Gangs seize roads leading to Haiti’s capital as police continue to lose control
The World
Updated on
In Haiti, increasingly brazen rebel gangs are threatening to seize near-total control of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Armed gangs have taken over roads leading into and out of the city, forcing civilians traveling on them to pay fees, and they’ve been raising the prices of goods.
Haitian police, along with a Kenyan-led multinational force, are still in charge of crucial sites including the airport, the seaport and the National Palace. But in recent weeks, their control has been slipping rapidly.
The World’s Host Marco Werman spoke to the editor-in-chief of AyiboPost, Widlore Mérancourt, about the situation.
Marco Werman: What’s it like to walk through the streets of Port-au-Prince today?
Widlore Mérancourt: The gangs are indeed approaching at a fast pace. For instance, one of the biggest radio stations of this country was burned down this month, Radio Caraïbes. And at least two other news organizations were attacked by the gangs who were fighting a war against news that they don’t like in this country.
More and more, hundreds of thousands of people actually are being displaced by the violence. All the roads anyone could use to come in and out of the capital are now falling into the hands of the gangs. The last one that people used to go, you know, to the south to leave the capital, fell into the hands of the gangs a few weeks ago.
And [farmers] in this area under attack regularly. You don’t really know exactly where they will pop up. And they stole [farmers’] crops. They burn down their houses and kill them on a random basis. The Kenyan force is there trying to bring some sense of normalcy, but it’s extremely difficult as they are inside of armored cars.
More and more, hundreds of thousands of people actually are being displaced by the violence. All the roads anyone could use to come in and out of the capital are now falling into the hands of the gangs. The last one that people used to go, you know, to the south to leave the capital, fell into the hands of the gangs a few weeks ago.
And [farmers] in this area under attack regularly. You don’t really know exactly where they will pop up. And they stole [farmers’] crops. They burn down their houses and kill them on a random basis. The Kenyan force is there trying to bring some sense of normalcy, but it’s extremely difficult as they are inside of armored cars.
I do want to focus on what’s happening in Port-au-Prince, but I’m just wondering, the presence of gangs in rural areas, you said they’re killing [farmers] and taking their crops. Is that a new development?
The presence of gangs in this specific area, in Kenscoff, is a new development. The vast majority of vegetables consumed in Port-au-Prince comes from this specific place. [Farmers] there are not used to having gangs coming in and attacking. And these they are attacking for one reason. Because they want the control of this road. And more control of roads means more money for them, because they can install tolls and ask people to pay money. If you don’t pay, you don’t pass. And if you refuse to pay, you can be killed.
The Kenyan-led multinational force and Haitian authorities are pushing back against the gangs using new weapons, I understand, including explosive drones. Can you just describe what those are and also how effective are they?
Since the beginning of March, we are observing the use of explosive drones in the attacks against the gangs. It’s unclear exactly who inside the government is responsible for the strikes. The gangs, as well, they are threatening to use drones, explosive drones too. It’s unclear if they have the capacity. We don’t know if they use drones, but we don’t know if they have access to explosives. And human rights organizations expressed concern as to who’s using the drones and what are the mechanisms in place to protect civilians in Port-au-Prince right now.
You said earlier that because gangs have seized control of the last open road through the mountains to the south of the capital, that food and produce is not getting into Port-au-Prince. So, what are people eating? Is food becoming harder to find?
The food is getting indeed harder to find, and the food that is available is extremely expensive. You have to use roads that 100% are under the control of gangs. And when you subject yourself to that, anything can happen. They can kill you and kidnap you. They also, most of the time, force you to pay a fee. So, food is coming in from many places, including from the countryside. Goods coming in and out, although it’s very, very difficult. And because you have to pay fees to the gangs, rather than risk your life, anything that is being sold today in the capital is extremely expensive.
There are several different gangs vying for control of the capital. Do you know
what they’re looking for? What ultimately do they all want?
what they’re looking for? What ultimately do they all want?
The stated goal is money, in power. In the last attacks, I spoke to people — and I even have friends who lost their homes. They steal chairs, they steal TVs, they steal money. If you have money inside, and some people also have means to protect themselves, for instance handguns, they steal that, too.
And then, they burn down the house and use it as a base, meaning when they burn it, you cannot come back. You don’t have an incentive to come back to a house that is burned down without doors or anything. And they use that as a base to advance the movement into neighborhoods that were still untouched.
They have a means to make all sorts of nefarious illegal businesses. For instance, we have reports explaining how the gangs in Haiti have direct contact with Latin American drug trafficking rings in the territories they control. They receive drugs from Latin America and then ship it to Europe and the US.
And then, they burn down the house and use it as a base, meaning when they burn it, you cannot come back. You don’t have an incentive to come back to a house that is burned down without doors or anything. And they use that as a base to advance the movement into neighborhoods that were still untouched.
They have a means to make all sorts of nefarious illegal businesses. For instance, we have reports explaining how the gangs in Haiti have direct contact with Latin American drug trafficking rings in the territories they control. They receive drugs from Latin America and then ship it to Europe and the US.
What about Haitian authorities right now, like the transitional council
that’s supposedly in charge. Do they have any real power, any agency to change the
dominant gang narrative?
that’s supposedly in charge. Do they have any real power, any agency to change the
dominant gang narrative?
We are approaching fast another crisis politically in this country, because this presidential council and its prime minister needs to leave power technically in February next year, meaning they have an imperative to organize elections this year.
However, we are not moving towards elections because the preparations that are necessary are not in place. And if we don’t have the election and the replacement of this constitution as it was announced, by next year, it is going to be very difficult to explain why they are still in power. Many people are increasingly talking about some sort of dictatorship.
However, we are not moving towards elections because the preparations that are necessary are not in place. And if we don’t have the election and the replacement of this constitution as it was announced, by next year, it is going to be very difficult to explain why they are still in power. Many people are increasingly talking about some sort of dictatorship.
Parts of this interview have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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