Haiti’s Crisis: Gangs, Displacement, and Hope

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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Haiti’s Capital Under Siege

Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, is largely paralyzed and isolated due to overwhelming gang control. The violence has escalated sharply, reaching new levels across the country since October 2024, continuing through June of this year. Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General for the Americas, stated that Port-au-Prince was “for all intents and purposes paralysed by gangs and isolated due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights into the international airport” (news.un.org).

This “gang control” signifies a pervasive influence over daily life. It extends beyond mere territorial dominance to encompass governance, law enforcement, and access to essential services. Gangs exert this control through violence, intimidation, and the exploitation of a power vacuum (War on the Rocks). They have established a “political-criminal crisis” in Haiti, filling the void left by a weak state. The international community recognizes the urgent need to “weaken the gangs” and loosen their “stranglehold on the capital Port-au-Prince and its vicinity,” indicating that gang control severely restricts movement, commerce, and the ability of the state to function (Crisis Group). With 85 percent of Port-au-Prince now under gang control, Denmark’s delegate warned the Security Council that “the fall of the capital into the hands of gangs is a possibility we cannot dismiss and cannot allow” (press.un.org). Gangs operate with “near-complete impunity for violence against civilians,” which emboldens them to perpetrate further abuses like extortion, kidnapping, and attacks, demonstrating their ability to act outside the law and instill fear (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect).

The suspension of international commercial flights into Port-au-Prince is primarily due to this severe insecurity and gang violence that has destabilized the capital. This security breakdown impacts essential services and infrastructure, which naturally includes the operation of the international airport (UN Women). The general “political and criminal impasse” in Haiti, characterized by widespread violence, makes it unsafe for commercial airlines to operate, leading to flight suspensions (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime). This suspension has significant economic and humanitarian consequences, further isolating the country and hindering aid efforts. The lack of effective governance and the “fragmented and ineffective responses” to the crisis contribute to an environment where critical infrastructure like airports cannot function reliably, impacting trade and the movement of people (War on the Rocks).

A Nation on the Move: The Displacement Crisis

While Port-au-Prince remains the epicenter of the crisis, violence is extending beyond the capital, spreading rapidly into rural regions where state authority is almost entirely absent (news.un.org). Recent attacks in the Centre and Artibonite departments have forced tens of thousands of residents to flee (news.un.org). The Departments of Centre and Artibonite are key regions located outside the immediate capital. Violence is spreading to these areas as gangs seek to expand their influence, exploiting a lack of security presence and preying on vulnerable communities. The “lack of attention and security presence in Artibonite” has allowed gangs to strengthen outside of the capital, making communities vulnerable to extortion, kidnapping, and attacks (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect). This indicates a strategic expansion by gangs into less protected areas. The overall “political and criminal impasse” in Haiti suggests that the instability and lack of state control are not confined to Port-au-Prince but are spreading to other regions, including Centre and Artibonite (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime).

A record 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced due to gang violence (news.un.org). This figure represents nearly a tenth of Haiti’s estimated population of 13 million, highlighting the immense scale of displacement relative to the countrys size (UN Women). Although about a quarter of all internally displaced people still live in the capital, a growing number are fleeing to other parts of the country in search of safety (news.un.org). Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Haiti face dire living conditions, characterized by overcrowding and a desperate lack of essential services. Displaced people are living in “overcrowded and desperate conditions” in sites like the Marie-Jeanne school in Port-au-Prince, where 7,000 people are seeking safety (UN Women). The ongoing violence is “eroding their safety, health, and basic human rights” for women and girls, who constitute a majority of the displaced, implying a severe lack of access to healthcare and other fundamental services (UN Women). Over half (55 percent) of the displaced population are women and children, further underscoring the vulnerability and widespread impact of the crisis on a significant demographic within the country (UN Women).

Haiti’s Displacement Crisis: A Snapshot

Human Rights Under Threat: A Deepening Crisis

The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is deepening, with severe human rights concerns. The security situation seriously hampers the UN’s mandate to address the unprecedented challenges posed by gangs (press.un.org). There are deep concerns regarding safety and security in the Port-au-Prince area (press.un.org). Beyond sexual violence, human rights violations in Haiti include widespread extortion, kidnapping, and general attacks on civilians (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect). Impunity manifests as a near-complete lack of accountability for these abuses, emboldening perpetrators and undermining the rule of law. Gangs are emboldened to perpetrate “extortion, kidnapping and attacks” against vulnerable communities, indicating these as prevalent human rights violations (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect).

There is “near-complete impunity for violence against civilians,” meaning that those responsible for serious abuses are rarely investigated or prosecuted, allowing them to continue their actions without fear of consequences (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect). The call for empowering Haiti’s judicial institutions to “prosecute gang leaders, and their supporters, including for human rights violations” suggests that such prosecutions are currently lacking, reinforcing the notion of impunity (War on the Rocks). UNICEF reported a surge in sexual violence against children in Haiti (reuters.com). While the exact scale of this surge is not quantified, it is directly linked to the overall breakdown of security and the pervasive gang violence. Children’s vulnerabilities are exacerbated by displacement and the general lawlessness. The “security breakdown is landing hardest on women and girls, eroding their safety,” which includes increased sexual violence (UN Women). This indicates that the general insecurity and lack of protection are direct causes. Extreme poverty has pushed children into gangs, with up to half of all armed groups made up of minors (reuters.com). The alarming presence of minors in armed groups is a direct consequence of the “political and criminal impasse” and the general breakdown of law and order, where desperate circumstances may lead to recruitment (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime). The impunity enjoyed by gang members for violence against civilians likely extends to the recruitment and exploitation of children, as there are no effective mechanisms to hold them accountable (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect).

Human Rights Violations in Haiti

The Path Forward: International Support and Haitian Leadership

International security and political support are crucial for Haiti to make progress. The nature of international support is multifaceted, encompassing military assistance, financial aid, and diplomatic efforts. Ongoing efforts include the deployment of an international security mission and calls for improved coordination and intelligence sharing. A “first contingent of Kenyan police disembarked, part of an international security mission tasked with loosening the gangs stranglehold on the capital Port-au-Prince and its vicinity,” demonstrating military and security support (Crisis Group). The UN Security Council is urged to “find a way to support either the existing international security force or a peacekeeping mission,” indicating ongoing diplomatic efforts and a need for sustained international commitment (Crisis Group).

International actors, including the UN Security Council, the United States, Canada, France, and CARICOM, are called upon to “improve coordination between Haitian authorities and existing multinational forces” and “improve intelligence sharing to reduce the flow of weapons,” highlighting specific areas of desired support (War on the Rocks). Strong international security support must be accompanied by peacebuilding measures, humanitarian action, and political support to allow Haiti to achieve sustainable development (news.un.org). One way to reduce violence is by empowering communities themselves, especially women and children, to lead new initiatives (news.un.org). The Haitian Government should strengthen specialized gender-based violence units and include them within the national police and the Multinational Security Support mission (press.un.org). While specific examples of existing initiatives for empowering women and children to reduce violence are not detailed, the general understanding is that empowering these vulnerable groups can enhance their safety and resilience, thereby indirectly contributing to violence reduction. The fact that “over half (55 per cent) of the displaced population are women and children” underscores their particular vulnerability and the necessity of empowering them to address the impact of violence (UN Women).

International Support for Haiti

Understanding the Roots of Instability

Haiti’s current government structure includes a transitional government that took office in April 2024, with the aim of holding elections (Crisis Group). However, political challenges, including the ongoing violence and a “locked transition,” have hindered progress. The “hopes invested by Haitians in the transitional government and the foreign mission remain unfulfilled,” indicating significant political challenges and a lack of tangible progress despite the new government (Crisis Group). The crisis is described as a “political and criminal impasse,” suggesting that political instability and the inability of the government to assert control are fundamental challenges (Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime).

The root causes of gang violence and instability in Haiti are deeply embedded in a complex interplay of historical, economic, and political factors, leading to a prolonged crisis and a breakdown of state authority. The “failure to define the crisis in precise terms has led to fragmented and ineffective responses from Haitis state leaders,” suggesting a long-standing issue of weak state institutions and governance (War on the Rocks). The Transitional Council and key stakeholders are urged to work together, fight corruption, and prioritize the security and well-being of the Haitian people over personal gain (press.un.org). Without intervention, Haitis humanitarian crisis will only deepen, further impacting the lives of its people. The international community continues to call for coordinated international action to restore security and protect civilians (news.un.org).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.