Armored tanks and police backup secure the carnival-goers under the gaze of displaced people taking refuge in the premises of the Rex theater since August 2023
Dozens of forcibly displaced families found themselves in front of the SONAPI industrial park, located on Boulevard Toussaint Louverture, very early in the morning of February 12, 2024.
Forced displaced persons from La Plaine-du-Cul-de-Sac arrive at the Trois-Mains crossroads, near SONAPI, on February 12, 2024. | Jean Féguens Regala
These families had been fleeing ongoing gang clashes in the Cul-de-Sac plain for at least two weeks.
Pregnant women, young children, idle elderly people, standing or sitting on the sidewalk, looking exhausted, could be seen in the area.
A boy fleeing gang violence on the plains glances back.
A woman and two children fleeing gang violence in La Plaine head towards the Trois-Mains crossroads to find refuge.
“There are dead bodies on the roads, houses ravaged by flames. People are forced to flee their homes out of fear. It’s horrible,” James Bélizaire, president of the “Men kontre pou devlopman” association, told AyiboPost., in Blanchard.
A young woman carrying a little girl coming from Route 9, fleeing gangs in the plains.
This umpteenth gang war involves “Chen Mechan” and another armed group from Terre Noire, in the plain, according to testimonies collected on site by AyiboPost.
Displaced people from the plain seek refuge in the courtyard of the police station at the Trois-Mains crossroads.
“Men kontre pou devlopman” helps the elderly.
“More than fifty elderly people now find themselves homeless, scattered in various places. One of them was shot,” reports Bélizaire.
Displaced people from the plain seek refuge in the courtyard of the police station at the Trois-Mains crossroads.
On November 13, 2023, an armed attack surprised the residents of this locality.
But for Exalus Jacqueline, a mother of four, it wasn’t as intense as the one that just pushed them to leave.
Families take over the police station at the Trois-Mains crossroads to take shelter there.
“I was able to save my four children, but now I have no idea where they are,” Exalus explains to AyiboPost, with a lump in his throat.
The lady has lived in the area since 2009.
She explains that dozens of residents have already left to find refuge in Delmas, Pétion-ville and Kenscoff. Most fled empty-handed, leaving everything behind.
A crying young boy hides his face, saying gangs forced his family to flee the area twice.
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the month of January 2024 turned out to be the most violent registered in the country for two years. The toll shows more than 1,100 people killed, kidnapped or burned, including more than 800 innocent victims. These figures represent three times more than the statistics collected in January 2023.
A man claiming to be responsible for fifty elderly people asks for help to care for them.
Between January 20 and February 7, at least fifteen deaths were recorded and nearly thirty injuries occurred during confrontations between demonstrators and police forces.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), ongoing conflicts in several municipalities in the metropolitan area of Port au Prince pushed 10,000 people to flee their homes between February 5 and 14, 2024.
A midi, a photojournalist from AyiboPost went to the Champ-de-Mars where the carnival atmosphere takes place until today Wednesday February 14.
PNH agents hard at work, dedicated to securing carnival-goers at the Champs-de-Mars.
A significant security system was observed on site. Armored tanks and police backup secure the carnival-goers under the gaze of displaced people who have taken refuge in the premises of the Rex theater since August 2023.
DJ Constant’s musical float passes in front of the Rex Théâtre where the displaced people from Carrefour-Feuilles have taken refuge.
People displaced by gang violence taking refuge at the Rex Theater attend the carnival.
“We don’t like Ariel. We know there is insecurity. But we would like to give another image of the country,” declares political activist Germain Jean-Baptiste, met on the carnival route at Champ-de-Mars.
A carnival-goer brandishing a flag near the police officers ensuring the carnival parade at the Champ-de-Mars.
“It is up to the justice system and the police to deal with the bandits,” he declared in response to criticism from some who believe that the moment is not conducive to the carnival atmosphere and who castigate those and those who participate.
In the afternoon of this Monday marking the second Shrovetide, heavy gunfire disrupted the atmosphere at the Champ-de-Mars. At least one person was shot and injured and others had to evacuate the scene.
A woman shot near the National Palace, Tuesday February 13, 2024, during the last day of the carnival at the Champ-de-Mars.
This Tuesday morning, around 11 a.m., a tense atmosphere enveloped the Champ-de-Mars.
Angry, students from the Faculty of Ethnology at the State University of Haiti set up flaming barricades along the carnival route. Roads agents from Port-au-Prince town hall, trying to open the passage, had to face stones and bottles being thrown.
Men identifying themselves as students protest, ready to throw stones, against the progress of the carnival, on the second day, Monday February 12
“It’s sad to see that the government decided to organize the carnival while people are still in refugee camps, without assistance, desperately waiting for the day when they can return home,” said a student who took part to the protest movement.
Tires on fire Monday February 12 at the Champ-de-Mars as a sign of protest against the carnival.
A young man sets tires on fire at the Champ-de-Mars, near the Faculty of Ethnology, to protest against the holding of the carnival
For a good half hour, road officials and students clashed in a tense standoff.
A Port-au-Prince town hall employee throws stones at students protesting against the carnival at Champ-de-Mars.
A Port-au-Prince town hall employee throws stones at students protesting against the carnival on the Champ-de-Mars square.
Two employees of the Port-au-Prince town hall throw stones at students protesting against the carnival at Champ-de-Mars.
Two employees of the Port-au-Prince town hall throw stones towards the Faculty of Ethnology.
An employee of the Port-au-Prince town hall throws stones towards the Faculty of Ethnology.
PNH agents head to the Faculty of Ethnology to bring order
Demonstrators oppose members of the organization of pre-carnival festivities in Pétion-Ville, Sunday February 4, 2024.
Demonstrators in arm wrestling with members of the organization of pre-carnival festivities in Pétion-Ville, Sunday February 4, 2024.
PNH agents fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who were trying to set fire to a stand set up for pre-carnival festivities in Pétion-Ville, Sunday February 4, 2024.
Agents from the PNH, town hall roads and firefighters clean the street before the parade begins at the Champ-de-Mars.
Agents from the PNH, town hall roads and firefighters clean the street before the parade begins at the Champ-de-Mars.
Par Jean Feguens Gifts & Wethzer Piercin
Cover image: People displaced by gang violence taking refuge at the Rex Theater attend the carnival. | Jean Feguens Regala/AyiboPost
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