In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a wave of intense demonstrations took place on Sunday as protesters ascended the hills of the capital. Their collective demand was towards the cessation of incessant gang violence, alongside calls for the resignations of the nation’s prime minister and transitional presidential council. This protest is one of many, reflecting the mounting discontent and agitation over a dramatic rise in violence attributed to gangs striving to dominate Port-au-Prince.
Amidst the crowds was Eric Jean, a 42-year-old bus driver, who wore a large Haitian flag as a cape. “Security is all the Haitian people are asking for,” remarked Jean, underscoring the dire situation where more neighborhoods are lost, lives are endangered, and people are forced from their homes. Joining the protest was Marc Étienne, who recounted how gangs devastated his small enterprise and left him homeless, now residing in a cramped and dilapidated camp similar to those of thousands displaced after gangs ravaged their communities. Étienne called for a transformation in governance, holding current leadership responsible for the relentless violence and the rising number of children enlisting in gangs. “Haiti cannot be controlled among friends,” he expressed, criticizing the council for inaction.
This recent demonstration followed a large gathering a day earlier in remembrance of community leaders killed in clashes with gangs. Chants of “Freedom or death” echoed as mourners, led by community members of Canapé-Vert, honored those fallen. Clad in black with weapons in hand, videos on social media showed leaders demanding justice, their faces masked against gang retaliation, while mourners rallied, fists aloft, responding fiercely to a call from the stage asserting that the fight was just beginning.
Canapé-Vert, a neighborhood still resisting gang takeovers that engulf approximately 85% of the capital, remains significant. It’s known for its strong community organization, partly driven by discontented police officers. In April, Canapé-Vert leaders orchestrated a protest that turned tumultuous as they demanded the resignation of the nation’s leaders.
The demonstrations underscore Haiti’s deepening crisis, marked by gun violence that has claimed over 1,600 lives and injured upwards of 580 between January and March alone. The UN’s recent report highlighted a March incident where a collective of armed civilians successfully expelled gang members occupying a Catholic school, a rare triumph in the ongoing struggle against gangs supported by political and elite circles. Last year’s toll was even higher, with more than 5,600 fatalities attributed to gang violence nationwide.
The violence has also led to mass displacement, with over a million Haitians left homeless in recent years. Recently, gunmen have targeted previously calm neighborhoods, plotting proximity attacks to strategic areas like Pétion-Ville, home to vital institutions like banks and embassies. An assault in February on Delmas 30 rendered 21 men dead and eight wounded in a mass shooting, while another attack near the French embassy claimed 30 lives, predominantly targeting commuters in minibusses. Victims included at least 15 families of police officers. Attacks have been brutal and indiscriminate, creating widespread panic.
While Haiti’s National Police receive backing from a U.N.-supported mission by Kenyan police, their efforts remain hindered by insufficient funding and personnel, with only 1,000 field agents out of a planned 2,500. In an attempt to curb gang influence, the U.S. government recently designated two powerful gang coalitions as foreign terror groups. However, critics voice concerns that such measures might complicate the operations of aid organizations, compelled to navigate gang negotiations to deliver essential resources to people in need.