Since 2020, Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, is the site of an ongoing gang war[8][3][2] between two major criminal groups and their allies: the "Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies" (FRG9 or G9) and the G-Pep.[8] The Government of Haiti and security forces have struggled to maintain control in Port-au-Prince amid this conflict,[3] with gangs reportedly controlling up to 90% of the city by 2023.[9]
From the 1950s, non-state armed groups have been firmly established in Haiti. This process began with the establishment of the Tonton Macoute paramilitaries by Haitian dictator François Duvalier, used to violently suppress dissidents.[12][2] After the dictatorship ended with the removal of Jean-Claude Duvalier from power in 1986, non-state violence continued. The Tonton Macoute were disbanded, but it never disarmed and thus reorganized as far-right vigilantes. Haitian political actors continued to employ armed groups to defend their interests, manipulate elections, and suppress public unrest. In 1994, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide outlawed pro-Duvalier armed groups and disbanded the Haitian Army, but that did not solve the issue, as again, there was no disarmament. Thus, ex-soldiers and ex-militiamen further swelled the ranks of unofficial militant factions. From 1994 to 2004, a de facto anti-Arisitide insurgency took place in Port-au-Prince, as ex-soldiers attacked the government.[12] In response to the chaos, youth set up self-defense groups, called chimères,[2] which were supported by the police and the government to shore up its position. Enjoying de facto state support by Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party, the youth gangs took control of entire communes and became increasingly independent-minded.[13] U.S. diplomat Daniel Lewis Foote argued, "Aristide started [the gangs] on purpose in the early 1980s, as a voice, as a way to get some power, [...] and they morphed over the years."[14]
After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, younger and more ruthless gangs overcame the dominance by older more politically-aligned gangs. The armed youth groups grew increasingly powerful.[15] The earthquake also resulted in the mass breakout of criminals from damaged prisons in Haiti.[14] The MINUSTAH, a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Haiti started after the end of the 2004 coup d'état, failed to contain the unrest, and committed abuses of its own.[14] Since the end of the MINUSTAH in October 2017, there was an increase of the gang-related violence, also against civilians, like the 2018 Port-au-Prince massacre that killed 25 civilians.[16][17]
From 2017 to 2021, Haiti's political leadership became embroiled in a crisis, and the Haitian Parliament entered a deadlock, public administration gradually ceased to operate by a lack of funding, and the judicial system effectively fell apart.[18] Scheduled elections were repeatedly postponed. The economy of Haiti suffered under the repeated natural disasters and the growing unrest, which further contributed to the crisis.[7] The Vox journalist Ellen Ioanes summarized that "Haiti has faced serious and compounding crises, including a devastating 2010 earthquake, floods, cholera outbreaks, hurricanes, and corrupt, dictatorial, and incompetent leaders".[14] Gangs stepped into the power vacuum, seizing political power through co-operative politicians and economic control through protection rackets, kidnappings, and murders.[18]
Known gangs
By 2022, researchers estimated that about 200 gangs operated across Haiti. Of these, half were located in Port-au-Prince. The more influential gangs control large swaths of territory, including entire municipalities and communes.[15]
"G9 alliance",[19] officially Fòs Revolisyonè G9 an Fanmi e Alye (Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and allies):[20] It was founded and is led by Jimmy Chérizier, called Barbecue, an ex-police officer.[20][21] G9 is based in the capital's communes of Delmas, Pétion-Ville, and parts of Carrefour. The G9 alliance includes many former soldiers and policemen in its ranks, and was long connected to the PHTK party; however, it distanced itself from the PHTK since Ariel Henry became president. The G9 now portrays itself as a revolutionary organization,[22] and has begun to create a nation-wide alliance network dubbed "G20".[21]
Delmas 6 Gang: Personal gang of Jimmy Chérizier, overall head of G9.[21] The gang was already operating while Chérizier was still an active police officer, signifying the gang's strong links to the Haitian security forces.[2]
"Baz Pilate": One of the capital's most important gangs, mainly consists of ex-SWAT elite police.[23]
"G-Pep": This gang alliance was formed in direct response to G9. It was organized by the Nan Brooklyn gang and its head Jean Pierre Gabriel (alias "Ti Gabriel"). The G-Pep is believed to be connected to Haitian opposition parties and/or "a well-known Haitian businessman". It is centered on Port-au-Prince's Cité Soleil.[23]
Nan Brooklyn gang,[23] also called "Brooklyn gang"[24]
"400 Mawozo": The largest gang in Haiti, it is mainly based in Ganthier and in Port-au-Prince's Tabarre and Pétion-Ville. It largely consists of deportees, former leaders of opposition groups, former smugglers, and police officers. In 2022, it aligned itself with "G-Pep" after its leader was extradited to the United States.[1]
"Grand Ravine" and "5 Second": Two youth gangs based in Port-au-Prince's Martissant; mainly consists of vigilantes and "popular organizations" previously connected to Fanmi Lavalas.[23]
"Baz Galil": Based outside the capital, it mainly consists of deportees from the United States. Closely connected to the PHTK, various government agencies, and other gangs.[19]
Observers generally believed that the G9 alliance was supported by Jovenel Moïse and the PHTK party[25] (banner celebrating Moise's inauguration pictured).
In May 2020, a coalition of eleven gangs (Delmas 19 gang, Delmas 6 gang, Delmas 95 gang, Nan Barozi gang, Nan Belekou gang, Nan Boston gang, Nan Chabón gang, Nan Ti Bwa gang, Pilate Base gang, Simon Pele gang, Wharf de Jeremie gang) was founded to attack several neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince as a way to secure and expand territorial control. The same month, they attacked civilians in the neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, killing 34 people.[26] That month, Altès, the leader of an anti-government gang switched alliances to the government and gangs allied with Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier to assassinate another anti-government gang leader, Ernso Nicholas. Following the assassination, many pro-government gangs seized control of anti-government gang territory.[27] After the assassination, Chérizier, with assistance from other gangs, organized a meeting in Delmas 6 (a neighborhood controlled by Chérizier's gang) to plan an assault against neighborhoods in the area of Cité Soleil, in Port-au-Prince, perceived as anti-government, including Pont Rouge, Chancerelles, and Nan Tokyo.[4]
Chérizier's coalition went through with the attack beginning on 24 May. Chérizier's gang attacked civilians in Nan Tokyo, while Altès and another gang leader, Alectis, besieged Pont Rouge. The violence, not far from the General Inspectorate of the National Police of Haiti, lasted from the afternoon to the following day. Many fled the areas due to the violence.[28][29] On 25 May, a displaced persons camp housing anti-government gangs was attacked by members of the coalition, primarily the Krache Dife de Delmas 6 gang, killing two people, including a minor. 24 houses were also burnt in the raid.[4] On 26 May, Haitian armored police vehicles positioned themselves at the entrance to Nan Brooklyn. Tear gas was subsequently fired in the area, followed by gunfire targeting civilians. Nan Brooklyn, controlled by the gang of Gabriel Jean-Pierre ("Ti Gabriel"),[30][31] was attacked again by gangs that day and the day after, killing four people, injuring 20, and setting fire to many homes.[28] Chérizier was allegedly transported to the area in a Haitian police armored vehicle, according to witnesses in the area.[31] In the aftermath of the attack, many new gang leaders were installed in the territories seized, which included Chancerelles, Nan Tokyo, Nan Barozi, Delmas 2 & 4, and more.[32] Nan Brooklyn would remain besieged until July, as the siege culminated in a massacre that resulted in the death of 145.[30] By the end of the month, the coalition had been dissolved.[26]
Formation of G9 Alliance
After those attacks, in a video on YouTube, another coalition of nine gangs was announced to be founded in Port-au-Prince in June 2020, which became the "G9 Alliance" led by Chérizier.[2][20] All of the member gangs had previous links to the ruling PHTK party of President Jovenel Moïse.[25] The coalition is led by Jimmy Chérizier. Since the coalition was founded, it has been responsible for multiple massacres against civilians and clashes with other rival gangs. From 2020 to 2021, the G9 was responsible for a dozen massacres, in which at least 200 people were killed.[20] The G9 was believed to have had close ties to the government of Moïse, which was accused of large-scale corruption. The coalition members frequently evaded persecution after the massacres and the clashes. Chérizier stood out in that regard because despite the arrest warrants against him, he continued to move freely and to maintain an active presence on social media with no effective attempts by Haitian government forces to arrest him. The G9 also began attacking neighborhoods in which civilians protested against the president and started clashes against rival gangs with the support of the police.[20][33]
In response to the growing dominance of G9, a rival gang alliance, called "G-Pep," was founded[34] in July 2020. It consisted of mainly those gangs in Port-au-Prince's Cité Soleil who were strongly opposed to joining G9.[2] G-Pep was suspected of being connected to various opposition parties, and thus opposed G9 and its ties to Moïse.[35] In the following months, both gang alliance began to expand beyond their initial areas of operation.[2]
Escalation
After the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, on July 7, 2021, the G9 started to help the government in the manhunt against the 28 foreign perpetrators. After the assassination, Ariel Henry, who is believed to be linked to the killing, became acting president of Haiti. That was followed by an increase in violence,[36] as the gangs exploited the government's weakness.[2] On May 12, 2021, during a clash with G-Pep, Chérizier was reported to be wounded.[37] After the death of his suspected ally Moïse, G9 leader Jimmy Chérizier increasingly voiced political ambitions and began to openly opposing the Haitian government of Henry. On 17 October 2021, G9 forced President Henry to flee an official commemoration event, and then began a month-long blockade of the country's largest oil terminal. Though G9 initially declared that it would lift the blockade only if the government resigned, Henry refused to step down; instead, both sides eventually agreed to a secret deal, and G9 retreated from the oil terminal.[2] In general, Henry holds only limited power, and the U.S. diplomat Daniel Lewis Foote described the Haitian President as "kind of a clown. [The gangs] in several instances have made him pay them a bunch of money in order for him to attend an event or hold a ceremony — and then they won't let him do it."[14]
By 2022, most gangs in the capital had aligned themselves with either G9 or G-Pep.[15] In May 2022, the powerful 400 Mawozo gang aligned itself with G-Pep, greatly improving the latter's position in the gang war and causing a further escalation of violence.[2] On 10 June, the Village de Dieu gang captured the Court of First Instance of Port-au-Prince.[2] On 8 and 9 July 2022, the violence between the two gangs increased after the start of a battle in the hoods of Port-au Prince that killed 89 people and injured 74.[6] The battle caused the nearby Varreux field terminal, the country's largest fuel depot, to pause operations and led to a drastic shortage in fuel as two fuel tankers were unable to be unloaded;.Doctors Without Borders has stated that the organization has been unable to access the slum because of the violence.[38] In September, amid the increase of the price of the fuel for the socioeconomic crisis, the G9 began a blockade of the Varreux fuel terminal. On 6 November, after two weeks of negotiations with the Haitian government and after an armed offensive launched by the Haitian National Police, the G9 gang coalition relinquished control of the Varreux fuel terminal.[39]
From late 2022, an anti-gang bwa kale vigilante movement emerged to attack and kill any gang members. The vigilantes often burned captured gang members alive.[3][10] The vigilantes also began to turn against regular security forces and murdered at least one police officer who had no known gang connections. The gangs responded to the growth of the vigilante groups with counter-attacks that killed community leaders who expressed support for self-defense actions.[7] By March 2023, Haitian officials speculated that up to 90% of the capital was controlled by gangs.[9] In April 2023, three gangs, namely Titanyen, Base 5 Secondes, and Canaan, conducted an "offensive" in the Cabaret commune, outside Port-au-Prince, in an attempt to break a blockade imposed by local self-defense groups. At least 100 people were killed in this battle. On 14 April, another battle erupted in Port-au-Prince's Cité Soleil between G-Pep's Nan Brooklyn gang and G9's Belekou and Boston gangs. The clash lasted six days and resulted in at least 70 deaths.[24]
Lynchings of gang members by vigilantes grew in frequency: 30 lynchings were reported in May, double the amount in April, and resulting in 150 fatalities.[40] In Pétion-Ville, checkpoints were established by residents and identity checks on strangers ran to identify gang members,[41] while machetes were also distributed in the capital in an effort to curb the gang violence.[42] In response to the growth of the bwa kale movement, President Ariel Henry asked that the initiators of the movement "calm down" and hand over suspected bandits and gang members to the police.[43]
By mid-2023, the gang war between G9 and G-Pep continued unabated,[8][3] and the resistance by anti-gang vigilantes also grew in scope. Thousands of people were displaced by the clashes.[7] The severity of the ongoing gang war in Haiti has led to the United Nations Security Council authorizing a one-year deployment of an international force led by Kenya to help the Haitian government deal with the crisis.[44][11] Chérizier declared that G9 would resist if an international intervention force committed "human rights abuses" and claimed that it would "be a fight of the Haitian people to save the dignity of our country."[7]
On 1 November, the Grand Ravine gang, led by Ti Lapli, launched attacks against the Mariani area, sparking over 2,400 civilians to leave their homes, and killing one police officer.[45] The gangs gained control over offices for the National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) in the area, which are used to supply water to other areas in Port-au-Prince. It was believed that the occupation endangered the safety of the water supply.[46]
On 8 December, the United States Treasury Department announced sanctions placed on four Haitian gang leaders- Johnson André ("Izo"), Renel Destina ("Ti Lapli"), Vitel'homme Innocent, and Wilson Joseph ("Lanmò San Jou")- for human rights violations.[47]
On 12 December, the Haitian National Police launched an operation from Carrefour[48] into Mariani, with an assault involving excavators resulting in the bulldozing and burning down of many houses around the market alleged to have been used by gang members. Several civilians in the area were injured in the clashes which reportedly lasted till around 3:00 PM in the afternoon.[49] In a 20 December press conference, the Haitian national police announced its intention to conduct greater police operations in Port-au-Prince to protect civilians, regulate traffic, and stem gang violence during the end-of-year period. Intensified police presences would be instated throughout the city.[50]
On 26 December, the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince went on lockdown after gunfire was heard in the area.[51]
Notes
^By mid-2022, about 1,100 people had been killed in the gang war.[5][6] In late 2023, the United Nations estimated that an additional 2,439 people had been killed from January to August 2023.[7]
Ariel Henry
