The chaotic situation persists in Port-au-Prince: closed schools, gang violence, widespread poverty and political instability.
For several weeks, Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, has been plunged into uncontrollable chaos, marked by the rise in power of armed gangs who are sowing terror and attacking several public and private institutions. The streets (of Réunion, Chavannes, Monseigneur Guilloux, Joseph Janvier, etc.) which were once lively are now haunted by the terror of these thugs who kill, rape, pillage and burn, the schools have remained closed for a long time and the inhabitants are taken trapped in a spiral of increasing violence.
Indeed, gang violence is ravaging neighborhoods in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan region, terrorizing residents and hampering any attempt to normalize daily life. Armed clashes have become commonplace, and civilians are trapped in a cycle of uncontrollable violence. “We don’t live. In Port-au-Prince, death follows us every day. We are not at peace. The gangs are the only ones who decide whether they should kill us or leave us alive,” said a citizen father of four children.
Furthermore, education, the cornerstone of a nation’s development, has become a silent victim of this escalation of violence. With schools closed for more than a month in several areas of the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince, thousands of children are deprived of their fundamental right to education, condemned to stay at home in insecurity and uncertainty. “I don’t know what I should do. It’s difficult to study and prepare for the baccalaureate exams because of the automatic weapons fire that I often hear. Every evening I sleep in the hope of waking up with good news announcing the reopening of classes for students,” hopes a young schoolboy in final year.
Faced with this unprecedented crisis which began on February 29, a presidential transition council of nine members at the initiative of the international community, notably the CARICOM, was put in place to try to stabilize the political and social situation in the country. On Tuesday, April 16, the resigning Haitian government published in the official newspaper of the Republic, the Moniteur, the decree appointing the nine members. Well before this decree, the government announced on Friday April 12 the decree creating the CPT and adopted by the Council of Ministers.
Photo: Maxime Louissaint | Juno7
However, on the political level, instability reigns supreme. Power struggles between different political factions have plunged the country into a state of government paralysis. In this context of crisis, the establishment of this presidential transition council was announced, but its effectiveness remains to be proven in a country facing such complex challenges.
Clashes between gangs and law enforcement are increasing, leaving entire neighborhoods including Gran Ravin, Village de Dieu, Mariani, Bel-Air, Pernier among others under the control of ruthless criminals. The population, caught between gang violence and security operations, lives in constant fear of becoming another victim of this urban war.
At the same time, galloping inflation further aggravates the misery of the inhabitants of Port-au-Prince, making basic necessities inaccessible for many families already living in precarious conditions. This inflationary spiral fuels popular discontent and aggravates the country’s economic and social instability.
Faced with this escalation of violence and instability, many residents have been forced to leave their homes, seeking refuge in safer areas or even abroad. As mentioned above, the once vibrant streets are now haunted by abandoned houses, silent witnesses to the desolation that reigns over the city.
In this whirlwind of chaos and uncertainty, the future of Port-au-Prince seems darker than ever. Unless drastic measures are taken to restore order and stability, the Haitian capital risks falling further into despair and disorder, condemning its residents to an uncertain and precarious future.
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