Haiti Report, April 25, 2025
A compilation of news about Haiti from the past week.
Three FADH soldiers killed in Kenscoff
Another day of mourning for the ranks of law enforcement. Early this Easter Sunday, three soldiers of the Haitian Armed Forces were killed in the line of duty in Kenscoff. "They fell as heroes, weapons in hand, defending the homeland they swore to protect," the government responded in a statement released early in the evening. Paying tribute to their memory, in the press release, the government indicated that these soldiers, active members of the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd'H), faced danger with bravery.
"These soldiers are not just members of our armed forces. They are worthy sons of the Nation, defenders of our sovereignty, whose ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten. Their commitment is a powerful reminder that freedom and security come at a price, and that this price is sometimes paid in the blood of our bravest," the statement read. "The government salutes the memory of these martyrs of the Republic and extends its deepest condolences to their families, their brothers in arms, and the entire Haitian people. Their sacrifice strengthens our shared determination to regain control of our territory and restore peace," the government assured, reaffirming the state's total commitment to the fight against insecurity, which is a national priority.
"The Haitian state, at its highest level, is fully mobilized in the fight against insecurity. This battle for the security, dignity, and sovereignty of the Haitian people is a national priority. And we will fight this battle together—with courage, discipline, and unity—until victory," the statement said. "We refuse to cede a single inch of our land to fear. We refuse to let violence dictate our future. This battle is the battle of the entire Haitian people. And we will win this battle," concludes the statement from the government led by Alix Didier Fils Aimé.
The Kenscoff area, which remains under tension, remains on alert. Heavy gunfire was reported on Sunday afternoon, followed by heavy smoke visible in several parts of the town.
Kenscoff town center, previously considered a haven relatively untouched by attacks by gangs belonging to the Viv Ansanm criminal coalition, now appears to be the bandits' primary target. Several residents contacted reported scenes of panic and hasty escapes.
https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255412/trois-soldats-des-fadh-tues-a-kenscoff
Gangs in Haiti kill 4 soldiers and 4 civilians in bid to seize full control of the capital
Gangs trying to seize full control of Haiti ‘s capital have killed at least four soldiers and four armed civilians who worked with law enforcement to protect their communities, an official said Thursday. Lionel Lazarre, spokesman for Haiti’s National Police, told Radio Caraïbes that two soldiers and four civilians were killed in Kenscoff, a once peaceful community on the outskirts of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Two other soldiers and an undetermined number of civilians were killed in the community of Pacot inside the capital, he said.
On Wednesday night, the government said that at least four police officers and armed civilians from the community of Canapé-Vert, one of the few neighborhoods not controlled by gangs, were killed in the attacks. In videos posted on social media, gunmen are seen mutilating several bodies and picking up severed heads as trophies, saying, “We got the dogs.” Ergens St. Pierre, a police officer and the leader of armed civilians in Canapé-Verte, told online news site Tripotay Lakay late Wednesday that he was in mourning.
“The people of Canapé-Vert are crying a lot,” he said. “It was a personal initiative that they died for, so that the criminals wouldn’t come and take over their area.” Haiti’s transitional presidential council and the prime minister’s office condemned the attacks in separate statements and said that multiple people were injured. “The government reaffirms that the fight against insecurity remains its top priority,” the office said. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-canape-vert-police-8ae266fadfb1656fdb80a44430e83d83
Ouanaminthe police station attacked by BSAP agents
This Sunday, April 20, 2025, the Ouanaminthe police station was the target of an armed attack carried out by agents of the Protected Areas Security Brigade (BSAP), in retaliation for the arrest of one of their colleagues by police officers from the Polifront unit, acting on the warrant of an investigating judge. Displeased with this arrest, several BSAP members assigned to Ouanaminthe stormed the police station. The ensuing exchange of fire left one person injured in the BSAP camp, according to the Northeast Departmental Director of the Haitian National Police (PNH), Divisional Commissioner Jacques Antoine Étienne.
"Yes, BSAP officers assigned to Ouanaminthe attacked the police station following the arrest of one of their colleagues. The police officers returned fire. A BSAP officer was slightly injured," confirmed Commissioner Étienne. He added that a BSAP officer fired in the direction of police officer Junior Rhiolcé, assigned to the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), who narrowly escaped the attempt.
The head of the PNH in the Northeast said he informed the government commissioner, Mr. Éno Zéphirin, as well as the departmental delegate, Dionel Germain, of the situation. The municipal commissioner of Ouanaminthe, Ronald Eugène, then met with BSAP officials to restore calm. The BSAP officer's arrest follows an arrest warrant issued by the investigating office, accusing him of attempted murder and criminal conspiracy, according to Commissioner Étienne. The suspect was transferred to the PNH departmental headquarters in Fort-Liberté, where he is being held in custody while his case is forwarded to the appropriate judicial authorities.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions between certain parastatal units and the Haitian National Police. It raises concerns about the proliferation of armed structures operating outside the strict hierarchical control of the HNP, calling into question the unity of command and security stability in strategic border areas such as Ouanaminthe, according to citizens present during the attack.
Anse-Rouge: Several injured in clashes between rara gangs
Several people were stabbed and two shot during a violent clash on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in the town of Pointe des Mangles, in the commune of Anse-Rouge in the upper Artibonite. According to initial information, the incident occurred after a heated argument between members of two rara gangs, one from Mahotière and the other from the town of Lagon, in the commune of Terre-Neuve. This dispute quickly escalated and led to scenes of serious violence.
The police, alerted, intervened on the scene and arrested two individuals suspected of having participated in these acts of violence. Other suspects are currently being sought, according to Raphaël Clavanet Marado, vice-delegate of Gros-Morne and originally from the region where the clashes took place. "For the moment, the two gunshot wounded are being treated in a hospital. Two arrests have been made, and other individuals are being actively sought for their involvement. Local authorities are working to bring those responsible to justice. In addition to those wounded by gunshots, several people were hit by machete wounds to various parts of their bodies and are receiving treatment," the deputy delegate said.
Furthermore, local authorities, including the town halls of various communes in the Upper Artibonite region, have urged the organizers of the rara festivities and gang leaders to take all necessary measures to prevent the presence of armed individuals, whether with firearms or bladed weapons, within crowds. They point out that failure to comply could result in severe sanctions, including a ban on participation in future cultural events.
U.S. says it can’t keep ‘shouldering such a significant financial burden’ in Haiti crisis
The Trump administration gave its strongest signal yet Monday on its thinking in regard to Haiti as the country spirals deeper into gang-fueled chaos and its capital stands on the precipice of being fully under gang control. “America cannot continue shouldering such a significant financial burden,” said Dorothy Camille Shea, interim chargé d’affaires at the United States’ mission at the United Nations.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ special representative in Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, told the Security Council that the escalating armed attacks are affecting the few remaining areas in the capital not under gang control and sowing panic as new cities outside of the western region also fall to the gangs. “Stepping up international support for Haiti is more critical than ever, particularly through increased funding and operational capacity for the Multinational Security Support Mission,” Salvador said. “Haiti has reached a pivotal moment…. We are approaching a point of no return. As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs,” she added. “Without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change….Haiti could face total chaos and any delay in your support could be a direct cause of such stark deterioration.”
Earlier this year, Guterres nixed deploying a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission to Haiti, saying there is no peace to keep in the current chaos. Instead, he endorsed maintaining the current Kenya mission with the U.N. picking up some of the costs but the funding still coming from voluntary contributions from foreign governments. But during Monday’s update on the situation in Haiti, diplomats acknowledged that nothing has happened despite the urgency of the situation and concerns about the escalating violence, which has led to growing hunger, more displacements and a staggering increase in sexual violence against women and girls. In addition to the ongoing gang attacks, there are a number of critical expenses that need funding, sources tell the Miami Herald. They include the salaries of the roughly 1,000 members of the international force, and a $200 million payment to the contractor operating its base of operations. The contract was extended until September by the Biden administration, and operator must be notified months in advance if payment will be forthcoming for the next six months.
The time for condemnation is over, Denmark’s representative, Christina Markus Lassen, said. “Haiti is running out of time. Armed gangs continue to expand their arsenals and territory,” she said, echoing the calls of several other representatives for greater involvement. What that involvement would look or how it would be funded remain in question. The voluntary contributions to the U.N. trust fund for the Kenya-led remains at $110 million, which the East African nation’s national security minister, Monica Juma, made clear isn’t enough. “What the mission needs is to be fully deployed, quickly enabled; an urgent expansion... is therefore essential in order to deliver the intended impact and meet the legitimate high expectations of the Haitian people,” she said speaking by video to the room. “In Kenya today, a total of 261 officers remain on standby for deployment, but are unable to get to theater because of a lack of equipment and logistic support.”
Nearly a year into its deployment, the force remains at less than 40% at its stated goal of 2,500 security personnel, Juma said. The most stinging repute came from China, which accused the U.S of abandoning Haiti at a dire moment after helping set up its ruling transitional presidential council, now mired in controversy and credibility issues. “The U.S. has always been the de facto leader on security matters in Haiti,” China’s deputy representative, Geng Shuang, said, highlighting the current administration’s minimal contribution to the mission since coming into office in January and its recent imposition of a 10% tariff on Haiti, “a nation on the edge of collapse.” Critics have noted that China, which is a significant financial contributor to the U.N., doesn’t want to pay for a peacekeeping mission. Along with Russia, another vocal critic of the U.S., Beijing has not contributed to the trust fund for the mission. Geng said Washington is trying to pass the buck on Haiti, using “member states as little more than an ATM machine.” “The U.S is a major source of interference in Haiti’s development,” Beijing’s ambassador said. “While it claims to support the Haitian people, it has significantly cut foreign aid and continue deporting Haitian immigrants on the national priorities precisely when Haiti is in dire need of support.” https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article304671816.html#storylink=cpy
Haiti could face ‘total chaos’ without more international support, UN envoy warns
The top U.N. official in Haiti sounded an alarm to the U.N. Security Council on Monday that escalating gang violence is liable to lead the Caribbean nation to “a point of no return.” María Isabel Salvador warned that “Haiti could face total chaos” without increased funding and support for the operation of the Kenya-led multinational force helping Haiti’s police to tackle the gangs’ expanding violence into areas beyond the capital, Port-Au-Prince. Most recently, she said, gangs seized the city of Mirebalais in central Haiti and during the attack over 500 prisoners were freed. It was the fifth prison break in under a year, “part of a deliberate effort to entrench dominance, dismantle institutions and instill fear.”
Haiti’s police, supported by the armed forces and the Kenya-led force, were overwhelmed by the scale and duration of the violence, the U.N. special representative said. Salvador said that in February and March alone, 1,086 people were killed and 383 injured. In addition, according to the U.N. migration office, over 60,000 Haitians were displaced in the past two months, adding to 1 million already displaced by December. “These figures are expected to rise,” she said. Earlier this month, the leader of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, Fritz Alphonse Jean, tried to allay surging alarm among Haitians over the rampant gang violence by acknowledging that the country has “become hell for everyone.” He promised new measures to stop the bloodshed. But Salvador, who heads the U.N. political mission in the country, said the Haitian government’s efforts alone will be insufficient to significantly reduce the intensity of the violence perpetrated by criminal groups.
In February, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said he would ask the Security Council to authorize funding for the structural and logistical expenses of the Kenya-led mission from the U.N. budget. But there are no signs that the 15-member council plans to address this request any time soon. “Without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change,” Salvador warned. “Haiti could face total chaos.” https://apnews.com/article/un-haiti-gangs-violence-chaos-kenya-funding-df2e837506653612d53cc7486f295c1a
Dominican Authorities Launch Aggressive Operation Against Haitians
The 15 measures on irregular Haitian migration, announced by the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, go into effect this Monday, April 21, 2025. A new hospital protocol has been implemented, requiring legal identification documents to access medical services. An immigration officer will now be present in each hospital within a national public network of 33 central hospitals, including maternity wards. "Today, the National Health Service (NHS), with the support of the General Directorate of Immigration, began implementing the new hospital protocol for foreign patients.
Authorities have selected 33 public hospitals to prioritize these initiatives, as they receive the highest number of foreign patients, most of whom are from Haiti," reports the Dominican outlet Diario Libre. Wendy Osirus, social worker and president of the organization Mouvman pou dwa moun, lapè avèk lajistis global, in an interview with the paper on Monday, was unable to confirm whether access to healthcare had been denied to women in labor at maternity wards, as suggested by some viral videos circulating on social media. However, he stated that immigration agents present in hospitals would begin the deportation process for mothers and newborns three days after childbirth. "Anyone who comes to a hospital must show their immigration status. Deporting a mother and a newborn after three days is a flagrant violation of human rights," denounced social worker Wendy Osirus. "In this context, many women have decided not to go to the hospital for the care they need. If these women give birth at home, they are at great risk—even of dying. This is also a violation of their rights," he lamented, noting that many Haitians who showed up at hospitals without an up-to-date immigration status have been taken away by immigration officers.
The Groupe d’appui aux rapatriés et aux réfugiés (GARR) on Monday urged Haitian authorities to initiate diplomatic steps to persuade Dominican authorities to respect the fundamental rights of Haitian citizens affected by the deportation operations launched by President Luis Abinader. This call comes after a Dominican media outlet published a video showing a pregnant woman being placed on a bus to be deported to Haiti.
Dominican Republic deports dozens of Haitian pregnant women and children in hospital crackdown
The Dominican Republic deported dozens of pregnant women, mothers who had just given birth, and children, back to crisis-ridden Haiti as it cracks down on illegal immigration. In a statement, Dominican authorities said the 135 women and children were taken to a detention center for undocumented migrants on Monday before being sent back to neighboring Haiti. The sweeping deportations come as one of Dominican President Luis Abinader’s controversial immigration measures took effect, requiring staff at National Health Service (SNS) hospitals to ask patients for identification, a letter of employment and proof of residence, for immigration agents at the hospitals to verify.
On Monday, 33 public hospitals braced for the new policy. SNS Director Mario Lama said those hospitals are where up to 80% of public hospital births involving foreign mothers take place. Dominican authorities say the women and children were detained because of the new protocol. They claimed in a press release that the deportees were treated humanely and with dignity, sent back on comfortable, safe buses only after they were discharged from the hospital and had a medical examination to make sure they were “free of health risks.” Rights and health groups have criticized the move. The Dominican Medical Association said on Instagram such rigid deportation rules for people with medical needs could put their lives at risk.
The Dominican government has stressed that no one would be denied medical care under the new protocol – but rights groups say patients in need of care may steer clear of hospitals in fear of deportation. “These individuals face immediate deportation after receiving care. This puts people’s right to health, privacy, and physical safety at risk—and discourages vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, children, and survivors of violence, from seeking essential medical treatment,” Amnesty International said on Monday. Over the past six months Dominican authorities have deported more than 180,000 people back to Haiti. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/23/americas/dominican-republic-haiti-hospital-crackdown-intl-latam/index.html
UN alert over rising deportations of Haitian mothers and newborns from Dominican Republic
The UN has raised concern over a growing number of vulnerable Haitians – particularly pregnant women, new mothers, and infants – being deported from the Dominican Republic. According to the UN migration agency, IOM, recent weeks have seen an increase in the deportation of women, including those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as children and newborn babies. The agency has emphasised the heightened risks these groups face being returned to Haiti, where access to basic services remains severely limited.
On Tuesday alone, IOM staff at the Belladère border crossing in Haiti received 416 deportees, including 11 pregnant women and 16 women who are still breastfeeding. “While IOM teams are not present during the deportation process itself, their efforts focus on the needs of deportees upon arrival, many of whom arrive in precarious and highly vulnerable conditions, often without any resources,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York. He explained that IOM provides immediate humanitarian assistance, including food, water, and hygiene kits, as well as first aid, medical referrals, and psychosocial support. Special attention is given to maternal health, and temporary places to live are arranged for women who are breastfeeding when necessary, he added.
Mr. Dujarric also updated on the situation in Haiti, where rising violence and recent funding cuts are undermining essential services and worsening the humanitarian situation, particularly in the Centre Department. Escalating violence on the part of armed groups has triggered mass displacement, with more than 51,000 people, over half of them children, fleeing recent attacks. Many are now stranded at makeshift sites or seeking safety in other regions. https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162591
GARR Sounds the Alarm on Plight of Haitians Deported from the Dominican Republic
The situation of Haitian nationals in the Dominican Republic continues to deteriorate. In the month of March 2025 alone—before the 15 measures targeting irregular Haitian migration were even announced—the Support Group for Returnees and Refugees (GARR) recorded a total of 45,119 returns to Haiti, including 17,390 official deportations, 18,147 spontaneous returns, and 9,582 pushbacks. These figures, shared on Magik 9 by Sam Guillaume, GARR’s communications and advocacy officer, reflect an escalating migration crisis.
Additionally, Mr. Guillaume reported “the deportations of 158 unaccompanied minors and 28 pregnant women.” He also warned that the figures for April are expected to rise significantly following the Dominican government’s recently announced measures, which specifically target Haitian nationals. According to GARR’s communications officer, since the implementation of the 15 measures aimed at tightening the Dominican Republic’s migration policy, life has become increasingly difficult for Haitians living across the border.
“Haitians on Dominican soil can no longer receive medical treatment at local hospitals without presenting identification documents, a letter of identity, and proof of residency. As a result, many Haitians living in the Dominican Republic, even when ill, avoid going to hospitals to keep from being deported,” explained Sam Guillaume, highlighting the inhumane conditions under which Haitians in irregular migration situations are detained and processed in the Dominican Republic. “The Haitian government must enter into dialogue with Dominican authorities to reach an agreement on repatriation conditions and the protection of Haitian migrants’ rights in the Dominican Republic,” said Guillaume. He also advocated for resolving Haiti’s current security crisis to allow Haitians to live in peace in their own country. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255493/garr-sounds-the-alarm-on-plight-of-haitians-deported-from-the-dominican-republic
Mass Deportations of Haitians Spark Calls for Diplomatic Action
Jean Wilner Morin, the Citizen Protector, expressed deep concern over the mass deportations of Haitians by Dominican authorities. He is calling on Haitian authorities to bring the matter before international bodies to denounce potential violations of the rights of Haitian migrants. “Haitian authorities must bring the Dominican Republic before international bodies,” urged Me Morin, the Citizen Protector, on Magik 9, Thursday, April 24, 2025, when asked about the measures adopted by the Dominican administration, particularly the mass deportation of Haitians present on Dominican territory. While acknowledging the Dominican Republic’s sovereign right to carry out deportations, Me Morin emphasized that these must be conducted “with respect for human dignity.” According to him, “the current methods pose serious ethical and humanitarian concerns, especially in a context where Haitians are already burdened by a major security crisis in their own country.” While awaiting an official response from the Haitian state, the Office of the Citizen Protector (OPC) has committed to conducting advocacy with international bodies to ensure that the fundamental rights of Haitian migrants on Dominican soil are respected.
Key hospital in central Haiti closes due to gang violence
A top hospital in Haiti is closing its doors due to worsening insecurity after gangs attacked the central city of Mirebalais, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters on Tuesday, marking another blow to the country's fragile health sector. The hospital had effectively closed at the start of April, the University Hospital of Mirebalais' deputy executive director Pierre-Marie Cherenfant told Reuters, when it began transferring patients out to other hospitals in the area. The hospital in the city some 55 km (34 miles) northeast of capital Port-au-Prince had operated as a reference hospital for patients, providing affordable care for difficult cases ranging from COVID-19 to advanced cancer treatments.
Partners in Health, which set up the hospital more than a decade ago, said on its website the hospital counted 300 beds and typically saw some 850 patients per day from around the country. UHM began transferring patients after the powerful Viv Ansanm gang alliance began attacking Mirebalais at the end of March, when gang members broke some 500 inmates out of prison. Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) also recently halted services around the capital to the end of June, citing a targeted shooting against one of its transport vehicles. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/key-hospital-central-haiti-closes-due-insecurity-2025-04-22/
Haiti: Declares a state of emergency throughout the country from April 8 to May 8, 2025
Following an extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting held this Monday, the Haitian government decided to declare a state of emergency throughout the country. This exceptional measure will be in effect from April 8 to May 8, 2025, according to an official announcement from the Prime Minister's Office. This decision comes amid heightened security and political tensions in the country, although the government has not yet clarified the exact reasons behind this measure. The state of emergency will allow authorities to take special measures to restore order, ensure public safety, and manage potential crises. The public is still awaiting further details on the concrete measures that will be taken during this period. https://kjb4infos.com/haiti-decrete-letat-durgence-sur-tout-le-territoire-du-8-avril-au-8-mai-2025/
Royal Caribbean Is Temporarily Canceling Trips to Labadee Citing 'Abundance of Caution'
Royal Caribbean recently altered its sailing itineraries to exclude the port stop at Labadee, a private Royal Caribbean beach resort on the northern coast of Haiti. (Labadee is about a six hour drive from Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.) Due to the escalating gang violence and political instability in Haiti, the company has temporarily suspended excursions to Haiti and removed the port from its routes. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have temporarily paused our upcoming visits to Labadee. We have already communicated with guests directly,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. The company also suspended stops in Labadee last summer, then citing the "safety and security of our guests, crew, and communities." Haiti is rated at Level 4 by the US Department of State’s travel advisory “due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care,” which means the U.S. government recommends travelers not go to the country. https://www.travelandleisure.com/royal-caribbean-stops-itineraries-to-labadee-haiti-11718273
“No Rights Guaranteed to Haitians Today”, Ombudsman Says
Jean Wilner Morin, the Citizen Protector, painted a troubling picture of the human rights situation in Haiti. Speaking on Magik 9 on Thursday, April 24, 2025, Judge Morin stated that, aside from the right to information—which is partially respected—all fundamental rights of Haitians are regularly violated. The assessment is unequivocal: “Overall, none of the rights of Haitian citizens are being upheld,” declared Me Jean Wilner Morin, guest of the show Panel Magik on Thursday. Me Morin referred to the thousands of internally displaced people forced to flee their homes in haste, often without even retrieving their identification documents, as evidence of the state’s failure to provide essential protection to its citizens. The Office of the Citizen Protector (OPC) now observes “the powerlessness of the authorities,” as armed gangs have taken control of three entire departments of the country. “No matter where law enforcement tries to intervene, they suffer setbacks,” lamented the Citizen Protector, denouncing the public forces’ helplessness in the face of “the ferocity of armed gangs.”
The Citizen Protector called for a more rational approach to this crisis and for “genuine assistance” from the international community to support stabilization efforts. “There must be a more scientific approach to this issue. Real help from friendly countries is necessary to address the situation,” Me Morin urged. In light of the crisis involving internally displaced persons, Me Morin criticized the Haitian state’s lack of preparedness. “The Office of the Citizen Protector recommends restoring security as a lasting solution to the issue of internal displacement, in view of the state’s difficulty in assisting those living in camps,” he stated. According to the Citizen Protector, the state was not prepared to handle the influx of internally displaced persons, which, he said, is at the root of the difficulties in providing an effective response. While he did not oppose “urgent humanitarian interventions” by the state for the displaced, he advocated for efforts to achieve the rapid relocation of these families.
https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255559/no-rights-guaranteed-to-haitians-today-ombudsman-says
Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance Operates Only on Paper after Relocation
It is 12:50 p.m. in Fragneau-Ville, Delmas 75, on Tuesday, April 22. In the large courtyard of the court, litigants and legal professionals come and go. They are searching—for answers, for access to justice, which eludes them. The courtyard conceals the overcrowded conditions inside the white-painted building. Inaugurated with great pomp on March 31, 2025, by State officials as a major accomplishment, nothing has happened since. Furnishing the building has been delayed. There isn’t even a chair for the judges. The dean of the Court of First Instance of Port-au-Prince, Me Bernard Saint-Vil, managed to acquire a small desk just a week ago.
No system has been put in place to ensure the delivery of proper justice. Me Bernard Saint-Vil still shows up despite the suffocating heat in his cramped office, which has only a fan—and no electricity or air conditioning. To print a file, one must look elsewhere—there is no computer or printer at the court. Criminal record files are printed anywhere they can be. “At Lalue, there were two courtrooms and another used when the labor court wasn’t in full operation. There was an adequate setup to resolve disputes. What we’re seeing here is a total waste. There’s no structure. The prosecutors, who are supposed to uphold social order, can’t preside over hearings in peace. There are no suitable conditions for the court to operate,” Me Jusnel Jean adds angrily. Worst of all, the end of the judicial year is approaching. “It’s the end of April, and there’s no indication that even one hearing will be held at this court due to the lack of infrastructure,” he fears.
“We’ve gone several years without criminal hearings, without holding assize sessions, and without civil court sessions. The litigants are left to fend for themselves,” the lawyer laments. At the Court of First Instance of Port-au-Prince, it is a daily struggle just to find a place to sit. The five detainees found on-site are either sitting on the floor or standing. Worst of all, the building housing the court doesn’t have a holding cell.
The Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance received a large batch of equipment
this Thursday, April 24, 2025, including chairs, storage lockers, and other basic equipment to support the gradual resumption of its judicial activities. Further deliveries are planned in the coming days to complete this initial shipment. This funding is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the operational capabilities of judicial institutions. It responds to an urgent need to create a functional working environment conducive to the smooth running of its activities and the reception of litigants. https://communication.gouv.ht/communiques/remise-de-materiels-par-le-mjsp-au-tribunal-de-premiere-instance-de-port-au-prince/
Office of Citizen Protection Raises Alarm Over Growing Displacement Crisis in Port-au-Prince
As armed violence continues to shake the metropolitan area—still under the growing threat of armed criminals from the Viv Ansanm coalition—this report by the OPC sheds light on the alarming humanitarian conditions in which thousands of displaced people live in makeshift camps erected here and there in areas not yet under gang control. According to the OPC, nearly 49,000 displaced persons are currently living in 16 sites visited in the communes of Port-au-Prince and Delmas. That number is steadily rising due to worsening security conditions. These displaced people are fleeing gunfire, arson, and armed group violence that, since 2024, has allowed criminals to extend their control over entire neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, 85% of which is now controlled by gangs, according to the UN.
The sites currently occupied by the displaced offer no decent living conditions, according to the report. In many cases, classrooms, abandoned offices, or parking lots have been transformed into makeshift shelters. Living conditions are particularly harsh. The OPC reports a lack of adequate sanitation facilities, insufficient access to drinking water, and a critical shortage of medical care. In addition to the lack or absence of infrastructure, unsanitary conditions and overcrowding contribute to the development and spread of diseases. Frequent cases of skin infections and respiratory illnesses have been recorded across the different sites.
With the State Absent, Camps Become Permanent: Abandoned by the Haitian state, which “does not behave like a duty-bearing authority with obligations and responsibilities,” the displaced have only a few organizations and international NGOs to rely on. These forms of aid “do not always meet the specific needs of the sites.” The few actions carried out by public authorities in the camps are minimal and violate the displaced persons’ right to human dignity, resembling “window-dressing efforts for visibility,” the report denounces. The report recommends the establishment of a national program for the protection and reintegration of internally displaced persons, in line with standards defined by the United Nations, along with meaningful measures to ensure population safety and control over criminal groups. The OPC also stresses the urgency of improving conditions in existing camps and ensuring better coordination between public institutions and humanitarian actors. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255512/opc-raises-alarm-over-growing-displacement-crisis-in-port-au-prince
Beyond Politics, Gangs want money
At the main market in Cité Soleil, the bandits set up a pavilion entirely dedicated to the sale of stolen goods. For at least four years, armed groups have been extending their grip on Haitian territory. Beyond their political ambitions displayed through the Viv Ansanm coalition, the gangs also pursue more down-to-earth objectives. In the houses they ransack, they take pots, pans, sheets, jewelry, batteries, televisions and other everyday goods, according to half a dozen testimonies collected by AyiboPost.
These stolen items are then sold on the markets, often at ridiculously low prices, according to three sources informed of the phenomenon. At La Piste, the main market in Cité Soleil, the bandits have even set up a pavilion entirely dedicated to the sale of these stolen goods. Two AyiboPost journalists visited this market in the heart of the territory controlled by gang leader Micanor on April 10, 2025. They observed the sale of mostly used furniture, electronics, and household items. According to three people interviewed on site, this retail space was established about nine months ago. Since then, it has been constantly fueled by the robberies committed in the residential neighborhoods of Delmas, Nazon, and Solino.
"Gangs here sell beds, wardrobes and televisions taken from the houses they have looted," says a soft drink vendor. To force people to flee the neighborhoods, gangs shoot, make surprise raids and set fires. Before setting everything on fire, they collect valuables, which they sometimes transport in trucks. Asked about this phenomenon, sociologist Kesler Bien-aimé highlights the profound social inequalities and multiple injustices that reinforce the vulnerabilities of certain people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Some people "sometimes take advantage of disasters, accidents or fires to steal other people's property," observes the sociologist, speaking of a common practice. Haiti is one of the most unequal and corrupt countries in the world. Half the country is food insecure. Extreme poverty rubs shoulders daily with a parade of armored cars, luxurious residences, and ostentatious wealth, often unduly accumulated.
Over the past three years, Canada, the United States, and the United Nations have collectively sanctioned more than 30 prominent Canadian figures—including entrepreneurs, a former president, former prime ministers, and former parliamentarians—for corruption, gang involvement, and drug trafficking. For Bien-aimé, what is happening in the country can be interpreted as a form of national and transnational crime that, in order to operate in the Haitian capital and other areas, installs "a type of mercenary chain in a hierarchical manner."
In recent years, gangs have increasingly displayed their accumulated assets on social media, particularly through kidnappings and the installation of toll booths on several roads. According to Bien-aimé, the political motives displayed by these mercenaries "in the service of a complex composed of multiple criminal actors" are due to their perception of the latter as a place of legitimization of their power and their accumulated assets.
Escalating Violence Puts Population at Grave Risk
Increasing violence in Haiti by criminal groups and clashes with “self-defense” groups are contributing to the dangerous insecurity facing the country’s population, Human Rights Watch said today. Criminal groups have been tightening their grip on Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and expanding into other regions. Opposition leaders and “self-defense” groups have led violent protests against the transitional government. The United Nations Security Council should urgently ensure that the UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) receives the personnel and resources needed to fulfill its mandate, and agree on steps to transform the mission into a full-fledged UN operation with a mandate to protect human rights and prevent a further escalation of violence. “Haiti’s security situation is in a free fall and Haitians are suffering horrific abuses,” said Nathalye Cotrino, senior Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch. “UN member states should immediately bolster the MSS’s capacity and take urgent steps to transform it into a full-fledged UN mission.”
Only 10 percent of Port-au-Prince remains under government control, with criminal groups escalating attacks since late 2024. Criminal groups have attacked key infrastructure, state institutions, schools, health centers, media outlets, and residential and commercial areas. They have also infiltrated neighborhoods near Pétion-Ville, one of the few areas not under their control, and where upper and middle classes live and the UN has its offices. Killings, kidnappings, sexual violence, and child recruitment have been reported almost daily, while police and the MSS struggle with insufficient funds and personnel. Between late January and March 2025, at least 262 people were killed and 66 others injured in the southern Port-au-Prince communes of Kenscoff and Carrefour, according to the UN. Violence has also continued to affect the Artibonite Department, where more than 11 people were killed in Gros-Morne in late January, and the MSS suffered its first casualty in the commune of Petite-Rivière in late February. In late March and early April, violence spread to two cities in the Center Department, Mirebalais and Saut-d’Eau, where over 80 people were killed, the National Human Rights Defense Network informed. More recently, threats of imminent attacks against the nearby city of Hinche were reported.
Escalating criminal violence, compounded by clashes with “self-defense groups”—formed by community members often operating in collusion with police—and with law enforcement, has forced more than 90,000 people to flee their homes since the beginning of the year, the International Organization for Migration reported. Many international and domestic human rights and humanitarian organizations have also been forced to relocate or suspend operations, further affecting the 6 million Haitians in need of humanitarian assistance and worsening conditions for the 5.7 million people facing high levels of acute food insecurity, the highest number in recent years.
The transitional government—with three of its members implicated in corruption—established a task force in early March to fight criminal groups, launching drone strikes with explosive munitions without accountability for abuses. Criminal leaders have also threatened to deploy this technology. Members of the communities of Port-au-Prince, Pétion-Ville, and Kenscoff, as well as internally displaced people, have taken to the streets in the capital in recent weeks, calling for the ousting of the current government. “Self-defense” group members and police officers have joined some of the protests. In response, on April 7 the transitional government declared a new state of emergency, announcing, among other measures, increased security force resources.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/17/haiti-escalating-violence-puts-population-grave-risk
OPINION/ANALYSIS
Haiti: Fire and No Fire Service
By Frantz Duval, Le Nouvelliste
It’s true—both literally and figuratively. The house called Haiti is burning before everyone’s eyes. The immediate reflex in the face of such a disaster should be to call for help: firefighters, ambulance, police.
In the case of the House of Haiti, there is no one conscious or responsible enough to sound the alarm, to make the call. And if there were someone, no one would hear or pick up the phone. Emergency numbers have not worked for a long time. The fire station, the main public hospital, and the police stations are all out of service. That is the literal situation.
Figuratively, there is no plan in place for what to do in the face of the blaze consuming neighborhoods, cities, and entire departments, one after the other. Paralyzed by fear, those in charge do nothing to contain or fight the fire. Nothing. Or so little, it amounts to the same.
The residents of the capital and other towns under attack live each day with the dread of having no safe recourse. They must manage as best they can and, more often than not, the only option when violence strikes their lives with its powerful hammer is to flee with nothing more than a bundle of belongings.
Fleeing with no other solution is not a fable or an exaggerated image in response to the war-like conditions in the departments of the West, Artibonite, and Central Plateau. For more than half of the population, fleeing is the only path to salvation offered by the authorities to victims and future victims of gang terror.
Fleeing is also the strategy of the authorities who abandon their responsibilities, their palaces, courthouses, ministries, and official residences.
When, in international meetings, one hears talk of “the future” without placing a security solution or the path to peace on the table, one wonders: who are they talking about, what are they talking about, and what time frame are they even planning for?
The house called Haiti is burning. Anyone who acts as though we can still save the ornamental plants or the spice rack clearly lacks a sense of priorities.
Violence and inaction are consuming hope in Haiti, and no one has a work plan—nor a backup plan. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255481/les-sirenes-font-tout-avancer-sauf-le-pays
Sirens make everything move forward except the country
Jean Michel Kevin, Le Nouvelliste
In Haiti, sirens are everywhere. They wail from morning to night, piercing through traffic jams, disrupting citizens' daily lives, and imposing their rhythm. One might think this is a country in the midst of a medical emergency, or in a state of permanent mobilization. But no. These are neither ambulances nor fire engines. These are official motorcades: ministers, judges, directors general, and sometimes their cousins, friends, or personal drivers. All are moving at high speed, all demanding passage. Except that, paradoxically, nothing essential is really moving in this country.
The sirens force everything aside, except poverty. They open the way for the powerful, but leave working-class neighborhoods abandoned. While government convoys proudly pass by, the population remains stuck in a sordid reality: broken roads, hospitals without equipment, closed schools, neighborhoods surrounded by gangs. The country, however, remains motionless.
It's not a lack of authority, but of intent. In Haiti, power has become a privilege, not a responsibility. Public positions no longer serve to build the nation, but to guarantee comfort, private security, and unlimited access to state resources. Budgets disappear, projects turn into fictitious contracts, humanitarian funds evaporate. Corruption is no longer a deviation; it's a system.
And while the future is being stolen, we claim to be "acting" for the people. The fight against insecurity is the perfect illustration of this. It is described as a "national priority." There are commissions, emergency meetings, press briefings. Everyone is "concerned about it." But nothing changes. The bandits control entire territories, kidnap in daylight, and impose their law while the sirens pass by... heading for Pétion-Ville or the airport.
The irony is biting: in this country, urgency is not manifested by swift action against gangs, but by the speed with which authorities flee danger zones. The state has chosen: it protects its elites, not its citizens.
These sirens are the anthems of a deformed Republic. They symbolize a power that advances for itself, not for the people. They cry out arrogance, contempt, and the divorce between state and nation. They remind us every day that those who have a duty to serve prefer to serve themselves, and those who should be the first to respond to crises are the first to circumvent them.
Sirens move everything forward, except the country. They accelerate careers, illicit fortunes, and escape plans. But they build neither schools, nor roads, nor peace. They don't save lives; they ignore them.
As long as these sirens dominate Haiti's soundscape, as long as the noise of power drowns out the cries of the people, the country will remain stuck in the background, condemned to watch the convoys of lies speed by.
https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255481/les-sirenes-font-tout-avancer-sauf-le-pays