Through history, Haiti has faced significant challenges with gang violence, particularly in urban centers like Port-au-Prince. Gangs in Haiti have been involved in various criminal activities, including drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and violent clashes with security forces. These gangs often operate in marginalized communities, exacerbating issues of poverty, social inequality, and political instability. Weak governance, corruption, and inadequate law enforcement have allowed gangs to flourish at times, posing serious threats to public safety and hindering efforts towards socioeconomic development. The history of gang violence in Haiti underscores the complexities of addressing security and social issues in the country.
These issues are continuing to affect Haiti in this day and age, being referred as a Cataclysmic Situation. A Cataclysmic Situation is described as an event or circumstance of immense and often disastrous proportions, resulting in widespread upheaval, destruction, or significant changes to the affected area or population. This phrase often refers to natural disasters, demonstrating the severity of gangs in Haiti right now.
In this year alone, more than 1500 individuals have lost their life and more than 800 have been wounded because of this violence. Along with the known gangs, there is also widespread, deadly vigilantism, with community groups — some calling themselves “self-defense brigades” — attacking people suspected of petty crime or gang affiliation. This further contributes to the loss that Haiti is facing. Tens of thousands of civilians are being forced to flee their homes. Armed gangs now dominate much of Port-au-Prince, wreaking havoc by attacking police stations and government offices, looting banks and hospitals, and killings and kidnapping many, eventually causing Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign from office.
To battle this conflict, many foreign influences ( The United States, Germany, and EU embassies) are offering support. They are evacuating personnel from Haiti, sending military, and attempting to maintain order and security in Haiti.
These current policy approaches are important and effective for the people suffering in Haiti. However, a few more possible policy approaches could be supplying food to those in Haiti. The World Food Program said this week that Haiti was now suffering its worst levels of food insecurity on record. For those that cannot be evacuated, these foreign influences could work to provide them security with their basic necessities.
Ayan Kumar's Blog 