Port-au-Prince: At least 12 people were killed in violence-affected Haiti as armed gangs attacked two wealthy neighbourhoods in the capital Port-Au-Prince in a rampage, looting homes in some communities and forcing residents to flee as some called for law enforcement to quell the situation. The neighbourhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on February 29.
There were also reports of theft of electrical equipment, including cables, inverters, batteries and other items that cut the power supply as lawlessness spread to affluent areas and gangs tightened their grip on the city in their 'war' against the government. Haitians reported gunfire and looting on Monday morning in the nearby area of Laboule and Thomassin.
"Abuse! This is abuse!" cried out one Haitian man who did not want to be identified as he raised his arms and stood near one of the victims strewn on the streets. "People of Haiti! Wake up!" An ambulance arrived shortly afterward and made its way through Pétionville, collecting the victims.
"We woke up this morning to find bodies in the street in our community of Pétionville," said Douce Titi, who works at the mayor's office. "Ours is not that kind of community. We will start working to remove those bodies before the children start walking by to go to school and the vendors start to arrive."
What is happening in Haiti?
Armed gangs who have been increasing their power in recent years took advantage of the absence earlier this month of Prime Minister Ariel Henry to escalate violence, attacking infrastructure including police stations and government offices. Gangs have long opposed Henry and sought to oust him, blaming him for the deepening poverty in the country.
Under international pressure and stranded in Puerto Rico, the unelected Henry announced his resignation pending the appointment of a council and temporary replacement a week ago, but the transition council has yet to be appointed amid disagreements by some of the groups putting forward representatives. Gangs have warned of a "battle" for Haiti and threatened politicians who join the transition council.
The gangs blaming Henry for deepening poverty in Haiti say he was never elected by the people, but critics of gangs accuse them of trying to seize power for themselves or for unidentified Haitian politicians. Meanwhile, the deployment of a UN-backed Kenyan police force to fight gangs in Haiti has been delayed, with the East African country saying it would wait until the transitional council is established.
Haiti has lacked elected representatives since early 2023 and its next elections will be the first since 2016. Henry, who many Haitians consider corrupt, had repeatedly postponed elections, saying security must first be restored. Regional leaders met on Monday in nearby Jamaica to discuss the framework for a political transition, which the US had urged last week to be "expedited" as armed gangs sought to topple his government.
Large-scale evacuations amid deepening crisis
A US State Department spokesperson said the council's membership could be finalised "very soon," and that an update could come later on Monday. Local media reported Haiti's Catholic Church would not participate in the council, as had been previously expected, in order to maintain a "moral distance," although it was quoted as saying that it hoped all sectors would seek a resolution to the crisis.
The United Nations and US and Canadian embassies have withdrawn staff this month. The Dominican Republic - which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti - evacuated dozens of its citizens by helicopter, while the Philippines' PNA state news agency said it would repatriate at least 63 of 115 nationals and was looking for options such as chartering a flight.
Around 17,000 people left the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area last week, according to UN estimates. Many of those had already been displaced. Plans for an international intervention, which Haiti's government requested in 2022 and was ratified by the UN nearly six months ago, remain on hold.
A bloody history
In Haiti, gang leader Cherizier has threatened to go after hotel owners hiding politicians or collaborating with Henry. He demanded that the country's next leader be chosen by the people and live in Haiti, alongside their families. Many influential Haitian political figures live abroad. "We're not in a peaceful revolution. We are making a bloody revolution in the country because this system is an apartheid system, a wicked system," Cherizier said.
Henry first requested an international security force in 2022, but countries have been slow to offer support, with some raising doubts over the legitimacy of Henry's unelected government amid widespread protests. Many in Haitian communities and abroad are wary of international interventions after previous UN missions left behind a devastating cholera epidemic and sex abuse scandals, for which reparations were never made.
Mike Ballard, intelligence director at security firm Global Guardian, said if gangs take control of ports and airports, they would be in charge of humanitarian aid to the country, adding that he did not believe Kenyan forces would effectively police or maintain peace. "Countries with actual stakes in the region will need to step up and help shore up security," he said, pointing to the United States, neighbouring Dominican Republic and other CARICOM members.
(with inputs from agencies)
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