Gonaïves residents mobilize in sit-in to demand police action against gang-led insecurity

GONAÏVES — A crowd, mostly composed of young men, gathered in front of the departmental police station in Gonaïves, initiating a mobilization movement on Wednesday to request support in confronting the gangs that have been sowing terror in the Artibonite region for the past three years.

Taking the form of a sit-in, dozens of residents voiced their discontent to the departmental director of the Haitian National Police (PNH), Jean Louis Paul Ménard. They demanded that the police accompany them in their plan to fight the notorious Kokorat San Ras gang, which has been particularly terrorizing the communities of L’Estère, Liancourt, Gros-Morne, and Terre-Neuve.

Since 2021, residents have lived in fear as the Kokorat San Ras gang has disrupted daily life, particularly affecting those who travel along National Route 1 through the towns linked to Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital.  Protesters, speaking to the Haitian Times, expressed their frustration and desperation over the ongoing violence.

Joberd Jeannite voiced his determination to confront the gangs directly despite the danger they represent. 

“The National Police has done nothing to eradicate acts of banditry in the region,” Jeannite said. “The residents of Gonaïves and surrounding areas are unable to conduct their daily activities due to Kokorat San Ras’ presence, which blocks roads and even occupies farmers’ passages to their farms, creating major food insecurity for us in the department.”

Throughout the day, protesters blocked Grand Rue, the main street leading to the Toussaint Louverture police station, with flaming barricades, halting vehicle traffic for several hours.

Police Response and Challenges

Jean-Louis Paul Ménard, the departmental director of the PNH in the city, addressed the crowd, acknowledging the police’s limitations. He stated that the police lack the resources, including an armored tank, to confront the heavily armed gangsters in the Kokorat San Ras group. Ménard expressed hope that higher authorities within the Haitian police institution would provide the necessary support to address the security needs of the Artibonitians.

“We are fed up and tired of excuses from the Haitian authorities while people continue to be victimized by gang terror,” said Dolguens Joseph, a community leader and political activist.

Joseph described the insecurity in Haiti as unacceptable. He accused political authorities of complicity with the gangs to maintain power during elections.

Similarly, Armand Willame, a motorcycle taxi union leader, called on the police to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of residents and their properties. “I urge senior police officers to step down if they cannot address the widespread insecurity,” he said.

Out of Haiti’s 10 geographic departments, Artibonite and West have been the most affected by gang violence, resulting in thousands of people being killed or injured and nearly 600,000 being displaced from their homes, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). A recent United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) report indicates that 3,900 people were killed or injured by gangs during the first six months of 2024 alone.

“We are fed up and tired of excuses from the Haitian authorities while people continue to be victimized by gang terror.”

Dolguens Joseph, Community Leader and Political Activist in Gonaïves

Haitians had expected that the arrival of a Kenya-led Multinational Security and Support (MSS) mission at the end of June would help improve security in the country, particularly in Port-au-Prince. However, despite the presence of 400 Kenyan police officers in the Haitian capital, gang violence has resurged and started to spill over into larger territories, spreading outside the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.

Gonaïves, the capital city of the Artibonite Department, faces numerous challenges beyond gang-fueled insecurity. Residents have long struggled with inadequate electricity, healthcare, drinking water, and other essential services. During their sit-in in front of the police station, protesters took the opportunity to highlight these issues, urging central authorities to address the difficult situation in the region.

The situation in Gonaïves underscores a persistent reality for ordinary Haitians, who are becoming increasingly impatient in the face of inadequate responses or inaction from the government. They are often willing to take matters into their own hands to resolve issues.

The mobilization of people in Gonaïves to counter the gangs themselves reminds observers of the bwa kale phenomenon that started in Port-au-Prince and quickly spread across the country in recent years as demands for change intensified. Many protesters from all walks of life demonstrated in the streets and began to confront violence in a movement that claimed the lives of many suspected gang members.

Literally, bwa kale means to “shave or peel off tree bark” in Creole to indicate the high level of intensity driving protests or actions. It was a call at the time for people to bring their machetes, sticks, axes, and other tools that could be used as weapons to defend themselves against suspected bandits. Many began using the term after a video of a demonstrator screaming it, while banging on an aluminum bowl with a spoon, went viral in October 2022.

“This is just the start of our mobilization against insecurity, high cost of living, lack of healthcare, blackouts, clean drinking water, and more,” said Joseph. “We are Gonaïves; we will remain steadfast until the nation is free from acts of banditry, where we can live without fear.”

The post Gonaïves residents mobilize in sit-in to demand police action against gang-led insecurity appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Gonaïves residents mobilize in sit-in to demand police action against gang-led insecurity was first posted on August 15, 2024 at 9:29 am.