Gangs demand large ransom for seized homes in Haiti’s rural Gros-Morne

GONAIVES — Since August 23, the Kokorat San Ras gang has imposed a reign of terror in the Rivière Blanche and Canifice communities of Gros-Morne, located about 20 miles north of Gonaives in the Haitian department of Artibonite. The criminal group has made it impossible for residents to live normally, disrupting daily activities and livelihoods.

The gang’s violent actions stem from a dispute over a kidnapped 5-year-old girl, which has resulted in at least 10 deaths, six kidnappings, and multiple homes and farms being set on fire. Many families have been forced to flee, and the gang is now extorting residents, demanding $298 per household to allow them to return or reclaim their homes.

“The gangs invaded our communities, killed people indiscriminately, kidnapped many and set fire to houses and farms,” ​​said Eric Adena, the administrator of the Rivière Blanche communal section. “This fear and desperation is compounded by the gangs demanding 38,750 gourdes (USD$298) from each homeowner to get their homes back,” Adena told The Haitian Times.

He criticized Artibonite authorities for abandoning rural communities and failing to intervene against the gang’s activities, which worsened people’s miserable living conditions.

Gros-Morne is mainly an agricultural area known for the production of mangoes, especially the Mango Madan Fransikwhich is exported mainly to the United States, along with avocados, sugar cane, corn, sorghum, beans, bananas, plantains, yams and vegetables. The presence of the Kokorat San Ras gang, which has been active for about three years, has turned the area into a conflict zone, which has seriously affected agricultural production.

“The violence has escalated, with bandits terrorizing civilians at large due to a lack of police intervention,” said local resident Adler Timothée, who highlighted the insecurity and neglect of the community by the departmental police authorities.

The gangs also target public transport on National Road 1, using toll plazas to extort money from passing vehicles.

Gros-Morne Mayor Hubert Sénéac noted that despite widespread insecurity, authorities are failing to ensure the safety of life and property in the region.

“A municipality of almost 160,000 people doesn’t even have 15 police officers. We are at the mercy of the gangs. This is a parody of catastrophic proportions,” the mayor said in a recent interview with The Haitian Times.

In response to the government’s inaction, dozens of residents protested. Between August 15 and 28, they organized two sit-ins outside the Toussaint Louverture police station in Gonaïves, the capital of Artibonite, to demand action against the gangs.

Fed up, the protesters threatened to take matters into their own hands, calling on the National Police to support them in eradicating the Kokorat San Ras and Gran Grif gangs from the department.

“We are tired and we can’t wait any longer,” said protester Jécosias Pierre, a political activist. “If the police cannot assume their responsibility to protect the population from these criminal gangs, we will soon take charge ourselves,” he threatened, referring to the possibility of widespread vigilante activity in the region.

Pierre accused the police of collaborating with the gangs, allowing them to operate freely.

The Economic and Social Forum of Entrepreneurs in Gonaives (FESSPEG) also expressed concern about the gang’s impact on economic activities and urged authorities to take decisive action against banditry.

“The situation remains dire, with the Artibonite division struggling to address the uncertainty that threatens the population and economic stability,” said Remus Régis, President of FESSPEG.

The Artibonite department, along with the West department, and particularly the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, are the two regions of Haiti most affected by gangs. Aside from parts of the northern region, critical areas of lower Artibonite have fallen under gang control. In Port-au-Prince, gangs control more than 80% of the area.

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