generalspeaking

Haiti in (Typical) Turmoil

Gang leaders, the Haitian Senate, an appointed prime minister not yet formally inducted, along with the man who took formal charge on the death of the Haitian president are all competing for his recently-vacated position. This is not a solemn, structured and democratic transition of general agreement, but a grab-fest of authority-competition, each claiming legitimacy over the other. In other words, to an outsider it appears simply business as usual in Haiti; as near as perfect dysfunction.

How functional can any country be to begin with, when a large part of its governance is that of the authority meted out by violent gangs? The leader of the most powerful gang has surfaced to insist that the mystery surrounding the assassination of Haitian president Jovenal Moise last week must be solved, calling his members to get out to the streets in protest demanding "light be shed on the president's assassination".

Light indeed. Why would a Haitian president be murdered in his home by Colombian 'commandos', a unit dispatched to 'arrest' President Moise, arrest warrant in hand. Colombia 'arresting' a Haitian president? For drug running? Invading another country to settle an external illegal narcotics problem? No fewer than 26 Colombians on a convoy approaching the Haitian president's private home intending to arrest him, but on arrival finding him very dead.

President Moise's wife has described her husband having been taken by surprise, attacked so suddenly he was unable to utter one word, even 'what?!', before his body was riddled, she said, with bullets, and she injured. If not the work of the Colombian commandos, then who? Any of his competitors for the office? Disaffected gang lords? Who would have shouted in clear English that what was going down was a DEA raid?

An American 'technical team' is en route to straighten out the tangled mess of could-bes, might-bes, possibilities. President Moise's replacement, acting prime minister Claude Joseph is internationally recognized as the new legitimate head of interim government. But he must contend with the Haitian Senate's president, Joseph Lambert who sees himself as acting president. Not to mention Ariel Henry who Moise appointed prime minister before his death.

Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph speaks to media in Port-au-Prince on Thursday. Joseph is currently leading Haiti with the help of the police and military, but he faces mounting challenges to his power. (Estailove St-Val/Reuters)

Claude Joseph has asked both the United Nations and the United States to step in and send troops to Haiti to prevent violent street riots. No word yet from the UN whether it might consider that option, but the U.S. while helping to assess Haiti's requirements for ongoing security and stability is definitely not prepared to commit to a sustained military presence on half the island of Hispaniola. 

Haitian 'authorities' insist President Moise's death represented a contract killing. Two Haitian-Americans accompanying the 26 Colombians bearing their arrest warrant explained they were there as interpreters. Haiti is an impoverished state ruled by an economic elite lording it over a population living in the dignity of poverty yearning to be elsewhere, where economic opportunities exist and state welfare is active. 

Arrested men: The U.S. has sent teams to Haiti to assess the situation on the ground as the country remains in turmoil following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse

Now, the 30 gangs that make their home in Haiti see themselves free to express themselves through an "unprecedented" escalation of violence, rival gangs claiming control of the capital while police retain the right to maintain order, but cannot in an atmosphere of political instability. "We tell all bases to mobilize, to mobilize and take to the streets for light to be shed on the president's assassination", former policeman and head of the G9 gang, colloquially named "Barbecue" ordered.

Barbecue just incidentally accused by witnesses of aiding in the slaughter of some 59 men, women and children in the neighbourhood of La Saline a year ago, an accusation he denies as he plans to transition from gang lord to political figure. His G9 gang now a revolutionary force planning to save Haiti from the opposition, the government and the Haitian bourgeoisie. And then there is this little mystery ... confused yet?

"He [Christian Emmanuel Sanon, the Florida-based doctor accused of ordering 28 commandos to storm Mr. Moïse’s private home], was only a middleman between the killing’s real masterminds and the gunmen who carried it out. He was paid by certain local people here."

"Very soon, the police and the investigation will tell the truth about it. He hired the mercenaries to execute the task."

"Moïse has been fighting what he called the oligarchs. He was trying to remove control from some powerful groups of interests in this country, and give more power to the government."

"I think the assassination of the president was the result of his belief and his ideology, and those who were fighting him were in a position to put an end to his life."

Elections Minister Mathias Pierre, Port-au-Prince suburb, Pétion-Ville

Leon Charles, head of Haiti's National Police, speaks during a news conference in Port-au-Prince on Sunday. Charles announced Sunday that officers have arrested a Haitian man accused of flying into the country on a private jet and working with the masterminds and alleged assassins behind the killing of President Jovenel Moïse. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

Labels: Colombian Commandoes, Contested Presidency, Gangs, Haiti, Presidential Assassination, Turmoil

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 13, 2021