Violence in Haiti Escalating

Approximately two hundred armed gangs hold sway over Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. They are wreaking havoc by burning police stations, releasing thousands of criminals, and perpetrating kidnappings and killings that force residents to flee their homes. They have pillaged hospitals and halted commerce. Persons have been fatally shot, decapitated, and burned in the streets. The violence is intense, and according to Pierre, it is not something someone forgets so easily.

 

Alexandra Pierre, Haitian

“Well, it’s not something that you can get over. It’s, it’s, it’s the violence and then You’re just trying to live with that violence because you have no choice. It’s either the gang or the inhabitants.  So this is the situation and then I’m not telling that they did it, they didn’t do it right for cutting heads. I’m not telling that they, well, it’s just, It’s just a chaos right now. It’s difficult to have to stick to some kind of morality and say, okay, this is, you should preserve life. You should preserve dignity. It’s just, you should preserve your life. So, and then this is, I think, this is the violence. It’s the way they have killed the, the gang members for me. And this is the most cruel part I’ve ever lived in Haiti. And, I live in the island. It’s been 35 years. And then the, the prices are higher as well because with the gangs in every in the main entrance of the Capitol. So you don’t get the fruits as you used to, you know, get the rice as you used to. So even the money that you get hat you have, it has so much pressure on it. Then it’s not enough, right? Anyone can live with only hundred per week, and we are three in my family. So we are three on this hundred dollars.  So, this is this is a situation and I’m very sad.”