London – Over the last couple of weeks, thousands upon thousands of people have had to flee the Haitian capital city, Port-au-Prince, from the continuous violence that is taking place.
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation for Haiti, Marisela Silva, said that almost 90% of Port-au-Prince, the capital, was now controlled by or under the influence of armed groups.
This is due to poor governance as well as an increased level of gang violence that is leading to an almost total collapse in society and the deprivation of people’s human rights.
Former policeman, Jimmy Chérizier, also known as “Barbecue,” has emerged as a central figure in Haiti’s tumultuous descent into lawlessness and violence.
At the height of the violence last month, Barbecue’s influence was amplified when he insisted on the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Prime Minister Henry had not been allowed back into Haiti after leaving in late January for visits to Guyana and Kenya, where he had signed a deal on the deployment of Kenyan policemen to help quell the violence.
He resigned on 12 March 2024, after violent heavily armed gangs torched police stations, forced the closure of Haiti’s two international airports, and stormed two of Haiti’s biggest prisons freeing thousands of dangerous prisoners.
Barbecue, who leads the G9 Family and Allies coalition, says he considers Kenyan police as aggressors and vows to resist them should they be deployed to Haiti.
So brazen has Barbecue become that he has publicly stated that no peace can be achieved without his involvement.
He, however, denies that he earned the moniker “Barbecue” due to accusations he set people on fire.
Instead, he says his mother was a street vendor who sold fried chicken, and that’s how he was nicknamed “Barbecue.”
Haiti’s Caribbean Community mooted transitional council is yet to take shape as it has largely been mired in controversy about who sits on it and what powers it will have.
A report published by the UN calls for “immediate and bold action to tackle the cataclysmic situation,” which is unfolding day after day.
Meanwhile, many of those who have fled have been heading to the south, which cannot deal with the influx of people as it is still devastated by the 2021 Haiti earthquake.
Furthermore, the State University of Haiti hospital was attacked on Monday as armed men tried to use it as their main command centre.
It is an ever-worsening situation, as healthcare in the country is already on the brink of crumbling.
What is more, the armed groups control the port, so access to and delivery of medical goods is far from possible.
Aid operations in the capital have also been obstructed by ambushes along key access routes.
Even the international airport has been closed due to the ongoing violence as foreigners are being evacuated by helicopters.
Armed groups are launching attacks on schools, hospitals, banks, businesses, and so much more, and even the national library was raided in the heart of the capital, as well as attacks on rural areas.
Moreover, gangs are using sexual violence to spread fear and control, according to a report published by the UN.
“During gang attacks, several women and girls have been subjected to rape, including collective rape, in their homes, often after having witnessed the killing of their husbands.”
The situation in Haiti is worrying, and the humanitarian situation could deteriorate even further as people struggle to access water, food, and basic services at all.
With the risk of cholera increasing and with no safe water, there is no hygiene management, which is a huge issue.
The council issued an official statement promising to restore “public and democratic order,” but nothing has been done yet.
All the while, the violence continues unabated.
