Weekly Report - 30 June 2022 (WR-22-26)

HAITI: Gang occupation of top court highlights dire security situation

In a recent report, the United Nations (UN) secretary-general warned that kidnappings and homicides had reached “unprecedented levels” in Haiti, while UN Special Representative for Haiti Helen La Lime also said that gangs are tightening their control over swathes of the capital, Port-au-Prince, metropolitan area. The warnings come as the security situation in Haiti, which was plunged into further crisis with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse (2017-2021) nearly a year ago, continues to deteriorate – as was recently evinced by the occupation of the supreme court premises by heavily armed members of the 5 Segonn gang.

On 10 June members of the 5 Segonn gang, which operates in the Village-de-Dieu slum in the capital, raided the supreme court building, armed with automatic weapons, and allegedly stole evidence, drugs, weapons, and money. The staff were able to escape by climbing a wall, while two armoured police vehicles provided cover, according to local reports.

A 14 June press release by local human rights group La Fondasyon Je Klere (FJKL) reported that one person was injured in the attack, while seven vehicles were stolen, along with computers and office equipment. FJKL noted that, on 13 June, furniture from the premises was up for sale on a nearby road in full view of all.

Justice Minister Berto Dorcé appeared to downplay the incident, stressing that the security forces had recovered control of the premises. Two weeks later, however, the national police (PNd’H) spokesman, Gary Desrosiers, suggested that this had not been the case, announcing an operation to expel the gang members from the building.

Amid the latest worrying sign of the gangs’ control of Haiti’s institutions, six days later La Lime presented a report by the UN secretary general which underlined that the security situation continued to be marked by escalating gang violence. In particular it highlighted kidnappings and violent killings in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, which have made headlines in recent months [WR-22-18].

The report notes that, despite underreporting of kidnappings and intentional homicides, the PNd’H nonetheless recorded 540 kidnappings from 1 January to 31 May 2022, up by as much as 36.4% on the last five months of 2021, while the number of intentional homicides increased by 17%, from 668 in the last five months of 2021 to 782 in the first five months of 2022. It warns that these figures have continued to grow, reaching “unprecedented levels”. In May alone, a total of 198 kidnappings and 201 homicides were recorded, mostly in Ouest Department.

Lack of progress in Moïse investigation

The UN secretary general’s report also highlighted as a cause for concern the lack of progress in the investigation into Moïse’s assassination, which has stalled locally in part due to the high turnover of judges tasked with overseeing the case, who have stepped down over personal safety concerns.

So far over 40 people have been arrested in relation to the investigation, including local police officers and 18 former Colombian soldiers. However, those who ordered the assassination have yet to be identified, and their motives remain unclear. On 28 June police chief Desrosiers said that he had called for 33 PNd’H officers to be dismissed and a further three to be suspended in line with the investigation although he failed to provide further details.

While the investigation in Haiti has failed to produce any significant breakthroughs, US authorities are advancing in their own investigation. On 6 May, John Joël Joseph, a Haitian national and former senator was extradited to the US from Jamaica to face charges in the US in relation to the assassination plot. The other two suspects, Colombian national Mario Antonio Palacios and Haitian businessman Rodolphe Jaar, were charged in the US in January.

Judges

The first judge named to oversee the investigation into Jovenel Moïse’s assassination, Mathieu Chanlatte, resigned in August 2021 citing personal reasons after one of his assistants died under unclear circumstances, according to local press reports. His replacement, Garry Orélien, then confirmed in January 2022 that he had withdrawn from the case; his mandate ended in December, and he said his request for an extension was rejected. Since then, two further judges have been appointed and stepped down – Chavannes Etienne and Merlan Belabre.