Haiti's Crisis: Gangs, Unrest, and the Struggle for Stability
Alex Blackburn | 25 March 2024
Summary
Haiti teeters on the brink of collapse amidst relentless gang violence, with armed factions controlling most of the capital.
Prime Minister's resignation fails to stem unrest, deepening uncertainty as disorder escalates.
Gang leader's rejection of transitional authority underscores distrust, casting doubt on peaceful transition.
Gang violence is not new to Haiti. A state-wide gang war between the G9 Gang and the G-Pep Alliance, raging since 2020, has left a trail of destruction in its path. With close to 4,000 deaths and 400,000 displaced individuals, the conflict has taken a heavy toll on the economically challenged nation. However, the recent surge in violence marks a significant escalation in contrast to the previous gang conflicts. Rather than fighting amongst themselves, the gangs have united under the leadership of Jimmy 'Barbeque' Chérizier, a former police officer and current head of the G9 Gang, launching a series of attacks against government authority. Under the direction of Chérizier, the gangs have coalesced around a single shared objective: the ousting of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Such an objective has proved popular with the Haitian population. In their eyes, Henry’s tenure has been marked by his consistent failure to address the root causes of the nation’s perpetual socio-economic problems, including widespread poverty, lack of access to basic services, and rampant gang violence. The PM has been seen as simply an instrument to serve the interests of the political elite, rather than prioritising the needs of the people, which has further eroded the public’s trust in institutions of authority. This perception of Henry as a symbol of corruption and illegitimacy fuelled public discontent and galvanised support for his removal from office. Driven by the rapidly deteriorating security situation, calls for Henry’s resignation have only grown louder.
In his reluctance to relinquish power, Henry travelled to Kenya to discuss the deployment of a multinational task force to restore order in Haiti. Meanwhile, Chérizier launched a series of assaults on the nation’s capital, razing several police stations and targeting critical civilian infrastructure, notably the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The violence reached such alarming levels that Henry's return to his own country became untenable, forcing him to reroute his journey to the US island territory of Puerto Rico after the Dominican Republic denied him entry. It was at this juncture that the writing on the wall became unmistakably clear for Henry. Succumbing to mounting pressure from United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and the regional trade bloc CARICOM, Henry resigned on the 12th of March. In his place, a transitional authority, consisting of seven voting members representing different powerful institutions of Haitian society, was tasked with overseeing the election of a new prime minister.
Despite the gangs’ apparent achievement of their primary goal, Henry’s resignation, gang violence in the capital continues to persist. Chérizier has rejected the legitimacy of the transitional authority tasked with overseeing the closed election of a new prime minister. Instead, he contends that this body is a mere creation of an international coalition, lacking the mandate of the Haitian people. His refusal to recognise the council’s authority is indicative of the distrust between the gangs and the political elite. However, it is further representative of the Haitian scepticism of international intervention; a deep distrust harking back to the United States’ occupation of the nation in 1915. Chérizier has made previous statements regarding the intervention of international forces in Haiti, declaring that foreign intervention would ‘plunge Haiti in chaos’ and ultimately suggesting that it should be the Haitian people to decide who and what type of government they want. In turn, Chérizier views the decision of the transition authority as a diktat imposed on the Haitian people.
Does this suggest Jimmy Chérizier intends to take power? It is hard to say, considering he is keeping his cards so close to his chest, but taking into consideration the amount of power he currently holds in the Haitian capital, it seems unlikely he would be willing to relinquish all of it. With the gangs signalling their refusal to accept any prime minister chosen by the transitional council, the prospect of a peaceful transition of power appears increasingly remote. In response to this defiance, there are growing indications that an international coalition led by Kenya may intervene to restore peace and reestablish the authority of the police.
The increasingly likely intervention by an international coalition highlights the severity of Haiti’s crisis and the urgent need for decisive action. The intervention will likely face significant challenges, including navigating complex political dynamics and ensuring the buy-in of all stakeholders. This could include placating the gangs and possibly acquiescing to some of their secondary demands. However, in the absence of a concerted effort to address the root causes of gang violence and restore effective governance, Haiti risks descending further into chaos and instability.
Murray Foubister / Flickr
Forecast
Short-term: Violence will most likely continue in the Haitian capital. There have already been accusations that gang leaders have threatened members of the transitional council, which will further encourage an almost certain international intervention to maintain the peace. This becomes particularly likely considering that the United States has already put aside $300 million in funding for the operation.
Long-term: It is difficult to estimate the timescale of this international coalition's operation in Haiti. However, depending on the resistance faced by the international coalition, there cannot be a ruling out of a permanent United Nations Peacekeeping mission from being stationed within the Caribbean nation.