Published
Update
Video length: 7 min
Haiti: the island in the grip of a gang war for months
Haiti, the poorest state on the planet, is in the grip of a gang war which left nearly 5,000 dead last year according to a UN report. A report that evokes barbarity comparable to what exists in a war zone. – (France 2)
Nearly 5,000 people died last year as a result of this violence, according to a UN report, which describes barbarity comparable to what exists in a war zone.
It is an ultraviolent scene, almost daily in Port-au-Prince (Haiti). The police have just intervened on a kidnapping in the middle of the street. A man lies on the ground, his wife cries out in despair. He is a collateral victim, he took several stray bullets. Police warning shots add to the confusion. Three men are arrested on suspicion of having participated in the kidnapping of a truck driver.
In Haiti, anyone can be kidnapped, it is a way for kidnappers to collect ransoms. Rackets and kidnappings are now an industry on the island, they finance all-powerful gangs.
Approximately 80% of the capital controlled by criminal groups
Since the assassination of the Haitian president by foreign mercenaries three years ago, Haiti has descended into endless chaos. In total, 80% of the capital is today controlled by criminal groups. In the heart of downtown Port-au-Prince, a neighborhood is run by gangs. Lookouts constantly monitor the front line. Taking control of a new area means ensuring income, thanks to racketeering.
Haiti hoped to benefit from international aid to fight against these gangs but Kenya, which was to lead this force, preferred to decline the invitation, leaving Haiti alone in its dizzying descent.
