Gang amnesty: a dangerous path to impunity The current debate over a possible amnesty for Haiti’s PHTK terrorist gangs is taking place at a historic moment for the country. The proposal, which was quietly the subject of intense discussion in July, touches on fundamental questions of justice, security and ethics.
Considering pardoning gangs responsible for serious crimes such as murder, kidnapping, rape and enforced disappearances is challenging on more than one level. In countries such as the United States, Canada and France, these crimes are unforgivable and relentlessly prosecuted. Recently, the US federal police actively pursued an individual for an armed robbery committed more than a decade ago, demonstrating their inflexibility in the face of serious crimes, even if no victims are reported.
In Haiti, gangs, often denounced as being in the pay of the PHTK government, have committed acts of extreme violence, ranging from massacre to rape. This amnesty proposal seems to ignore the suffering of the victims and their families who have suffered irreparable losses. These families must be consulted, because they are the first to be affected by the consequences of these crimes.
The question also arises as to what message such an amnesty would send to society. By forgiving these crimes, do we not risk setting a dangerous precedent, institutionalizing impunity? Why still hesitate to label Haitian gangs as terrorists? Granting them amnesty would amount to legitimizing their actions and weakening the rule of law.
Finally, we must consider the vision of the nation we wish to build. Do we want a country where justice is sacrificed on the altar of political convenience, or a society where the principles of truth and reparation are paramount? Gang amnesty may bring temporary peace, but it risks compromising justice in the long run.
Gressier: Women raped by bandits become pregnant and are traumatized The “Bougoy babies”, a criminal coalition linked to “Viv ansanm”, have entered homes in Gressier to murder, rape and kidnap women. Some victims testify to having lived through nights of horror, claiming to have become pregnant without government assistance.
The horrific testimonies of young women raped by bandits from the criminal gang of “Viv ansanm” are chilling. A group of women, received this Monday in the offices of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) in Ruelle Rivière, recount terrifying episodes of hooded men who entered houses in Gressier to terrorize mothers.
On May 10, in Gressier, during an invasion, bandits broke into several houses. They raped several women, including Marise, who reports having resisted her attackers before giving in to the bandits’ brutal force. She lives the emotional consequences of the rape, even facing the harsh reality of becoming pregnant.
The double punishment of women victims of rape and abandonment
Marise’s testimonies sum up the harsh reality of a dozen women who were raped and tormented by these shocking episodes. Due to the degraded security context, many of them are unable to get tested. The Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital limits its services to preliminary examinations; the necessary diagnoses are problematic due to the stereotypes and clichés surrounding gang rape in Haiti.
For the time being, the victims live with the general feeling of bearing the after-effects of these events. Poorly housed, poorly fed, these women are abandoned to their fate. The transitional government of Dr. Garry Conille, too busy playing politics, is neglecting the general priority of restoring security and subduing criminal armed groups, the victims deplore.
cba and Hervé Noël
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