Marianne Compere '26
Haiti has been thrown into a state of humanitarian, political, and serious crisis following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Since then, there has been an increase in gang violence, and it is even worse than when it started. Gangs have overrun neighborhoods and dominated significant parts of territory, such as ports, airports, and the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Following President Moïse's assassination, Ariel Henry assumed the role of Prime Minister amidst controversy, as he was appointed to the position. The prolonged postponement of elections placed Henry under significant domestic and international scrutiny, intensifying pressure on him to facilitate a transition.
Since 2022, there has been a notable escalation in gang attacks and violence in Haiti, exacerbating the prevalence of food insecurity among its populace. Compounding these challenges, the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of devastating earthquakes and tropical storms. Notably, the earthquake of 2010 claimed the lives of over 100,000 individuals, further adding to Haiti's ongoing recovery efforts.
In early March, a Haitian gang orchestrated the escape of over 3,600 prison inmates, sparking a fresh wave of terror aimed at achieving their objective: the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The surge in violence has been staggering, with numerous reports of fatalities, kidnappings, and instances of sexual violence targeting women and girls. Consequently, the escalating violence has driven over 35,000 individuals to flee their homes since the start of 2024.
After taking a trip to Guyana and Kenya, Henry remains stranded in Puerto Rico due to gangs blocking main roads and the state of the country itself. On March 12, 2024, Henry announced that he would resign as Prime Minister in a video message posted to X after being threatened by a notorious Haitian gang leader. "The government that I'm running cannot remain insensitive in front of this situation. There is no sacrifice that is too big for our country."
On March 15, 2024, after much anticipation for a response from the United States regarding Haiti, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken informed the press that the majority of the members of the transitional council had been identified, although the process was still ongoing.
Haiti was the first nation forged by a rebellion of enslaved people, and rose to become the world’s first black republic in the world and the first independent state in the Caribbean. Haiti was the first nation to permanently ban slavery and work its way up from there. To see such a strong willed and upstanding country be crushed by such inhumane and disastrous circumstances truly does bring great pain.
“It's very tough, now everything has changed; it's not the way it used to be, and we need everyone’s help,” the DRE at Holy Innocents RC Church, Marc Compere, who is also a Haitian immigrant, says after speaking to family members still living in Haiti.
As he says, Haiti is in need of our help and support. Supporting organizations like Partners in Health, Unicef USA, Save the Children, are ways that you can help donate to families and refugees in need. I ask all of you to keep Haiti in your prayers.
At times like these, it’s important to remember the words of Toussaint Louverture, founding father of Haiti: “It is easy to cut down the tree of liberty, but not so easy to restore it to life.”