THE PLUNDERING OF RIGAUD HAITI

Every day almost someone will stop and ask, “How is it going in Haiti?”

We are updating the public often and strive to bring new information as available. It is horrible to say that darkness, despair, and hunger have become the standard.

The situation is worse than horrible. We are still working with our 2000 kids, providing education, a sense of safety, and school and family meals.

What the kids need is more people who put an act on top of their caring.

You are asked to text lunch to 71777 to start an act of kindness on your mobile or visit www.starofhope.us where one can easily give food or even tools so they can grow their food.

This is an ask, a proverbial knock on the door, and a challenge:

?

If you care you can give a kid a meal. Right?

?

Here is our last report titled “One of our schools is lost.”

Star of Hope’s school in Rigaud has welcomed children for 35 years and has evolved into our finest project in Haiti. Now, it's under the control of the mafia. When the gang “400 Mawozo” entered the area, they left only devastation, havoc, and ruin.

The telephone mast has been torn down, the hospital has shut down, and the marketplace is destroyed. Pastor Samson's church, built in 2013 by our parent organization, Tent Mission stands deserted. The terror in Rigaud has driven 90 percent of families to flee their homes.

Tony Boursiquot, field manager for Star of Hope Haiti, describes the situation like this:

"The criminal gangs have occupied the school grounds, looted everything of value, and smashed what they didn't want to steal. The schoolyard gate lies overturned. Broken furniture, torn schoolbooks, and smashed plates are scattered across the schoolyard where children used to play. Our sponsored children have seen their homes seized, looted, or burned down! They have been traumatized by witnessing loved ones being murdered before their eyes!"

BACKGROUND: HAITI'S DESCENT INTO CHAOS

Non-existent army. Since 1804, Haiti has experienced 32 military coups. In 1994, to put an end to this, Haiti's military was dissolved. In 2017, the decision was reversed, but the rebuilding was slow. Meanwhile, the police force is small compared to the population. In practice, Haiti's criminal gangs today constitute the strongest armed group in the country.

Presidential assassination. The elected president, Jovenel Mo?se, was assassinated in his home by foreign mercenaries in 2021. Since then, the country has been without a president and is governed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, pending repeatedly postponed presidential elections. Henry just resigned at this writing and chose Economy and Finance Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert as the interim prime minister.

Faltering democracy. There has been no presidential election in Haiti since 2016. Haiti is supposed to have 119 elected representatives in Congress and 30 in the Senate. The last representative left office in January 2023, so today Haiti has 0 elected politicians.

Occupied capital. Haiti's power vacuum has been exploited by criminal groups who have taken over cities and blocked roads. 80 percent of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, is currently controlled by criminal gangs. The government has abandoned the city.

Soaring prices. Anarchy affects society's most basic functions. When the gang coalition G-9 seized the Varreux fuel terminal in the fall of 2022, the price of gasoline rose to 157 kronor per liter. 80% of Haiti's population lives on less than 20 kronor per day. So, the price equals a month's income for 4 liters of gasoline.

Famine. Every other child in Haiti can't even count on having a meal a day. Poverty is greatest in rural areas, but currently, it's the city dwellers who suffer the most from food shortages. Food is produced in rural areas and can no longer be transported because of gang roadblocks.

A kidnapping every three hours. In 2023 alone, 3,000 kidnappings occurred in Haiti. They have become a major source of income for the gangs. Even our field manager, Tony Boursiquot, has a price on his head. The criminals believe they can demand a high ransom on his head because he works for a foreign organization. They keep an eye out for his car and its registration number, so Tony travels between our schools on a motorcycle and changes vehicles along the way.

Delays concerning a UN intervention.

The UN planned to send a peacekeeping force to Haiti, led by Kenya, but Kenya's highest court announced in January that it would be unconstitutional to send Kenyan police to Haiti. Because of this, the UN intervention has been postponed.

Street protests. In February, schools have been closed all over Haiti during nationwide strikes and street protests, organized by former rebel leader Guy Philipe.

The threat of civil war. The demonstrators demand that Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign and hand over power to a transitional government that seriously combats the gangs. "If he refuses to resign, the population seems to support Guy Philippe in carrying out an armed revolution, aimed at both the authorities and the criminal gangs," says Tony Boursiquot.

Terror against civilians. The gangs terrorize the civilian population in the areas where they have influence. Pastor Jean Samson Pierre in Rigaud says:

"The gangs' rampage, is characterized by murder, theft, kidnappings, rapes, and summary executions. They arm themselves with rifles and machine guns, weapons intended for war. They also have knives, machetes, axes, and containers filled with gasoline that they use to set fire to vehicles and residential buildings."

Burglaries and rapes.

One of the sponsored children who left Rigaud in time, before the plundering, is named Dashna.

"Gang members began breaking into families' homes at night," she says. "They tied up the men with rope so they could rape their wives and daughters. We were afraid of becoming their next victims. One day, my parents decided to leave the house and everything we owned." Dashna and her family made their way to Star of Hopes school in the village of Boyer, further north in the country.

The struggle continues. Star of Hope operates 6 other schools in Haiti. All are in rural areas, out of reach of gang violence. We continue to work on education, water projects, tool libraries, livestock distribution, and seed distribution. We are hopeful, that the UN peacekeeping force will soon arrive and succeed in restoring order in the country. When the security situation permits, we want to return to Rigaud to rebuild our project anew.

ABOUT OUR WORK IN HAITI

Star of Hope is one of the few development organizations still operating on-site. We have been doing so for 46 years. We are responsible for seven school projects in Haiti: six in rural villages and one in the suburb of Rigaud outside Port-au-Prince. It's the school in Rigaud that has come under attack by the gangs.

?

ABOUT OUR WORK IN RIGAUD

Star of Hope has been on-site in Rigaud since 1989. Over 5,000 children have received their education thanks to our school. We have also distributed livestock and financed well drilling, water pumps, and water purification systems. After the 2010 earthquake, the school area in Rigaud was rebuilt with new school buildings, a kitchen, dining hall, library, computer room, water kiosk, handwashing station, and playground.

?

HAITI'S LATEST CRISES

2010: Earthquake with up to 300,000 casualties.

2016: Hurricane disaster. 600 dead and 140,000 homeless.

2020: Pandemic paralyzes the country.

2021: President Mo?se is assassinated.

2021: Earthquake with 2,300 casualties.

2023: Nationwide flooding.

2024: Anarchy and famine.

2024: Gang rule

Please take action, then you can tell others how it is going in Haiti!

3 ways to take action.

1 pick your food or tools on www.starofhope.us

2 text lunch to 71777

3 scan code to give a lunch and or become a crowdfunding expert easily.

Rich Blessings to you and your family!

Star of Hope

#HaitiCrisis #HaitiEmergency #HaitiDisaster #HaitiInCrisis #HaitiRelief #HaitiAid #HelpHaiti #SupportHaiti #HaitiRecovery #HaitiStrong #StandWithHaiti #HopeForHaiti #HaitiResilience #HaitiRebuild #HaitiSolidarity #PrayForHaiti #SOSHaiti #HaitiHumanitarian #HaitiHelpNeeded #HaitiSupport #HaitiAppeal