The stability of Haiti’s government is in question as armed gangs breached the country’s international airport and released over 3,800 inmates over the weekend. This coordinated event seems to be an attempt to overthrow Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The Haitian government has announced a state of emergency lasting three days and a curfew at night in an attempt to alleviate the escalating turmoil. However, the national police lack sufficient weapons and high-ranking officials, such as Henry, who is currently serving as acting president, are currently abroad.
The precautions were implemented following a tragic weekend that represented a concerning peak in Haiti’s ongoing issue with violence. As a result, the US has recommended its citizens leave promptly and Canada has made the decision to temporarily shut down its embassy.
Shortly after the decree was issued, heavily armed individuals launched a fresh assault on the nation’s primary airport on Monday. The perpetrators engaged in a firefight with police and military personnel.
Jimmy Chérizier, a former highly trained officer of the police who is nicknamed Barbecue and currently leads a group of gangs, has declared accountability for the assaults, stating that the objective was to seize the chief of police and government officials of Haiti and prevent Henry’s comeback.
Since Thursday, a minimum of nine individuals have lost their lives, including four law enforcement officers. The attacks have targeted police stations, the nation’s main airport, and the national soccer stadium, where one employee was taken captive for several hours.
The United Nations approximates that approximately 15,000 individuals were compelled to evacuate because of the conflict from Thursday to Saturday. This includes individuals who were already inhabiting temporary settlements, such as schools, hospitals, and squares in Port-au-Prince, the capital city.
According to analysts, the recent escape of convicted criminals and prominent gang members was a bold and powerful display by the country’s street gangs. This event is crucial for global attempts to support the government and bring stability back to the Caribbean country.
Diego Da Rin, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, believes that we are currently at a crucial moment where various gangs are uniting in an effort to overthrow the government and intimidate politicians who may have left but should not return.
Haiti has fallen into ever deeper chaos and lawlessness since its president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated by Colombian mercenaries in July 2021, making Ariel Henry interim leader.
According to the United Nations, over 8,400 individuals fell victim to violent gang activities in Haiti last year. Hunger has also reached alarming levels in this nation, marked by severe conflicts, and is now considered to be at a “catastrophic” level.
Henry traveled to Nairobi last week as part of his ongoing efforts to recruit 1,000 Kenyan police officers to regain control of the country from armed groups that currently hold three quarters of the capital city.
However, while he was not present, the gangs made a strong statement to the government and international community by carrying out synchronized attacks on Port-au-Prince’s primary international airport, police stations, and major prisons.
On Saturday, it is estimated that over 3,800 prisoners, who have been convicted of crimes such as murder and kidnapping, escaped from the National Penitentiary. Additionally, a group of inmates also managed to flee from the Croix des Bouquets prison, a facility located on the outskirts of the city that is currently housing approximately 1,500 individuals.
On Sunday, Port-au-Prince’s typically overpopulated primary jail, which housed over 25% of Haiti’s imprisoned individuals, was strangely uninhabited and devoid of guards. Plastic sandals, clothing, and furniture were scattered on the concrete patio, and three bodies with gunshot wounds were found at the prison entrance.
In a different community, the lifeless bodies of two males, their hands bound behind their backs, lay on the ground as local residents passed through barricades made of burning tires.
On Sunday, the US embassy in Port-au-Prince urged its citizens to depart Haiti at their earliest convenience, as the French embassy announced the suspension of visa services.
Gang operations that are typically in conflict over land have joined together to carry out a simultaneous attack, which is being viewed as a significant display of strength. This is an effort to prove that they must be communicated with in order to resolve Haiti’s long-standing and complex problems, according to Da Rin’s statement.
He stated that the gangs have demonstrated their ability to control Haiti at any time they desire.
On Sunday, the government declared a curfew in an attempt to reduce the violence. Security forces have promised to use all lawful methods to combat the gangs. However, the country’s police force is at a disadvantage and its president, who is not elected and has low approval ratings, is currently unavailable.
Haiti’s police force number only about 9,000 officers and they are abandoning the force more quickly than it can find new recruits. At least four officers have been killed in the last week.
Henry has consistently urged foreign countries to help the police regain authority over the nation and address its severe human rights crises by sending their own military forces.
According to Ulrika Richardson, the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, the increasing aggression in the country is considered to be inhumane. Roughly 40% of the population, which is equivalent to 4.4 million people, are facing significant food insecurity.
Last week, the West African country Benin proposed sending 2,000 soldiers to the Caribbean. In Nairobi, Henry signed an agreement for a taskforce of approximately 1,000 police officers to be deployed. This decision had initially been halted by the high court of Kenya.
It is unclear if Henry will go back to Haiti or try to control the turmoil from a distance due to the increasing security threat in the country.
Last week, the Prime Minister who was facing challenges, promised to organize elections in 2025. This decision follows criticism from some members of the Caribbean bloc, Caricom, who argued that the unelected leader is hindering efforts for peace.
For over a year, Haiti has not had any democratically elected representatives due to the inability of the Henry administration to successfully conduct new elections.
During Henry’s absence, infamous gang leader Jimmy Chéreizer, also known as Barbecue, has conducted press conferences to assert his own authority.
Last week, the leader of the influential G-9 gang stated that he is now leading a coalition of different Haitian groups who have united to overthrow the corrupt elite in Haiti.
Chérizier informed reporters that they have reinstated the non-aggression agreement known as “Viv Ansanm” – a signal from the gangs that they are able to set aside their conflicts and unite against outside threats.
According to the ex-policeman, the most effective approach to reducing violence in Haiti is not through deploying outside military units, but through negotiating with the gang leaders who hold power in the city.
No other leader of a gang has acknowledged the deal, but the recent violence is a concerning indication that an alliance may be forming. With each passing day, the gangs are solidifying their control over the country.
Da Rin stated that the time frame for foreign forces to intervene is diminishing.
Source: theguardian.com
