.

“We will declare a temporary agreement in order to assess the current state of affairs,” explained Chérizier to ABC News. “All blocked or inaccessible areas in and around Port-au-Prince will be unblocked and our attacks on police stations will cease.”

Initially, Mr Henry refused to step down, but later agreed to resign and stated that his government would disband once a transitional council is prepared to take control.

Antony Blinken, the Secretary of State for the United States, arrived in Jamaica on Monday for a pressing Caricom summit with the goal of addressing the ongoing crisis. It is unclear whether Henry was permitted to participate in this meeting.

Caricom has suggested a potential resolution, where a transitional council takes over from Henry and decides on an interim president, leading to the first elections since 2016 for the country.

Rewording: It is difficult to envision a scenario where democratic elections could occur without interference, given the ongoing violence and the control that armed groups hold over the government in this country.

The president of Guyana, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, expressed his concern about Haiti’s current state, stating that urgent and decisive measures need to be taken to prevent a potential disaster.

Nevertheless, he mentioned that the establishment of a transitional council would still take some time.

The United Nations has authorized a plan for 1,000 police officers from Kenya to be sent to Haiti, in order to assist in restoring order. Unfortunately, this intervention was met with multiple obstacles.

Firstly, the High Court of Kenya declared it to be unconstitutional. Secondly, 1,000 police officers would be insufficient to replace the approximately 3,300 Haitian officers who have left since 2021.

The funding for the mission is not substantial, with the US committing $300 million and Canada pledging $80 million.

But these problems became inconsequential on Tuesday as Kenya declared it would not dispatch a security force since Haiti lacks a functioning government to coordinate with.

Salim Swaleh, spokesperson for Kenya’s Foreign Ministry, informed The New York Times that the agreement made with President William Ruto remains valid. However, the deployment will not take place at this time because it is necessary for a functioning government to cooperate as well.

The future of Haiti and the well-being of its citizens are now uncertain.

The initial release date of this narrative was 4 March 2024, but it was later revised on 12 March to accurately portray the evolving circumstances.

Source: independent.co.uk