UNITED NATIONS, Oct 22 (IPS) – On October 19, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously voted to expand an arms embargo in an effort to combat the high levels of gang violence that plagues Haiti. Armed groups have taken control of the majority of Port-Au-Prince, the nation’s capital, leading to numerous clashes with the local police. Humanitarian organizations hope that this embargo will prevent Haitian gangs from accessing illicit weapons and munitions unchecked.
Robert Muggah, the author of a UN report on Haiti’s illicit imports and the founder of Igarapé Institute, a think tank that focuses on emerging security issues, informed reporters that the majority of Haiti’s weapons are sourced and flown out by the United States. Approximately 50 percent of imported firearms were handguns and 37 percent were rifles. According to the UN Security Council, firepower procured by Haitian gangs exceeds that of the Haitian National Police.
The majority of these purchases originate from U.S. “straw-men”, who buy weapons from licensed dealers in the United States and don’t disclose that the weapons are for someone else in Haiti. The weapons are then smuggled into the country and sold to Haitian gang members. Last Friday, the Security Council urged the Haitian government to tighten its border controls.
This comes after the Pont-Sonde attack on October 3, which resulted in over 115 civilian deaths. This attack was perpetrated by the Gran Grif gang, a gang that operates in the Artibonite region of Haiti. Roughly ten years ago, Gran Grif members were supplied firearms by former legislator Prophane Victor in an attempt to secure his election as deputé. Residents in the Artibonite region blamed both the Haitian government for their lackluster response efforts, and the United States for supplying the gang with arms.
Humanitarian experts on Haiti have also voiced their concerns about the United States’ role in the conflict.
“Haiti doesn’t produce guns and ammunition, yet the gang members don’t seem to have any trouble accessing those things,” said Pierre Esperance, executive director of Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network.
“One way the US could help (reduce violence in Haiti) immediately and directly would be to really seriously crack down on the flow of illegal weapons,” said William O’Neill, the UN Designated Expert of the High Commissioner on the situation of Human Rights in Haiti.
Humanitarian organizations are hopeful that last Friday’s resolution will effectively disarm the majority of Haitian gangs. The crisis in Haiti continues to grow more dire every day, with regular attacks on civilians exacerbating mass displacement and nationwide food insecurity.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 700,000 Haitians have been displaced due to armed attacks by gangs, with over 497,000 fleeing to the Dominican Republic. Their president, Luis Abinader announced at the end of September that the Dominican Republic would begin deporting over 10,000 Haitian migrants each week, a move that went into effect on October 7.
Activists have warned that mass deportations of Haitian migrants would leave them highly vulnerable to being targeted by gangs once they return. “There are a great number of armed groups that are just like birds of prey waiting to swoop down and take advantage of these people,” said Sam Guillaume, spokesperson for Haiti’s Support Group for Returnees and Refugees.
Haitian Prime Minister Gary Conille said, “The forced and mass deportation of our Haitian compatriots from the Dominican Republic is a violation of the fundamental principles of human dignity.”
Violence in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti’s commercial powerhouse, and the Artibonite Region, where the country’s production of rice is concentrated, has led to increasing emergency levels of hunger throughout the nation. The World Food Programme (WFP) is currently on the frontlines providing emergency assistance and raising funds to mitigate hunger in Haiti.
“WFP is urgently calling for broad-based support to massively increase lifesaving assistance to families struggling every day with extreme food shortages, spiraling malnutrition and deadly diseases,” said Cindy McCain, WFP’s Executive Director. “There can be no security or stability in Haiti when millions are facing starvation.”
On October 11, Kenyan President William Ruto announced that he would send 600 troops to Haiti next month in an effort to combat gang violence. The United States had also announced that they would extend their Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti for another year.
Despite optimism about these initiatives by Ruto, Conille, and U.S. President Joe Biden, Haitian officials have expressed concern that foreign powers will not be able to effectively handle the situation in Haiti.
“It’ll make some difference, but that doesn’t replace the amount of Haitian police that have left in the last two years. You’re replacing them with people who don’t speak French or Creole, don’t know the neighborhoods, can’t interact with people or do intelligence work,” said Brian Concannon, Executive Director for Justice and Democracy in Haiti.
The UN is supporting the Haitian National Police (HNP) in their efforts to end gang violence and stabilize the nation. Kenya, Chad, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, and Benin have notified the Secretary-General of their intentions to support this mission. In addition, the UN and its affiliated organizations are currently providing on-site assistance to affected communities, distributing food, water, cash transfers, and school kits.
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