Gang Violence in Haiti

For many years, Haiti has been troubled by the influence of violent militant gangs both in the capital city and over the government. Violence has this week reached a peak, with travel difficult, basic foodstuffs hard to resource, and much of the population afraid to leave their homes.?

Background to Gang Violence

Prime Minister Ariel Henry took power in 2021 after the assassination of President Jovenel Mo?se. Mo?se had won Haiti’s last democratic election, in November 2016. He had appointed Henry to the premiership, and the latter remained in charge of the executive without a president. ?

Violent crime, including murder, arson and sexual assault, as well as extortion, increased dramatically under the premiership of Henry. State institutions were non-operational, and the economy had failed, leaving organised crime as the only system that appeared to function. Militant groups and gang violence flourished.

Henry has led an emergency government, prioritising the restoration of state control from the approximately 300 armed gangs that are active across the country. However, he had no democratic mandate. He has repeatedly postponed elections, despite having promised to hold them this year, stating that security conditions have not been right. This has made him increasingly unpopular.

As state influence has reduced, power has been increasingly held in the hands of armed militant groups, who control much of the country and as much as 80% of the capital. G-Pèp and G9 are two of the largest gangs fighting for influence over Port-au-Prince. Any delivery of international aid has necessitated bargaining with local gang leaders.?

Kidnap-for-ransom is a key fundraising operation: around 1,000 local nationals were kidnapped last year (including the secretary-general of the national High Transition Council in October). Healthcare staff have mostly left for fear of being kidnapped.

Latest Developments

In late January, Kenya’s high court blocked the planned UN-backed deployment of police officers to Haiti that Nairobi was going to lead. The international operation, involving 1,000 officers, was to help bring Haiti gang violence under control.

Prime Minister Henry left Haiti in February to attend a CARICOM summit in Guyana and then to discuss the deployment issue with the Kenyan government in Nairobi. In his absence, on 29 February two leading gangs (working in cooperation in Port-au-Prince) began to attack critical infrastructure (including the airport), to break into jails, and to attack police stations. Over 5,000 prisoners were released, and over 20 state buildings looted. International diplomats evacuated as violence increased exponentially.

Marooned in Puerto Rico, Ariel Henry resigned on Monday evening.

Expected Developments

To some extent, this appears to be a coup against an increasingly-autocratic leader. But there is no obvious plan for a new government. The main figure on the militant side is Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue”, who is currently leading the cooperating gangs in Port-au-Prince. He has been making increasingly political statements against Henry, and last week demanded participation in the process of replacing him.

The international community has demanded the appointment of a new governing council by the end of Thursday. It is likely that gang leaders, potentially Chérizier, will have a representation on this council.

Transport and healthcare infrastructure will continue to be disrupted.

Situation Now

The airport remains closed on Wednesday, although it has recently been reported that the militants who had taken control of it are no longer present. Otherwise, since the announcement of Ariel Henry’s resignation on Monday, there have been no militant attacks on government offices or police stations, and there is currently a tentative calm in Port-au-Prince, with most of the population remaining at home for safety, despite the desperate state of the economy and the lack of basic food. A night-time curfew is in place until Thursday. ???????????

Risks to Travellers

Personal injury: violent crime is rife throughout Haiti, and there are no checks on armed militants seeking to inflict injury for a seemingly minor robbery.

Kidnap: organised criminal gangs will kidnap any Western national in order to make a ransom demand.

Travel disruption: the airport is currently closed, private charter providers do not wish to fly to Haiti, militants have occupied the port, and there are roadblocks set up on major routes. Despite restrictions, some security providers are able to oversee evacuation through the land border into the Dominican Republic.

Operational disruption: most state utilities are non-operational, and many basic foodstuffs are very difficult to obtain.

Security Advice

• Reconsider all travel to Haiti.
• Seek evacuation at the earliest opportunity, most realistically through the land border into the Dominican Republic.
• Remain indoors at all times.
• Avoid any travel near attractive targets for gang violence: police stations, state infrastructure, major transport centres.

For information on evacuation from Haiti, please contact [email protected]

For more analysis and assessment, please contact [email protected]?????????

by Jamie Thomson, MSyI , Head of Risk Analysis, NGS

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