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“Kout Manchèt nan dlo pa kite mak” A machete leaves no trace in water
CHAY LA | BIG STORY
Site Solèy
Last weekend, fighting between gangs in Site Solèy pushed hundreds of men, women, and children to flee for their lives — while many more remained trapped in their homes. At least 89 people were killed, 74 wounded, and 16 have been reported missing.
Une intervention limitée de la Police nationale d’Haïti n’a pas pu mater la fureur des gangs. Les forces de l’ordre ont uniquement dégagé sur l’axe routier principal menant à Cité Soleil des voitures que les gangs avaient érigées pour bloquer la voie publique. « Grâce aux interventions de la police, certaines familles ont pu sortir de la zone pour aller s’abriter ailleurs. Mais, la majorité des gens restent bloqués dans leur maison », selon Joël Janéus.
Jean Enock Joseph est un pasteur et un résident de longue date de la commune de Cité Soleil. Lors de son intervention à Magik 9, il a confirmé que les bandits brûlent et enterrent les personnes victimes.
« Des gens blessés qui tentaient de quitter la commune par voie maritime avec leurs proches ont été capturés puis tués par les membres du groupe G9, a déclaré Joseph. Les bandits ont bloqué une ambulance de Médecins sans frontières (MSF) qui venait au secours des blessés ».
Le MSF a dû négocier avec les gangs pour récupérer les malades, selon le responsable de communication de l’institution, Alexandre Michel. Cependant, le communicant n’était pas en mesure de préciser le nombre de blessés par balle reçus par l’institution sanitaire depuis le début des affrontements. (Source: AyiboPost)
The battle is said to have erupted as the G-9 Fanmi e Alye gang, led by Jimmy Chérizier (alias Barbecue), attempted to overthrow Gabrielle Jean Pierre (also known as Ti Gabriel or Gabo), leader of the G-Pèp gang in the neighborhood of Nan Brooklyn.
The gang-related violence being experienced in Haiti is fueled by the illegal traffic of guns and ammunition from the United States. Over the past few weeks, a number of containers carrying arms have been intercepted by Haitian customs officials.
One such shipment contained about 120,000 rounds of ammunition, complete with magazines for high-powered assault rifles, aboard a container ship that landed in Port-de-Paix. The cargo and its contents are said to have come from Florida.
The director of customs at the time, Rommel Bell, has since been fired on suspicion of arms trafficking and in an effort to save face, the authorities have been making a public showing of their working to address the flow of guns into the country.
The operation came the same day that the Haitian government appointed a new director and deputy-director of Customs, to replace the agency’s former head, Rommel Bell. Since May, Bell has been under investigation by Haiti’s anti-corruption unit (Unité de lutte contre la corruption – ULLC). […]
While US-to-Haiti gun smuggling is not new, Haiti’s current customs debacle touches on a number of important developments within the country’s security crisis.
Firstly, the alleged role played by state institutions in arming gangs. Haitian police have been implicated in illegal arms trafficking before and the current PHTK administration has reportedly provided weapons and vehicles on several occasions to leaders of the “G9 and Family” gang alliance (G9 an famni – G9).
After the raid of the customs building, the director of a prominent Haitian NGO made headlines by telling news outlet Alterpresse that state-sanctioned illegal arms regularly arrive at both private and public harbors of Port-au-Prince, with customs agents who seize them risking punishment. (Source: InSight Crime)
The Episcopal Church has also been embroiled in these matters, following a surprising revelation this week of two containers full of guns and ammunition addressed to the church. At the center of the debacle, Vundla Sikhumbuzo, an employee of the church who is said to have been responsible for customs clearances for this cargo. He is also said to have attempted to bypass inspections prior to the shipments’ arrival. Customs broker, Gina G. L. Rolls, was also arrested for her involvement.
Dans un communiqué sorti jeudi, l’église épiscopale dit n’avoir « aucune commande de containeurs et n’avoir entrepris aucune démarche de dédouanement de containers à la douane de Port-au-Prince ». L’institution déclare n’attendre l’arrivage « d’aucun produit en provenance de l’étranger pour aucune de ses institutions diocésaines. »
Dans sa note, l’église épiscopale n’a rien dit sur les actions ou le statut de son ancien Directeur des opérations, Vundla Sikhumbuzo. Alors qu’il était censé ne plus faire partie de l’institution, il a été embauché en 2020 pour aider au dédouanement d’un camion pour les besoins de l’Église à La Gonâve. (Source: AyiboPost)
KILTIRÈL
Fèt Sodo
The weekend of July 16th was the celebration of Vyèj Mirak Sodo. It is the largest of the rural festivals which mostly take place through the summer, across the countryside of Haiti. The Sodo municipality in the Central Plateau of Haiti, is home to the sacred waterfalls, receiving crowds of tourists and religious pilgrims every year, including those seeking miracles and favors from the lwa. Check out this Radio Haiti Archive throwback featuring field recordings of the Sodo pilgrimage in 1976.
In the midst of the celebrations, there was a report of a fatal car accident that killed 2 and injured many. Deadly accidents are not uncommon during these major events across the country. Back in April, several rara revelers lost their lives aboard a truck when it crashed and overturned.
ON THIS DAY (JULY 8-JULY 22)
Ariel Henry’s first 365 days
July 20th marked the 1 year anniversary of de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s ascent to power. In an address to the nation, Henry expressed a lack of desire to speak on the state of the nation or a summary of his year in power, as is customary. Henry, instead, invited others to summarize his first year for him — promising to take all constructive criticism into consideration.
Alors que tout le monde s’attendait à la présentation de son bilan officiel après un an à la tête de l’exécutif monocéphale, le premier ministre a pris tout le monde à contre-pied dans l’introduction de son allocution. Pas de bilan officiel. « Je ne vais pas vous faire de bilan de ces douze derniers mois. Je laisse ce soin à d’autres et je prendrai en considération toutes les critiques constructives qui seront faites » (Source: Gazette Haiti)
As a reminder, Henry’s appointment was the last act of de facto President Jovenel Moise, whose own mandate was largely debated. What can be said of the time of a de facto Prime Minister, named by a de facto president in the wake of such a tragic year? As Henry suggested, organizations and citizens alike have volunteered to summarize his unfortunate time in office for him.
ORDEDH: Pour marquer les douze mois du premier ministre de facto Ariel Henry, l’ORDEDH rapporte, de juillet 2021 à juillet 2022 : 984 kidnappings, parmi eux 49 étrangers, 17 mineurs ; 4 massacres à travers les quartiers populaires comme Ravine pintade (13 morts), Bel’air (19 morts), Plaine du cul-de-sac (148 morts), Cité soleil (234 morts ou blessés ); plus de 167 morts violentes à travers les dix départements. (Source: Rezo Nòdwès )
NOU PAP KONPLIS: «Nou Pap Konplis constate depuis plus d’un an que la situation socio-économique du peuple haïtien se dégrade de plus en plus alors que gouvernement de facto de Ariel Henry se montre insouciant» (Source: Haiti24)
LILIANNE PIERRE PAUL: “Ariel Henry, depi l vini la se franse sèlman l ap pale…Li pa janm mete akò 11 septanm lan an aplikasyon. Li bay vag sou tout moun li te pran angajman avèk yo….Li di li pa renmen fè pwomès. Nou sonje konbyen pwomès li te fè ak Matisan, kote li di n ap mache kontre ak gang yo…jiska prezan nad marinad. (Source: Radyo Kiskeya)
DEGI | RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE YOU GO
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Accidental Traces: Stowaway Objects in the Radio Haiti Archive by Laura Wagner
Gwojemoni nan rasin lekòl tèt an ba nan peyi tèt an ba (Part 1 and Part 2) by Michel DeGraff
Thousands trapped without water in Haitian capital, official says by Etant Dupain and Luke McGee
Shneider Hilaire, peintre du réalisme merveilleux | Le Nouvelliste
Opéra Poussière » de Jean d’Amérique (Haïti) - Lecture - Festival D'Avignon (French)
Haitian Immigrants Struggle to Find Resources in the U.S. by Souzen Joseph | Ayibopost