Terrors of Gang Violence in Haiti

By Jiwhang Yoo, We Kids Chronicles

Police officers monitoring a street after gang violence last week in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.Credit...Clarens Siffroy/Agence France-Presse — Getty

 Alongside natural disasters, food insecurity, and low maternal health, gang violence is among the most pressing issues plaguing Haiti today. Haiti’s gang violence originates from the capital of Port-au-Prince, where gang wars have forced 130,000 citizens out of their homes and into makeshift shelters[1]. Two factions, G-pep and G9, struggle to gain supremacy over the capital. A staggering 60% of the city has already fallen under their control[1]. The conflict has since spread to various cities across the country, such as Gonaives and Cap-Haitien. In Bas-Artibonite, clashes between 20 warring gangs have killed almost 1,700 people[2]. Farmers are the prime targets, with gangs occupying their land and receiving hefty taxes in return for access. Moreover, gangs’ plundering of crops from farmlands have rendered 45% of Artibonite’s population food insecure[2]. Apart from the aforementioned actions, Haitian gangs make frequent use of mass killings, kidnappings, destruction of infrastructure, and ambushing public transportation to establish a vice-like grip over their territories. 

   Haiti’s gangs trace their roots back to political leaders in the 1950s, who utilized paramilitary groups to enforce their private interests. The current gang structure can largely be attributed to Jean-Bertrande Aristide, who started armed groups consisting of ex-Haitian soldiers that eventually morphed into gangs. Their ranks expanded massively after a mass-escape of imprisoned gang members following the 2010 earthquake. However, domestic politicians are not the only ones to blame; the actions of international actors have further exacerbated the rise of gangs in Haiti. After the 1981 swine fever outbreak in the neighboring Dominican Republic, concerns grew in the United States and nearby countries of their own pigs getting infected. These countries thus pressured Haitians to kill their pigs, in order to prevent the further spread of disease. The subsequent mass killing of Haiti’s Creole pigs, which were vital financial assets for their owners, culminated in economic instability and the downfall of the local pork industry. The resultant poverty and unemployment drove thousands to join gangs. Yet another factor is the 2021 assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise, which created political instability conducive to gang violence. This has been exacerbated by insufficient law enforcement, which suffers from lack of manpower due to death and resignations. 714 new officers were recruited in December 2022, 60 less than the amount that left in the first 6 months of 2023[1]. 

People looking at the bodies of two men who were shot dead this month amid an escalation in gang violence in Port-au-Prince.Credit...Ralph Tedy Erol/Reuters

   Beyond the terror tactics and loss of life due to fighting, gangs in Haiti have proved disastrous for the nation’s already-low maternal health. Gangs regularly practice rape in addition to killings, with 452 gang-induced rapes occurring between October 2022 and June 2023. Consequently, thousands of rape victims are left without care. In addition, the threat of gang violence leads to closure of medical facilities, leading to less available care for mothers and children. Meanwhile, gangs often block key resources and infrastructure such as fuel terminals, which hamper the operation of medical facilities as well as the provision of necessary resources. As a result, 30,000 pregnant women are unable to access essential healthcare, with a third at risk of experiencing fatal consequences[3]. There has also been a 30% increase in infant malnutrition from 2022 to 2023[4]. 

   Multiple reforms must be implemented to alleviate the ill-effects of Haiti’s gang violence, among them being a judicial system with the expertise and legal power necessary to bring gangs to justice. Cracking down on arms trafficking and gang finances through arms seizures and stronger border control are imperative. Equally important is the staffing, training, and equipping of law enforcement to combat gangs, coupled with enhanced applicant screening to prevent infiltration. Yet as such measures take time and effort to put into practice, more immediate forms of security aid are necessary. An example of such aid is the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s recent multinational support mission, involving the deployment of thousands of police officers to Haiti[5]. In addition to suppressing gangs themselves, efforts must be directed towards assisting their victims. Mobile clinics for education, medical care, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) vaccination would be one way to support local communities decimated by gangs. Essential resources, such as food and power supply for infrastructure, must also be provided with exigency. 

[1] AP News

[2] CNN

[3] United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

[4] United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

[5] UN