Haiti Report, July 28, 2024
A compilation of news about Haiti from the past week.
US Ambassador to UN visits Haiti
The Biden administration’s top diplomat at the United Nations arrived in a crisis-wrecked Haiti on July 22, where the effort to restore stability and put an elected president and parliament in office by February 2026 is not going as quickly — or as smoothly — as some political observers had hoped. Linda Thomas-Greenfied’s visit to Port-au-Prince comes a week after the latest contingent of a U.S.-backed international mission landed from Kenya.
Late last year, Thomas-Greenfield spearheaded the effort, along with her counterpart from Ecuador, to get the U.N. Security Council to approve the mandate authorizing the Kenya-led force. Kenya, which promised to deploy 1,000 police officers, has so far provided the lion’s share of the personnel. As of now, it has about 400 police officers in the country. A contingent from Jamaica is expected to deploy soon.
Another official also declined to discuss the pace of the arrival of the additional 600 police officers from Kenya. The official noted that, contrary to reports suggesting the Kenyans have been involved in joint operation with the Haitian police, the two “have not yet begun those formal joint operations.” Kenyan police, he said, are working together with the Haitian force, “which is the very purpose of their mission, to train and to familiarize themselves with doing operations,” the senior administration official said. “As with any complex multinational mission, there are some first steps that need to take place to establish command and control.” https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article290292994.html#storylink=cpy
The United States’ top envoy to the United Nations visited a crisis-wrecked Haiti this week during which she announced tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian and security aid, but also issued a warning about the need for elections to the country’s new leadership. “My message to them: ‘You have a job. And your job is to make sure that we get the Haitian people to elections, get that electoral commission established, get them to work,’ ” Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Miami Herald. “We’re willing to fund them, we’re willing to provide support and advice, but we need to get it done.” Haiti hasn’t had an elected president since Jovenel Moïse was gunned down inside his bedroom three years ago, and no Parliament since he dismissed most lawmakers in a tweet in 2020 and began ruling by decree. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article290373744.html#storylink=cpy
Efforts by Haitian National Police and Multinational Security Support Mission
In Gressier, Léogâne, and Ganthier, PNH officers were called to counteract bandits threatening lives and property. According to Divisional Commissioner Michel Ange Louis Jeune, the PNH officers effectively managed these interventions.
Gressier under Control, Operations Ongoing: Since the weekend of Jul 20-21, the Gressier road leading to Léogâne was blocked by containers and heavy machinery placed by bandits. These criminals forced public road users to participate in blocking the streets," Louis Jeune noted. "The police intervened in coordination with other state entities to find means to unblock these roads," he confirmed. Due to the situation in Gressier, the residents of Léogâne did not have a completely peaceful weekend, especially given the potential risk of bandits invading from Gressier. However, the PNH spokesperson affirmed that in Léogâne, "everything is functioning as usual" and that "the police are in control, allowing the population to continue their activities."
In Gressier, while the PNH has unblocked some roads, others remain obstructed. Michel Ange Louis Jeune emphasized that the operation to clear the roads in this area is ongoing. "The PNH and other state entities are working together to enable the population to resume their activities in these areas," he added.
Clarifications on the Situation in Ganthier: Early Sunday morning, the Ganthier police station was set on fire. According to local authorities, the fire was caused by the "400 Mawozo" gang, which they said launched an invasion against the town. "The police station was set on fire. Once informed, the PNH high command took steps to send reinforcements," Louis Jeune reported. "First, PoliFront arrived with two units, and additional reinforcements from the SWAT team and other specialized units, in coordination with a team from the Multinational Security Mission (MMAS), regained control of the situation," said the PNH spokesperson. He clarified that the police station remains under police control, contrary to rumors on social media suggesting the bandits had retaken the facility.
Following the attack on the Ganthier police station, Executive Agent Jean Viloner Victor indicated that the "400 Mawozo" gang's assault was in retaliation for the PNH's interventions in Croix-des-Bouquets. Michel Ange Louis Jeune promised that the bandits would not find peace anywhere and insisted that they would be pursued relentlessly. "First, we need to work on regaining the population's trust and then remobilize the police officers who have left their posts. We are working on this process, and soon, officers will be reassigned to these stations," Michel Ange Louis Jeune stated, affirming that "real operations" involving the PNH and MMAS elements will be launched shortly. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249278/gressier-leogane-ganthier-pnh-operations-on-multiple-fronts
Ganthier, a rural community 28 miles east of Port-au-Prince and 14 miles from the Dominican Republic border, was among the last holdouts from gang control in Haiti. For two years, the town’s residents resisted one of the country’s most notorious gangs, fighting alongside their local police against bandits who raided and pillaged businesses, kidnapped U.S. missionaries and launched repeated attacks in the area.
On Thursday, as Ganthier found itself on the verge of a full-blown gang take-over, Haitian police, joined by Kenyan officers who are part of the Multinational Security Support mission, launched an offensive. After weeks of planning, meetings and joint patrols to familiarize the foreign forces with Port-au-Prince’s dizzying landscape, the first major attempt to take down a gang and regain control during an active attack was underway. The reinforcements arrived in two armored vehicles, and were soon joined by a third stationed up the road in Fond-Parisien, a neighboring community close to the Dominican border. Among what the officers found: a destroyed police station, an emptied-out city and gang members on the run.
In the fight against gang rule in Haiti, Ganthier stands out not just because of its citizens’ resistance but its strategic location: Control of the town would allow gangs to spread their violence eastward all the way to the Malpasse border crossing with the Dominican Republic. That reach, Victor and area business owners say, would provide uninhibited access to Haiti’s porous border, allowing gangs to easily smuggle weapons, ammunition and other contraband across. The Multinational Security Support mission, which began arriving in Haiti a month ago, has been outfitted with armored vehicles, radios, high-caliber weapons and drones — but no dedicated air or sea assets, a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed.
The lack of helicopters, planes and boats is a significant constraint in the fight against gang violence, say security experts and area residents who note that the gangs are expanding their grip outside of Port-au-Prince. “Armored vehicles alone aren’t sufficient to tackle the type of criminality we have here,” said Victor, who had pleaded for helicopter support. Réginald Delva, a former public security official, said he doesn’t see how the mission can be successful in Haiti’s terrain — bumpy roads, agricultural and and ramshackle dwellings — without air support. “The gangs know where to hide, and without aerial support, you cannot conduct a serious operation, even if you have drones,” he said. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article290431544.html#storylink=cpy.
The University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH) and the National Port Authority (APN) are the two institutions that the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the Kenyan contingent have announced regaining control over. HUEH is struggling to resume operations despite the presence of law enforcement. As for the APN, while it was visited by Kenyan forces on July 17, it had not been reclaimed from gang control, as the gangs had been driven out months before the arrival of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM).
The University Hospital of Haiti has yet to resume its activities, despite the PNH’s announcement of regaining control on July 8. Although Prime Minister Garry Conille and advisor Louis Gérald Gilles visited the premises on July 9, the Ministry of Public Health (MSPP) and the hospital’s administrators have not yet been permitted to do so. A source contacted by Le Nouvelliste indicated that they have not been authorized by the police to inspect the facility.
“The Ministry of Public Health and the hospital officials were supposed to visit HUEH on Tuesday, July 23, to assess the damage and set a timeline for reopening. However, the police authorities have asked them to wait a few more days. They plan to visit before the end of the week,” the source told Le Nouvelliste, adding that the facility is under police control.
Regarding the APN, several sources contacted by Le Nouvelliste have denied the claim that it was taken over by the Kenyan forces. One police source dismissed this assertion, while another explained that the APN had not been under gang control for several weeks. According to this contact, the Kenyan forces had conducted a courtesy and reconnaissance visit, with plans to establish a post at the APN in the coming weeks. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249288/general-hospitals-reopening-still-pending-apn-struggles-to-operate
New State of Emergency declared for 14 municipalities
The state of security emergency is established for a period of one (1) month, from Friday, July 19 (19) to Monday, August 19 (19), 2024, in the following municipalities and localities in the departments of West and Artibonite:
I. Western Department:
1) Commune of Gressier;
2) Commune of Carrefour;
3) Commune of Port-au-Prince: Fontamara, Martissant, Tibois, Decayette, Gran Ravin, Cité de l'Étemel, Village-de-Dieu, Oswald Durand Street, Magloire Ambroise Street, Carrefour-Feuilles, Pacot, Turgeau, Canapé Vert, Sainte-Marie, Lalue, Chrétien Alley, Fort National, Solino, Bel-Air, city center, La Saline;
4) Municipality of Delmas: Renaissance crossroads, formerly Airport crossroads, Nazon, Delmas 3, Delmas 24 up to the Aviation crossroads, Route Piste, Simon Pelé; 5) Municipality of Cité Soleil;
6) Municipality of Tabarre: Cazeau, Clercine, Butte Boyer, Croix-des-Missions, Tabarre 27 up to Pont Tabarre, Tanager, Torcel, Les Palmes; 7°) Municipality of Pétion-Ville: Pernier, up to the edge of the Grise River, Gros Jean, Métivier, Corvette, Graud, Meyotte, Laboule 10, Laboule 12, Macao, Bristou; 8°) Municipality of Kenscoff: Le Montcel hotel zone;
9) Municipality of Croix-des-Bouquets;
10) Common about Cabaret;
11) Commune de Thomazeau;
II. Department of Artibonite:
12) Municipality of Petite-Rivière de l'Artibonite;
13) Municipality of Liancourt, up to Verrettes and National Road #1;
14) Municipality of Gros Morne up to TiBois d'Homme”
Extensive Powers and Evictions Resume Under Security State of Emergency
Following the decree declaring a state of emergency in 14 communes under gang control in the West and Artibonite departments, published in Le Moniteur Special # 34 of Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Prime Minister Garry Conille and Carlos Hercule, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, signed a circular relating to the measures for implementing the decree on the state of emergency addressed to the officers of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Courts of First Instance of Croix-des-Bouquets, Gonaïves and Port-au-Prince.
“During the period of the state of emergency, the Anti-Gang Unit is authorized to :
1) Conduct searches, day and night, in all places deemed necessary;
2) Establish special procedures facilitating the speedy processing of judicial files relating to the main or related offenses that justified the establishment of the state of security emergency, regardless of the status of the perpetrators or accomplices;
3) Extend the period of police custody of suspects when the alleged offence is linked to the circumstances that justified the establishment of the state of security emergency;
4) Remove repeat offenders and individuals who do not have their domicile in the municipalities and localities concerned by the establishment of the state of security emergency;
5) Suspend, if necessary, firearms permits and apprehend offenders;
6) Order the surrender of prohibited firearms and ammunition and search for and seize them;
7) Seize all vehicles without plates or bearing an old registration plate;
8) Ban fireworks and apprehend offenders;
9) Ban publications and meetings deemed subversive and likely to disturb public order.” https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42840-haiti-flash-a-state-of-emergency-with-very-extensive-powers-list.html
Under the security state of emergency declared by the Transitional Government of Dr. Garry Conille and the Presidential Transition Council (CPT), the Ministry of Public Works, Transport, and Communications has instructed homeowners and occupants of several streets in downtown Port-au-Prince, declared public utility in 2012, to vacate the premises within eight days from the publication date of the communiqué, July 24, 2024. This directive was issued by the ministry's communications unit. According to the communiqué, "In accordance with the implementation of the decree of July 17, 2024, regarding the security state of emergency in fourteen communes within the Western and Artibonite departments, the Republic's government reminds occupants, particularly in the downtown area of Port-au-Prince, that by decree Moniteur #86 dated Friday, June 1, 2012, the properties within the area starting from the intersection of Boulevard Harry Truman and Rue Joseph Janvier, continuing along Rue Joseph Janvier to Rue du Magasin de l'Etat, extending east along Rue du Magasin de l'Etat, then north to the midpoint of the block between Rue St-Honoré and Rue du Champ de Mars, and the line along Rue d'Ennery to Rue de l'Enterrement, were declared of Public Utility for the construction of public buildings destroyed by the January 12, 2010 earthquake." https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249316/under-security-state-of-emergency-eviction-process-in-port-au-princes-downtown-reactivated
Impossible to reach Haiti’s southwest by road
The Grand Sud (the three departments in Haiti southwest: South, Grand Anse and Nippes) is completely isolated from the rest of the country by land. In the past, bandits would set up toll booths to demand passage fees, but this is no longer the case today, according to several drivers and vehicle owners interviewed by Métronome. The authorities declared a state of security emergency, as had been done under Ariel Henry, but without concrete results. In Gressier, the bandits continue their abuses, while the Léogâne police ask for reinforcements to fight them, reinforcements which are slow to arrive according to a police source contacted by Métronome. The security situation is deteriorating and the authorities are content to make declarations without tangible effect. https://x.com/Radio_Metronome/status/1815754083694727661
Sexual Violence surges in South as over 100k flee Port-au-Prince to the region
Children and adolescents fleeing insecurity in Port-au-Prince are victims of sexual violence in the south of the country, local authorities reveal to AyiboPost. Some days, the management of the Ministry of Women's Affairs and Women's Rights receives up to eight cases of sexual violence, mainly against minors, according to its departmental director. Most of them come from the capital.
The Brigade for the Protection of Minors (BPM) of the Southern Departmental Directorate of the National Police informed AyiboPost that it had recorded thirteen cases of rape of minors in June in the city of Les Cayes alone. The area rarely exceeded half that figure, in a city where the vast majority of child sexual assaults are not formally recorded, according to Inspector Jean Robert Saint Louis, current head of the BPM.
The Institute of Social Welfare and Research in the South is aware of 21 cases between April and June. "These sexual violences affect young girls aged ten to seventeen, and even children as young as three," Bertrand Meridien, coordinator of the state institution dedicated to the protection of children and families, told AyiboPost. Les Cayes, Camp-Perrin, Torbeck, Maniche and Chantal are among the municipalities most affected by the situation, according to the official. Most of the victims are seeking refuge in the south, after being driven out of Port-au-Prince by gangs. The region is seeing the largest increase in the number of displaced people in the country. https://ayibopost.com/fuyant-linsecurite-a-p-au-p-des-enfants-abuses-dans-le-sud/
New Funds from IMF for food security, health & children/youth
Following a $16 million grant to modernize public management in Haiti a few days ago, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is now focusing on improving social services. On Monday, July 22, 2024, the IDB's board of directors approved $110 million from its grant mechanism to enhance food security, health, and the inclusion of vulnerable children and youth.
"The funds will support household incomes to aid food consumption by financing unconditional cash transfers for 165,000 people and conditional transfers tied to participation in small-scale community asset creation, restoration, and maintenance projects selected by the communities. These funds will benefit 7,400 workers and their families, totaling approximately 37,000 people," the IDB stated in a press release.
This new IDB project aims to improve access to and utilization of essential integrated health services. "The initiative will finance a set of essential community-based, integrated, and progressive care services focused on maternal and child health and nutrition, including facility-based childbirth and management of obstetric complications. The project will also address family planning and care for survivors of gender-based violence," the statement specified, adding that it will also provide community and primary-level services to control and prevent HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, as well as detect and care for patients with chronic diseases.
According to the IDB, "the initiative will also fund youth entrepreneurship incubators for approximately 750 entrepreneurs, including outreach, selection, training, and support activities for young entrepreneurs, as well as an inclusive gender initiative designed for women entrepreneurs."
"The project will improve at least four multipurpose youth centers in fragile neighborhoods, covering minor repairs, maintenance, site equipment, and trainers, benefiting about 20,000 vulnerable young people," the press release concluded. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249264/idb-grants-110-million-for-enhancing-social-services-in-haiti
Expansion of Justice Services in Cap-Haitien
The Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) proceeded this week to the inauguration of the Office of the Annex of the Judicial Inspection in Cap-Haitien, with the support of the Justice and Fight against Impunity Support Program (PAJLI), implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and funded by the Government of Canada.
This event, as well as the opening of the same office in Les Cayes marks the extension of the CSPJ's services beyond the capital, aims to offer local justice to the entire population. Xavier Michon, UNDP Resident Representative in Haiti, expressed his satisfaction with this initiative, stating that "the opening of these annexes will allow for more regular and effective monitoring of the courts of the country's 18 jurisdictions." It should be recalled that the CSPJ benefits from the continuous support of UNDP to carry out its administrative, control and disciplinary missions. UNDP provided office equipment, IT equipment, furniture and solar energy systems to support the inspectors in their daily tasks. A vehicle will also be made available to the CSPJ to facilitate essential travel to the most remote courts. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42854-haiti-cap-haitien-the-cspj-expands-its-local-services.html
First Risk Bulletin from the Observatory of Violence and Resilience in Haiti
The Observatory is a forum for research and analysis, civil society empowerment, capacity building and support for multilateral actors. The bulletin will analyze key trends in the political economy of violence in Haiti.
The crisis that began on 29 February, with coordinated gang attacks on the capital, Port-au-Prince, led to a violent reconfiguration of the political situation on the ground. The ensuing months have been marked by an unprecedented level of humanitarian crisis, infrastructure destruction and deep institutional transformation, with the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the creation of a Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) and the recent formation of a government, led by the appointed prime minister, Garry Conille.
Although the crisis undoubtedly marked the edge of the abyss, the gangs have ceased in their conquest of the capital. Port-au-Prince has returned to the precarious order that prevailed before 29 February, in which daily life coexists with gang shootings and attacks. One major exception is that the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, led by a Kenyan police force, was finally deployed on 25 June, with 200 troops on the ground. This inaugural issue analyzes these dynamics and more.
Summary Highlights:
A key development in Haiti’s gang violence is the re-formation of the gang coalition Viv Ansanm (Living Together, in Haitian creole), meant to bring together the criminal groups in a unified front against the Haitian national police and the government. The operations and influence of Viv Ansanm, represented by Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Chérizier, illustrate the multifaceted nature of Haiti’s crisis. Viv Ansanm’s control over significant parts of Port-au-Prince and strategic infrastructure, coupled with its violent tactics and political connections, poses a systemic threat, and demands comprehensive and sustained efforts to dismantle its influence and restore order. Security, economic, humanitarian and political challenges will not be miraculously solved by the MSS mission alone.
As Haiti’s institutions look to transition to a more solid mode of operation, the MSS should not be considered a silver bullet. A way forward, framed by solid and transparent legal bodies, and a clear public security strategy, must be put in place to tackle the complex Haitian ecosystem of violence, marked by a coexistence of criminal groups and the state. It is critical that the Haitian authorities and the international community make progress in terms of facilitating humanitarian access and development by reconsolidating public institutions and by seeking a judicial solution to the gangs.
Given the delays in the deployment of the MSS mission, the most visible multilateral response to Haiti’s crisis has been the use of targeted sanctions by the international community. However, both UN and unilateral sanctions have seen little further movement, with no designations issued since late 2023 (with the exception of Canada). The EU, which has several members with important ties to Haiti, has not issued any designations under the sanctions regime it created in July 2023. There appears to be substantial reluctance by the Security Council to designate such backers, most likely because of the risk that designations on elites could negatively impact peacebuilding and government formation, though this comes with the equally palpable risk of allowing the elite-gang nexus to operate unhindered.
For more analytical content from the Observatory of Violence and Resilience in Haiti, see https://globalinitiative.net/observatory/ht-obs/.
Haitian press face ‘existential crisis’ with no end to gang violence
Le Nouvelliste, Haiti’s oldest independent daily newspaper, has been around for 126 years, and the outlet’s owners are proud to have maintained its operations through the country’s intensifying challenges — from foreign occupation and devastating earthquakes to coups. But now Le Nouvelliste’s survival — and that of more independent media outlets in the country — may be in grave danger. Besides a handful of major TV, radio and print outlets, Haiti has hundreds of small radio and TV stations, many of them operating on social media platforms with tiny budgets and only a handful of mostly freelance reporters. Many media outlets have been forced to cut staff due to falling advertising and others say they are close to being forced out of business.
Headquartered in Haiti’s capital, Port au-Prince, Le Nouvelliste has had “difficult situations” before, said publisher Max Chauvet, 73, the grandson of the paper’s founder. “But never like this,” Chauvet added. “It’s the first time in our history that the paper’s offices were physically taken over.” On April 25, suspected gang members occupied and looted Le Nouvelliste’s offices. The incident followed a March attack on a prominent broadcaster, Radio Télévision Caraïbes, which was forced to leave its studio in downtown Port-au-Prince. Also in April, the office of the National Press, which prints the Le Moniteur government bulletin, was attacked. And in March, the main gate and windows of Radio Télévision Caraïbes were hit by stray bullets. No casualties were reported. But the owner decided to move offices as a precaution. After Le Nouvelliste’s offices were occupied in April, the paper was forced to stop printing. The paper remains online. https://cpj.org/2024/07/haitian-press-face-existential-crisis-with-no-end-to-gang-violence/
Massive Displacement from Ongoing Violence
The entire social fabric of families is unraveling in Haiti as displacement in the country reaches record numbers due largely to insecurity and gang-related violence, according to Abdoulaye Sawadogo, head of the UN’s humanitarian coordination office, OCHA, in the Caribbean island nation. The number of people forced to flee their homes has jumped from 362,000 in early March when violence spiked in the capital Port-au-Prince to over 578,000 in June, a 60 per cent increase in just three months. “The violence which has displaced people is the same violence that poses a challenge in responding,” he told UN News. “Aid cannot be delivered in the middle of gunfight.” https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/07/1152336
A total of 3,830 people (985 households) were displaced/forced to move by the attacks of the 400 Mawozo gang in Ganthier, according to the IOM. All the people found refuge with relatives in host families, particularly in the 3rd communal section of Fonds Parisien located in the same commune. https://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article30719
The 3,000 internally displaced persons who are housed in the premises of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training on Avenue Jean Paul II (which used to house the Marie-Jeanne high school) are living in difficult sanitary conditions. Fleeing gang violence in several neighborhoods of the capital, they find themselves on this site where there are ten toilets that are all defective and showers in a pitiful state. The occupants fear for their health. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/249276/conditions-sanitaires-alarmantes-pour-les-deplaces-internes-loges-au-local-du-menfp
“ARMED GROUPS IN HAITI TARGET ALL THE SPACES WHERE WOMEN ARE THRIVING”
Women activists describe how they are coping with the country's insecurity.
Today, Haiti is led by a transition government headed by a recently formed presidential council. On June 25, at the request of the PHTK party’s former prime minister and the so-called international community, foreign boots are scheduled to arrive in Haiti for a confusing mission led by Kenya and funded by the U.S. in response to the insecurity that has swallowed the capital and many of its surrounding cities. This latest episode continues a long history of foreign intervention into Haitian politics, from the forced indemnity payments to France after its independence, a U.S. invasion and occupation in 1915, to U.S. corporations’ undermining of the Haitian Parliament with the explicit support of the State Department. Such foreign intervention has historically been disastrous for the Haitian people, especially Haitian women. In May, Nathalie “Talie” Cerin met with a group of Haitian women activists to talk about how the current climate has changed their everyday lives and how Haitian women are responding to it. With Islanda Micherline Aduel, Vanessa Jeudi, Sabine Lamour, and Naomie St. Louis. https://hammerandhope.org/article/haiti-women-activists
New Inspector General in Chief for Haitian Police
The Haitian National Police (PNH) welcomed its new Inspector General in Chief (IGC), Frantz Thermilus, on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. The installation ceremony, presided over by Jean Fallières Bazelais, Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), was attended by the Director General of the PNH, Rameau Normil, the Commander in Chief of the PNH, as reported by the PNH spokesperson’s office in a press release.
In his speech, Mr. Bazelais congratulated Frantz Thermilus and emphasized the importance of his mission. “We hope that the new Inspector General in Chief will demonstrate responsibility in the face of the significant challenges ahead,” he stated, highlighting the high expectations that come with the position. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249296/frantz-thermilus-appointed-as-new-chief-inspector-general-of-the-pnh
New Commission for Penal Reform Officially Launched
This Thursday, July 25, 2024, the members of the new commission responsible for penal reform officially took office. Created by the decree of July 18, 2024, this commission, composed of nine personalities, has a ten-month mandate to evaluate the decree of March 20, 2020 relating to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
In his speech, President of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) Edgard Leblanc recalled that the revision of the Penal Code had been long awaited, but that previous attempts had failed. In March 2020, a new Penal Code and a Code of Criminal Procedure were published, but their implementation was delayed due to reservations expressed by various entities in society. Leblanc stressed that the mission of the commission “is to evaluate the two codes and make the appropriate recommendations so that the penal reform, if necessary, is effective, in application of the two codes within the time limit, in accordance with the requirements of the decree, silencing the disputes that have marked each attempt at implementation”.
"You will probably reformulate, delete or contextualize the controversial articles in order to satisfy the maximum number of sectors of national life so that finally, after 189 years, the country can have a penal code and a code of criminal procedure that take into account the offenses linked to globalization," continued the President of the Council. Justice Minister Carlos Hercules acknowledged the complexity of the task, describing the work ahead as delicate and arduous.
The 9 members of the commission: Enex Jean-Charles, René Magloire, Jean Joseph Exumé, Pierre Richard Casimir, Patrick Pierre-Louis, Kenel Sénatus, Wando Saint-Villier, Youdeline Cherizard, and Rubain A. Joseph. https://haiti.loopnews.com/content/investiture-des-membres-de-la-commission-de-reforme-penale-en-haiti
Crisis in Health Sector Persist and Cases of Anthrax in Haiti
In the Northeast Department, health specialists are rare. People have been either paying more for less care or rushing to hospitals in the Dominican Republic, traveling several miles in search of health care. Even the Fort-Liberté hospital, the largest in the department, does not have, among other things, an orthopedics, pediatrics, ophthalmology, dermatology and odontology department. The shortage is glaring. With a population of about 400,000 inhabitants (2015 estimate), the Northeast has 42 health centers spread across different parts of the department. These centers are facing a multidimensional crisis that affects Haiti as a whole.
According to an Ouanaminthe Medical Community Center (OCMC) report, 150,000 people do not have access to quality healthcare in the Northeast Department.
https://haitiantimes.com/2024/07/23/hopital-haiti-ouanaminthe/
The latest images of the premises of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, the School of Medical Biology, and the School of Optometry of the State University of Haiti, which also houses the National School of Nurses, are chilling. This institution, which was gradually rebuilt with the support of USAID after the damage caused by the earthquake of January 12, 2010, was looted, vandalized, and abandoned to its fate. In an interview with Le Nouvelliste, the Vice-Dean of Medicine, Dr. Marc-Félix Civil, reported on the steps taken to resume activities so as not to lose the academic year. "Initially, we opted for distance learning. Then, the Haitian Medical Association was kind enough to make the conference room of its premises available to us for the delivery of face-to-face courses." On Oswald Durand Street, this century-old institution is temporarily housed in Bois Verna. However, it is clear that the conference room of the Haitian Medical Association cannot accommodate all the students wishing to complete the academic year. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/249285/le-calvaire-des-facultes-de-medecine-face-a-linsecurite
During this past week, MSSP announced that they found several suspected cases of anthrax, a disease called “chabon" in kreyòl, in a small commune in Petit Goave. There are 12 suspected cases with 2 people dead and 10 others being hospitalized, along with one suspected case in Petionville. Information about the disease in Haitian kreyòl with illustrations is available here: http://bit.ly/Maladi-Chabon.
https://x.com/LikeChrisss/status/1816631398251299051, https://x.com/MsppOfficiel/status/1816144118797480216
Prime Minister Conille Initiates investigation into corruption on sale of fuel
On Thursday, July 25, 2024, Prime Minister Garry Conille announced via Twitter that he has instructed the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), the Superior Court of Auditors and Administrative Disputes (CSCCA), the General Inspectorate of Finances (IGF), and the Government Commissioner at the Port-au-Prince First Instance Court to initiate a "joint investigation" into a "major suspicion of corruption" surrounding the sale of fuel at the Bureau of Monetization of Public Aid (BMPAD), which has led to the mismanagement of several million dollars by the Haitian government.
“Today, I met with officials from the ULCC, the CSCCA, the IGF, and the Government Commissioner regarding a serious suspicion of corruption related to the sale of fuel at BMPAD in recent years. I have requested that a joint investigation be launched as soon as possible into the several million dollars mismanaged by the state,” stated Prime Minister Garry Conille in his tweet on July 25, 2024. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/249348/pm-garry-conille-demands-investigation-into-bmpads-fuel-procurement-over-corruption-suspicions
Crisis in Education: $23 million deficit
No chairs. Missing blackboards. A lack of bathrooms. Schools in Haiti’s capital and beyond are crumbling as gang violence deepens poverty and disrupts basic government services as the state education system faces a $23 million deficit. “The country needs help,” said Yasmine Sherif, executive director of the UNICEF fund Education Cannot Wait.
On Friday, she announced a $2.5 million grant that is expected to help nearly 75,000 children via cash transfers, school feeding programs and other initiatives. “My main concern is security,” she said. At least 919 schools remain closed in Port-au-Prince and in the central region of Artibonite because of the gang violence. The closures have affected more than 150,000 students, according to UNICEF. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-schools-unicef-gangs-violence-ec01a46d012cfd7e3c5880b86589581d?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
Haitian National Police and UN Women Sign Agreement
On Thursday, July 25, 2024, in the presence of Marie Françoise Suzan, the Minister for Women's Affairs, senior leaders of the Haitian National Police (PNH), representatives of UN agencies and members of civil society, UN Women and the PNH signed a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes a partnership to support the Coordination of Women's Affairs and Gender Issues, the Unit for the Fight against Sexual Crimes (ULCS) and the Brigade for the Protection of Minors (BPM), with the general objective of strengthening the operational capacities of police response services to violence against women and girls by ensuring better care for victims.
In her speech, Minister Marie Françoise Suzan declared "We reaffirm our determination to contribute to the establishment of a climate of security where every woman and girl can have the chance to flourish without fear of violence or discrimination," convinced that this agreement constitutes "a decisive step in the collective quest to create an environment where the security and fundamental rights of all Haitian women and girls can be fully guaranteed [...] gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are not only fundamental rights objectives, but essential political and economic imperatives for the sustainable development of the country." https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-42857-haiti-security-signing-of-an-agreement-between-the-pnh-and-un-women.html
Human Rights and Feminist Advocates Demand Full Participation of Women in Haiti’s Transition
Human rights and feminist organizations in Haiti and the U.S. demand that Haiti’s male-dominated transition process start to include women as required by Haitian and international law. They note that the country’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) has no women among its seven voting members and that only men were interviewed for the position of Prime Minister to which Garry Conille was appointed on May 29. On this point in particular, they point out that if Article 6 of the April 3, 2024 accord determining the process for designating the prime minister had been respected, many capable, honest women with the necessary skills would have been proposed by the sectors.
While the organizations welcome Conille’s May 31 statement acknowledging that women, who are more than half of Haiti’s population, must have their place in government, they emphasize he and the TPC must go beyond words. Recalling that an equitable transition is not only legally required, but is essential for the country to establish a sustainable democracy, the organizations insist that women be named to at least half of Ministry posts in the forthcoming government and at least one third of all other positions related to the transition.
“The exclusion of women from voting seats on the TPC and final consideration for Prime Minister in 2024 is beyond outrageous” said Pascale Solages of Nègès Mawon. “It is an insult to the 6 million women and girls in Haiti whose participation is necessary for the transition’s success.” https://www.ijdh.org/press_release/human-rights-and-feminist-advocates-demand-full-participation-of-women-in-haitis-transition/
*ANALYSIS*
Rethinking the International Community’s Response to Haiti’s Security Crisis, by Jeffsky Poincy, Stimson Center
Haiti faces a complex crisis characterized by acute gang violence and the economic and social struggles of its citizens. Despite international efforts, including the deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission led by Kenya, the security strategy falls short owing to a lack of clear objectives, accountability, and sufficient support for Haitian institutions. To address the multidimensional challenges and ensure the MSS mission’s effectiveness, this paper suggests a new approach focusing on strengthening local security forces and managing the broader gang ecosystem—essential steps for long-term stability. https://www.stimson.org/2024/rethinking-the-international-response-to-haitis-security-crisis/
Industrial Policies for Haiti’s Sustainable Development Strategy, by Johnny Celestin, Haiti Policy House
As Haiti tries to turn the page with a new council, a new prime minister, and a new government, the perennial question resurfaces: How can this nation, rich in history, grapple with persistent poverty and unemployment? Can it turn the tide and build a prosperous future? The answers can be drawn from a global comparative analysis. Haitians across the nation, from Mole St. Nicholas to Thomassique, Thiotte, Tiburon, and the bustling streets of Port-au-Prince, share the same fundamental desires as people worldwide: physical and economic security. These two universal needs should guide Haiti's new government. Physical security is the foundational requirement; without it, no development can take root. However, security alone is insufficient. Haiti requires a robust economic foundation that it can build and sustain independently. https://www.haitipolicyhouse.org/publications/industrial-policies-for-haiti