Haitians blame government after Pont-Sondé massacre

A Haitian mother is in a shelter in Léogâne with her child after an escalation in gang violence. Credit: UNICEF/Duples Plymouth

UNITED NATIONS, October 11, 2024 (IPS) – Last week, on October 3, a violent gang attack on residents of the central Haitian town of Pont-Sondé resulted in 115 deaths and sowed fear among communities. This attack was described as one of the deadliest massacres in recent history in Haiti. Pervasive gang violence threatens to destabilize Haiti as the environment becomes more dangerous by the day.

Pont-Sondé was once a thriving trading center bordering Haiti’s longest river, the Artibonite. It has since become a hotspot for gang activity, with attacks and kidnappings becoming increasingly common in recent years. The United Nations (UN) reported that at least 20 different armed groups are based in this region, including the Gran Grif gang, which was responsible for the attack on Pont-Sondé.

Last week’s massacre was particularly random, as babies, seniors and entire families were murdered. Entire families, infants and seniors were among those killed in last week’s massacre, showing how indiscriminate the attacks were. On October 9, Myriam Fièvre, mayor of the nearby town of Saint-Marc, stated that the death toll is expected to rise as bodies lie in areas currently inaccessible to authorities. This has alarmed both Haitian authorities and humanitarian organizations, as attacks of this scale have not been seen outside the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, where most of the country’s gang activity takes place.

“This is the most terrifying massacre in Haiti in decades. It is absolutely a show of force,” said Romain Le Cour, senior expert on Haiti for the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. On October 4, Haitian authorities replaced the commissioner for the Artibonite River region in an effort to monitor gang activity and deter future attacks.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that more than 6,200 people have been displaced as a result of last week’s attack, with many fleeing to Saint-Marc and surrounding towns. The majority are staying with relatives or host families, while about 750 people are taking refuge in makeshift IDP shelters, such as schools and churches.

In the days following the attack, Saint-Marc was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of displaced people. Fièvre expressed concern about the increase in Gran Grif activity in the surrounding areas.

There has been much public outrage among the people of Haiti following the recent massacre. Before October 3, the Gran Grif gang had announced their plans on social media. Residents of Haiti are furious that authorities have done nothing to intervene and blame the government.

“I have to thank the government because the gangs are killing people and children cannot go to school. They have announced several times on social media that they are coming. The night they invaded, they (Haitian authorities) could do nothing,” said mortuary driver Lunoir Jean Chavanne, who had lost several family members in the massacre. The UN has also criticized Haitian authorities, adding that their response was “inadequate and inconsistent.”

Earlier this year, the UN had announced its first contingent mission in Haiti in an effort to eradicate gang activity and protect civilians. However, many Haitians have expressed concerns about the protection measures taking place mainly in Port-au-Prince. “It will be even more difficult to open multiple battle fronts,” Le Cour said.

The UN and its affiliated groups are currently on the front lines of the crisis, distributing medicines, hot meals, reproductive health care services and cash transfers to affected communities. They have affirmed their solidarity with the Haitian authorities and are being mobilized to scale up response efforts if necessary.

IPS UN agency report