UN police mission reviving some hope in gang-ravaged Haiti

By Jean-Charles Putzolu and Lisa Zengarini

The first three months of 2024 were the most violent recorded in Haiti since 2022. This year alone over 2,000 people have been killed so far in gang-related violence, while 5 million people, that is half its population, are directly threatened by food insecurity.

The poorest country of the Americas plunged further into chaos after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise three years ago, with gangs taking over most of its capital Port-au-Price and controlling other parts of its territory.  Since the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry in March this year, the situation has stabilized.

On June 12, a new prime minister, Garry Conille, was tasked with forming a transitional government and organizing elections before February 2026.  This first step was followed two weeks later by the long-awaited deployment of the first contingent of Kenyan police forces forming the UN-backed multinational security mission.

Still critical situation

Though Haiti is no longer in the headlines, the overall situation in the island nation remains critical. However, the  UN peacekeeping mission has aroused some hope for an improvement as confirmed to Vatican News by Father Claudy Duclervil, director of Radio Télé Soleil in Port-au-Prince.

Speaking to Jean Charles Puzolu the Haitian priest said that since the deployment of the first contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers on June 25, the gangs have retreated a little, although there are certain areas where they still rule the law forcing many people to leave their homes and belongings and to live on the street.  

They also still control the main road arteries of the capital, making it difficult to move from one part of the city to the other. “In the old town of Port-au-Prince, there is practically no life left. The gangs have razed almost everything to the ground”, he said. Their objective, he explained, is “to create chaos” so they can carry out their illegal activities, such as drug or organ trafficking.

Asked about where the gangs get their heavy firearms (including machine guns),  Fr. Duclervil said that inquiries have shown that they are also smuggled from abroad.

Ongoing insecurity

According to the Haitian priest it is unlikely that Prime Minister Conille’s recent call on gangs to lay down their weapons will be heeded. In this context of ongoing insecurity, Fr. Duclervil explained, Haitian citizens are unwilling to give in the arms they have to defend themselves. “Gangs have been merciless against the population and sometimes we wonder  for what purpose.”

Fr. Duclervil told Vatican News that, following the deployment of the first UN contingent, in recent days there has been a resurgence of violence in some neighbourhoods in an attempt by gangs to use the population as human shields against the police forces.

Deployment of UN police forces offers a glimmer of hope

However, there are a few hopeful signs: “Police have become much more present, and this is beginning to give a little hope to the population,” Fr. Duclervil said.

According to the Haitian priest, there are reasons to hope that by the end of the year, things will improve: “The Haitian people are a people who know how to fight, who have experienced difficult situations throughout their existence. We have experienced extremely difficult and complicated situations, but we always got back on our feet. So we hope to get through this.”

Church continues to stand by the Haitian people

The Church that has also paid a heavy toll to the violence,  continues to stand by the suffering Haitian people and to bring the hope of the Gospel: “Priests who live in extremely difficult neighbourhoods occupied by gangs, stay in their parish. They don’t abandon their parishioners," Fr. Duclervil said.