The capital of Haiti was brought to a standstill by intense gunfire on Thursday, after a prominent gang leader threatened to apprehend the police chief and government officials.
The decision was made while Prime Minister Ariel Henry was away in Kenya, working to finalize plans for a foreign military presence in Haiti to aid in the fight against gang activity.
Gunmen shot at Haiti’s main international airport and other targets in a wave of violence that caught many people by surprise, forcing businesses, government agencies and schools to close early as parents and young children fled through the streets in panic. At least one airline, Sunrise Airways, suspended all flights.
Jimmy Chérizier, a former police officer turned gang leader known as “Barbecue”, was seen in a recorded video announcing that the aim was to tie up the police chief and government ministers and prevent Henry from returning to Haiti.
He declared, “Together with our firearms and the support of the Haitian community, we will liberate the nation.”
Unfortunately, a representative from the prime minister’s office was not available for immediate response. Frantz Elbé, the leader of Haiti’s national police, and police spokesperson Garry Desrosiers did not respond to requests for comment.
It was uncertain whether other major gangs in control of approximately 80% of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, were supporting Chérizier’s group, known as G9 Family and Allies.
Diego Da Rin, with the International Crisis Group, noted that Barbecue in his speech referred to a coalition called Viv Ansanm, which means “living together” in Haitian Creole. The coalition was created last year as part of a peace pact between Barbecue’s federation and another powerful gang called G-Pep and had as a main goal to bring down Henry’s administration.
Unfortunately, the partnership fell apart shortly after its declaration. Da Rin also stated that it is uncertain whether Barbecue truly has the backing of other gang leaders.
Da Rin expressed uncertainty about the credibility of Barbecue’s information, citing the volatile nature of gang rivalries and alliances. They questioned if these groups could unite and cooperate for an extended period of time without facing significant obstacles.
Although, he observed that armed assailants executed organized assaults in Port-au-Prince and other areas of Haiti on Thursday. Along with the assault on the primary international airport, the gunmen also ignited a police station in the center of Port-au-Prince.
The assaults occurred the day after a meeting between Henry and Caribbean leaders in Guyana. The leaders stated that Henry promised to schedule general elections by the middle of 2025, marking the third time he has set such a timeline after previous pledges in 2022 and 2023. Haiti currently has no elected officials, with Henry assuming the role of prime minister with support from the global community following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
Henry traveled from Guyana to Kenya with the intention of progressing the implementation of Kenyan police officers in Haiti. While a court in Kenya previously deemed the deployment unconstitutional, Henry and Kenyan representatives have been collaborating on an agreement that would permit the arrival of the forces in Haiti at an expedited rate.
According to Da Rin, it has always been a concern that as talks continue and the mission’s objective becomes more attainable, the gangs may attempt to assert their dominance and dissuade the troops from their mission.
The Haitian government issued a statement indicating that Henry arrived in Kenya on Thursday, with no mention of his return date to Haiti.
Source: theguardian.com
