Carrefour-Feuilles : 8 armed men shot dead by police
August 27, 2023
In a large-scale operation conducted by the police forces last Saturday in Carrefour-Feuilles, eight individuals suspected to belong to the Grand Ravine gang were neutralized. Authorities simultaneously managed to confiscate several firearms during this decisive intervention in the fight against crime.
However, this action comes following a week of tension during which the gang, under the leadership of Ti Lapli, spread terror in the locality, leaving behind a toll of dead and injured individuals.
The situation had reached a critical point in the middle of the week when heavily armed individuals affiliated with Ti Lapli’s gang launched attacks in various neighborhoods of Carrefour-Feuilles. Their actions resulted in deaths and injuries among the defenseless civilian population. Faced with this imminent threat, many residents were forced to leave their homes to escape this wave of deadly violence.
Haiti violence: gang guns down churchgoers protesting against criminals
Rights groups say churchgoers were killed and wounded as they marched in order to rid the area of gang members
The Guardian - At least seven people were killed in Haiti, a rights group said, after a powerful gang that controls a northern suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, opened fire with machine guns on a protest organised by a Christian church leader.
Haitian rights group CARDH director Gedeon Jean said the final number killed would probably be higher, adding that several people were wounded and some churchgoers had been kidnapped, after they marched through the community on Saturday trying to rid the area of gang members. Local media reported at least 10 participants were killed.
Videos shared on X/Twitter showed about 100 people, many wearing yellow shirts associated with the religious group of Pastor Marco, marching in the suburb Canaan, some carrying sticks and machetes.
Canaan is controlled by a gang led by a man identified only as Jeff, who is believed to be allied with the “5 Seconds” gang.
Gangs have grown more powerful since the July 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, and they are estimated to control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince.
Gédéon Jean, director of Haiti’s Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights, said that he also watched the event unfold online and planned to ask the justice ministry to investigate.
He accused the pastor of being irresponsible because he “engaged a group of people and put them in a situation like this”.
The parishioners who clutched machetes and yelled “Free Canaan!” were no match for gang members armed with assault rifles.
“Police should have stopped them from going,” Jean said. “It’s extremely horrible for the state to let something like this happen.”
Comment was sought from Haiti’s national police.
From 1 January until 15 August, more than 2,400 people in Haiti were reported killed, more than 950 kidnapped and another 902 injured, according to the most recent United Nations statistics.
Fed up with the surge in gang violence, Haitians organised a violent movement in April known as bwa kale that targets suspected gang members. More than 350 people have been killed since the uprising began, according to the UN.
In October, the Haitian government requested the immediate deployment of a foreign armed force to quell gang violence.
The government of Kenya has offered to lead a multinational force, and a delegation of top officials visited Haiti recently as part of a reconnaissance mission.
The US said this month that it was prepared to introduce a UN security council resolution authorising Kenya to take such action.
Haiti Needs a New UN Mission, This Time Led by the US
The Washington Post, August 25, 2023
Business
Bloomberg Opinion
Analysis by James Stavridis
For decades, Haiti has struggled to avoid tumbling into deeply challenging conditions. It has been repeatedly beset by poor leadership, dictatorships, and natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, which are often followed by outbreaks of disease.
Today, the nation of more than 11 million people seems to have reached a nadir. After the assassination of the president in 2021, civil order has essentially been neutered. The shaky parliament is no match for the nation’s large, heavily armed gangs. Kidnapping, rape, murder and drug dealing have soared, with crime rates doubling in a year.
Port-au-Prince, the capital, is among the most dangerous cities in the Americas. Tragically, all this is occurring in a nation that is the second-oldest free republic in the hemisphere (having won its independence from France in 1804).
As the security situation continues to deteriorate, many international observers are calling for a new United Nations stabilization and security mission, similar to the one in place from 2004 to 2017. Is it time to send the blue helmets back to Haiti?
I know Haiti well. As commander of US Southern Command from 2006 to 2009, I visited often and studied the history, culture and language of the nation, which is the poorest in the Americas and among the least affluent in the world. Nearly 60% live in abject poverty, including 4 million children. I speak French, and learned a bit of the official language, Creole. Haitians told me then that they were grateful for our assistance and engagement — or at least, they were initially.
In my many visits, I spent significant time with the UN mission leaders.
Known as the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), it was composed of roughly 5,000 UN forces, half military and half police. The military component was mostly Brazilian, and typically a Brazilian Army 3-star general was the overall commander. Chile was also a major contributor, as were Argentina and several other South American nations.
Soldiers from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka also provided major contingents. Many police officers from India and Pakistan were also engaged. In total, more than 50 nations participated (roughly the number who sent troops to Afghanistan). Of note, the US – which was of course deeply committed in Afghanistan and Iraq throughout the period of the mandate — did not contribute significant forces.
On the positive side of the ledger, the UN troops brought a modicum of stability to Haitian society, reducing violence and increasing access to food and school. But sadly, the mission earned a mixed reputation in Haiti. One critical reason was a severe outbreak of cholera – which killed tens of thousands of Haitians — that has been credibly traced to the water systems installed to support the UN troops. There were also multiple reports of criminal acts by the UN troops, including raids, rape, kidnapping, illegal detention and extrajudicial executions.
I remember the Brazilian 3-star general Carlos dos Santos Cruz telling me how challenging it was operating with so many nations in the UN mission, and that the deep underlying poverty of Haitian society made it difficult to create longer-term stability. Later, when I went on to command the UN mission in Afghanistan, I gained a better appreciation of the challenges he faced during those years. These are large, complex missions conducted under extreme duress.
Yet letting Haiti continue to drift into gang-run anarchy is not a viable solution. Nor does Haiti currently possess the capacity to overcome its challenges without outside intervention.
A new UN mission, using the extensive lessons learned from the first MINUSTAH experience, seems necessary. Obviously, this must be done with the permission of the current government, and the best approach would be to constitute the force as much as possible from the Americas.
By partnering with the Organization of American States, the UN could provide regional command and control as it did in MINUSTAH. This time, given that the demands of Afghanistan and Iraq are gone, US engagement — even leadership — is mandatory. We should remember the Haitian refugees who came to the US in the 1980s on boatlifts, who ultimately numbered more than a hundred thousand. The US has a strong interest in a stable Haiti with reasonable internal security and a shot at economic development.
The new mission should probably be scaled at roughly 5,000 personnel, divided between military and law enforcement. Their headquarters and bivouacs will have to be scrupulously constructed and maintained to
avoid any hint of repeating the cholera experience. The lessons of the first mission should be incorporated into their charter, as well as what the international community has learned subsequently in Afghanistan (where the Provincial Reconstruction Teams offer some ideas worth considering).
There is no quick or easy fix to the challenges facing Haiti. But it is a neighbor in desperate need, and if the US can lead an improved UN mission — this time with US personnel — it would be in our interests to help Haiti get back on its feet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_G._Stavridis
A hijacked bus with all passengers held hostage
August 23, 2023
Another tragedy has befallen the Patrick Coach Line Transportation Company as one of its buses was hijacked on Tuesday by criminals operating in the Tibwadòm region. All passengers on board the bus were kidnapped, leaving families gripped by anguish and uncertainty. The bus in question was on its return journey from Port-de-Paix to Port-au-Prince when the incident took place.
As of now, there has been no communication established between the abductors and the families of the hostages, intensifying the worry among loved ones.
Regrettably, this is not the first occurrence where the Patrick Coach Line Transportation Company has been targeted by criminal activities orchestrated by the Tibwadòm gang. These criminals are affiliated with the notorious gang known as “Kokorat San Ras,” which has set up an operation base in the Tibwadòm area, located between Bassin Bleu and Gros-Morne. Additionally, this gang’s members persist in carrying out operations at Croix Périsse, the southern entrance of the city of Gonaïves.
The security situation in the region has raised significant concerns among both authorities and citizens. The actions of these criminals not only have devastating impacts on the lives of ordinary citizens but also disrupt the proper functioning of businesses and essential services, including public transportation.
Yevgeny Prigozhin in fatal plane crash, Russian officials say
août 23, 2023
Notorious warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, known for his role in the Wagner group's failed mutiny, perished in a tragic plane crash during a flight from Moscow to St. Petersburg, as confirmed by Russian officials.
All 10 individuals on board, including three crew members, lost their lives in the accident, stated Russia's emergency ministry, cited by RIA Novosti. While a passenger named Prigozhin was among those on the plane, no further details were provided.
If verified, Prigozhin's demise would mark a dramatic end to his career. After prominently participating in Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion, Prigozhin led his paramilitary force on an unsuccessful march on Moscow in June.
Graphic videos shared on social media linked to Russian security services depicted the crash site in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow. Eight bodies were recovered from the area, and the Russian investigative committee initiated a criminal inquiry. The aviation agency Rosaviatsiya launched a commission to find the plane's black box.
A post from Wagner-affiliated social media channel Grey Zone suggested that Russian anti-aircraft defenses might have downed the aircraft. Local reports mentioned residents hearing two loud bangs prior to the crash.
During the time of the crash report, Putin was attending a WWII commemorative event near the Ukraine border. US President Joe Biden, on vacation, expressed that he was not surprised by the news given the context of Russia.
The US National Security Council and a western official both hinted at the plane potentially being brought down by a Russian anti-aircraft missile system.
Prigozhin, once known as "Putin's chef," rose to prominence in Russia's war efforts before leading a coup against the military leadership in June. While Wagner briefly controlled cities and engaged in clashes, they eventually brokered a truce with Belarus. Prigozhin hinted at Wagner's involvement in African conflicts and his mission to strengthen Russia's influence globally.
The aircraft involved, an Embraer Legacy, had been frequently used by Prigozhin for travel, including to Africa. Investigations were considering the possibility of a terrorist attack onboard as a potential cause for the crash.
Internet down in Haiti after gangs sabotage telecoms equipment
BY THE HAITIAN TIMES AUG. 24, 2023
Two major internet service providers in Haiti, Digicel and Access Haiti, are grappling with severe disruptions after gangs sabotaged the companies’ fiber optic lines and other critical equipment. Service technicians meanwhile, the businesses say, are unable to travel safely to make repairs.
Both Digicel and Access Haiti have released public statements addressing the acts of vandalism and sabotage. On Aug. 22, Digicel said, a fiber optic cable was deliberately severed in the Martissant area. Access Haiti issued a note on Aug. 23 saying sabotage of its equipment occurred along the National Road #1 and the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac, causing extensive service disruptions.