Several masked people stand in front of a burning barricade in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince. (picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS / Matias Delacroix)
What is happening in Haiti?
Armed gangs have been spreading violence across the country for days. They attacked police stations and stormed prisons. Hundreds of prisoners were able to escape, including serious criminals. Shots were also fired at the airport and, according to media reports, the gangs also attacked several government buildings.
It is estimated that 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince is controlled by gangs. The Haitian government has declared a state of emergency for a month. A nighttime curfew applies until Monday.
The chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Haiti, Mesidor, fears a civil war. The police are powerless against the gangs, and in some regions armed vigilante groups have been formed to fight the gangs.
What is the humanitarian situation in Haiti?
According to the International Organization for Migration, there is a lack of food, water and healthcare. The health system is on the verge of collapse. People practically no longer have the opportunity to move freely because they are threatened by violence everywhere, a doctor from “Doctors Without Borders” told the KNA news agency. The situation is becoming increasingly catastrophic, especially for girls and women. “They are threatened with rape if they just go out on the streets.”
What are the reasons for the outbreak of violence?
The violence escalated at the start of Prime Minister Henry’s trip abroad. Two of the main armed groups have joined forces and laid siege to the main airport to prevent the head of government from returning. They demand Henry’s resignation.
Henry was supposed to leave office at the beginning of February, but has agreed with the opposition to govern together until new elections within twelve months.
What responsibility does the USA bear for the situation?
Prime Minister Henry took over the reins of government in 2021 following the assassination of Haitian President Moïse. The population was against it, but the government of US President Biden supported Henry. The former US ambassador to Haiti, Foley, has sharply criticized the US actions. “They totally screwed up,” Foley said of the U.S. government’s support for Henry.
The Haitian author Monique Clesca also sees the USA as responsible. The crisis is largely due to the stubborn support of the USA for Henry. Clesca is part of a group of civil society, business and political representatives who are pushing to replace Henry with an oversight board of non-political technocrats. But so far, Henry has shown no willingness to give up his power, and the US government continues to stand by Henry.
What could a solution look like?
The United Nations is planning an international police mission for Haiti led by Kenya. Kenya to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti. Prime Minister Henry traveled to Kenya to prepare for this mission.
The USA has also asked Henry to create the conditions for the deployment of an international mission in Haiti. This is intended to pave the way to free and fair elections.
This message was sent on March 10, 2024 on the Deutschlandfunk program.