On Monday August 1st, 2022, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) published a report on the wave of deadly violence that erupted from April 24 and May 16, in the North and West of the metropolitan area involving two coalitions of gangs fighting to take control of specific areas of the communes of Cité Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets and Tabarre.

The BINUH investigation found that "in less than three weeks, at least 94 residents were killed, more than 120 were injured by gunfire and 12 others disappeared. In addition, at least 96 gang members were killed or wounded. Dozens of cases of sexual violence were also reported. Besides, nearly 16,000 people were forced to flee their homes to take refuge in makeshift sites or in the home of relatives."

"Armed with assault rifles, but also with machetes and gas cans, gangs spared no one. Women and children as young as one year old, were executed and their bodies burned. Young teenagers, accused of spying for the opposite side, were shot in public spaces. Rape against women and girls, some of whom were less than 10 years old, was used as a weapon to terrorize and take revenge on the local populations living in neighborhoods controlled by rival gangs."

According to the report, the criminal groups responsible for these acts of violence, known as "Chen Mechan" and "400 Mawozo", with the support of their respective allies, the "G9 in family and allies" and the " G-Pèp”, showed their ability to carry out simultaneous and coordinated attacks in several districts of the capital.

The report also points out that coalitions between gangs are not new to Port-au-Prince as they had become a major issue during the administration of President Jovenel Moïse. "This latest wave of armed violence in Cité Soleil, Croix-des-Bouquets and Tabarre illustrates that it is continuing and has even intensified with the probable involvement of political and economic actors, even former elements of the police, already at work at the time."

In this context, mentions the BINUH report, although the Haitian police rapidly carried out operations within the affected areas, it could only adopt a reactive posture to curb armed violence, due to its lack of means and the high level of armament among gangs.

BINUH points out that while the judicial police opened investigations fairly quickly into the abuses committed against the population, "the judiciary has not yet taken the necessary steps to initiate judicial proceedings. This leads to believe that these crimes are likely to remain unpunished."

HL/ HaitiLibre