Haiti is fast descending into anarchy.
Over the weekend, the violence in the capital Port-au-Prince ramped up once again. Heavily armed gangs attacked the National Palace and set part of the Interior Ministry on fire with petrol bombs.
It comes after a sustained attack on the international airport, which remains closed to all flights – including one carrying Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
He tried to fly back to Haiti from the United States last week, but his plane was refused permission to land. He was then turned away from the neighbouring Dominican Republic too.
Mr Henry is now stuck in Puerto Rico, unable to set foot in the nation he ostensibly leads.
Among those who did manage to get into the stricken Caribbean nation, though, was a group of US military personnel.
Following a request from the US State Department, the Pentagon confirmed it had carried out an operation to, as it put it, “augment the security” of the US embassy in Port-au-Prince and airlift all non-essential staff to safety.
Soon after, the German ambassador and some EU diplomats followed suit, fleeing a nation mired in violence and facing its biggest humanitarian crisis since the 2010 earthquake.
Millions of Haitians, however, simply don’t have that luxury. They’re trapped, no matter how bad things get.
The situation is dire at the State University of Haiti Hospital, known as the general hospital, in downtown Port-au-Prince. There is no sign of any medical staff at all.
A dead body, covered by a sheet and swarming with flies, lies in a bed next to patients waiting in vain for treatment.
Despite the overpowering stench, no-one has come to remove the body. It is rapidly decomposing in the Caribbean heat.
In the midst of chaos, Philippe, a patient who preferred anonymity, revealed the dire situation at the hospital: “There are no doctors; they all fled last week. We’re trapped indoors, surrounded by explosions and gunfire. We must muster courage and stay put because there’s nowhere else to go.”
With Haiti’s government in disarray and no prime minister in office, the gangs exert near-total control over the capital, controlling over 80% of Port-au-Prince. Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the notorious gang leader, has demanded the resignation of the prime minister, warning of dire consequences if his demands are not met.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, people are compelled to venture out to sustain their livelihoods. Street hawkers at a nearby market expressed their desperation, acknowledging the risks posed by armed gunmen roaming the streets but emphasizing the necessity of providing for their families.
Jocelyn, a market trader and single parent, lamented, “I have no choice but to take to the streets. Yesterday, gunmen robbed us of all our money, leaving many vendors destitute. With three children depending on me, I cannot afford to stay at home.”
The palpable fear among residents is evident as an older woman selling fruit expressed her concerns: “The anxiety of being on the streets is overwhelming. I constantly worry about being shot and leaving my children orphaned, with no family to support them.”
Meanwhile, in neighboring Jamaica, Caricom dignitaries, diplomats, and heads of state are convening for an emergency summit to address the escalating crisis in Haiti.
The instability in Haiti presents a significant concern not only for the Caribbean community but also for Washington. The prospect of a nation of approximately 11 million people being effectively governed by gangs is alarming, especially considering the potential implications for increased outward migration, particularly during an election year in the US.
Caricom is advocating for Prime Minister Henry’s resignation as soon as possible, even if it means him stepping down from outside the country. While the Biden administration has publicly called for Henry to return to Haiti and initiate a transition to a new government, privately, US diplomats acknowledge the challenges he faces in returning and the risk of further destabilizing the situation.
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