Amid recent violence and deadly clashes between armed gangs and police in Haiti over the last week or so, the leader of a gang alliance, Jimmy Chérizier, also known as “Barbeque,” has asked temporarily exiled Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign or threatened to plunge the Caribbean country into civil war. Since Saturday (March 2), armed gang members have stormed Haiti’s main jails, freeing up to 4,000 criminals who have wreaked havoc in the capital Port-au-Prince and now control significant swathes of the country. This came just days after Chérizier, a former police officer turned gang boss who leads an alliance of gangs, urged criminal groups to band together and overthrow the Prime Minister. The 46-year-old gang leader was previously an officer of the Haitian National Police force.
Chérizier allegedly participated in many massacres while serving as a police officer
According to the United Nations, Chérizier allegedly participated in many massacres while serving as a police officer, including one that killed more than 70 people in 2018 after over 400 homes in the capital’s La Saline area were set on fire. The 46-year-old is one of five gang bosses facing penalties from the UN and the United States. According to Reuters, Chérizier grew up in Port-au-Prince’s Delmas neighbourhood. In 2020, he joined together nine capital-area gangs to form the G9 Family and Allies, which he leads. The G9 coalition garnered international headlines when it grabbed control of Haiti’s main gasoline port following President Jovenel Moise’s killing in 2021. The gang alliance essentially held the country hostage with this move which led to the halting of transport and hospitals losing their energy supplies. The blockade ended over a month later.
Henry, who assumed power after the assassination of Haiti’s last president, was supposed to step down in February. However, when he did not, deadly protests seeking his ouster erupted in the country’s capital last month. “If Ariel Henry doesn’t resign, if the international community continues to support him, we’ll be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide,” Chérizier told reporters in Port-au-Prince. He added, “Either Haiti becomes a paradise or a hell for all of us. It’s out of the question for a small group of rich people living in big hotels to decide the fate of people living in working-class neighbourhoods.”
Henry stated that Haitians require peace, security, work, and the freedom to roam across the country
In early February, thousands of Haitians flocked to the streets to protest the incumbent Prime Minister’s undemocratic administration and demand his resignation. This came after Henry committed to step down on February 7. Notably, Haitian presidents have usually been sworn into office on this date. In December 2022, he signed a non-binding agreement to resign by February 7, 2024, but has subsequently urged that security conditions be restored for free and fair elections. “I believe the time has come for everyone to work together to save Haiti and do things differently in our country,” Henry stated on February 8 amid protests.
Henry stated that Haitians require peace, security, work, and the freedom to roam across the country, and vowed to organize general elections as soon as the country’s security difficulties were overcome. Thousands of inmates have escaped in the six days since the outbreak of renewed unrest in Haiti, and armed gang members have besieged government buildings in the capital, including two airports, police stations, and a port. Armed gangs attempted to take over the Toussaint Louverture International Airport on Monday (March 4) and again on Tuesday (March 5), although it is unclear whether they were successful. Meanwhile, Henry emerged in Puerto Rico, a US territory, on Tuesday following his brief abduction from the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, refused permission for his plane to land.
On Wednesday (March 6), Santo Domingo revealed that officials from Washington and Port-au-Prince had unofficially requested that Henry’s jet make an “indefinite stopover” in their country, which they stated was not possible. Dominican officials have stated that they will assist in the restoration of normalcy in Haiti, but that “any action taken must not jeopardize our national security.” Meanwhile, Washington has stated that, while it would not urge the current Haitian Prime Minister to resign, it has requested him to rapidly develop a plan for transitioning to a democratic government. “We are not calling on him or pushing for him to resign, but we are urging him to expedite the transition,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Wednesday.
Earlier this week, Henry travelled to Kenya to save the proposed security operation in the country
The humanitarian situation in Haiti has been deteriorating for a long time before the recent surge of violence. The number of individuals reported slain climbed by more than 110 per cent in 2023, with at least 4,789 lives lost, according to a UN report released in January. The UN also recorded indiscriminate killings and kidnappings committed by gang members, as well as violations like frequent rape, torture, and arson. According to the UN, over 36,000 people have been displaced within the country since the beginning of the year, with 1,200 killed and almost 700 injured. On Wednesday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for the “immediate deployment, with no further delay” of the proposed security force, saying that “the circumstances are beyond untenable for the people of Haiti.”
Earlier this week, Henry travelled to Kenya to save the proposed security operation in the country, which would be led by the East African nation and supported by the UN. Meanwhile, the Dominican Republic has reinforced its border and stated that it will not establish refugee camps for escaping Haitians. “Armed gangs forced us out of our homes. They destroyed our homes, and now we’re on the streets,” Nicolas, who is living in a camp, told Reuters, adding that sleeping in such confined quarters made him feel like an animal. According to Plan International, a human rights organization, around 30% to 50% of gang members are minors. “Each passing day brings new deprivations and horrors to the people of Haiti,” he added UNICEF chief Catherine Russell. She added, “The Haitian population is caught in the crossfire.”