Haiti's Streets Become a War Zone as Crime Soars Under US Occupation

The streets of Port-au-Prince have become a battleground as crime escalates in the wake of the US-led military intervention, which restored democracy to Haiti but left a power vacuum that has allowed professional criminals to thrive. With the US troops disbanding the army and paramilitary groups, these thugs have taken to armed freelancing, exploiting the weakness of the poorly armed Haitian police. As the handover to UN troops approaches, the crime wave is worsening, with gruesome robberies, shootings, and ambushes becoming increasingly common.

Key Takeaways:

• The US-led military intervention in Haiti has created a power vacuum that has allowed professional criminals to exploit the situation, leading to a surge in violent street crime.
• Prior to the intervention, most violence in Haiti was perpetrated by state security forces, but the foreign troops disbanded the army and paramilitary groups, allowing these thugs to continue operating undeterred.
• The Haitian Interim Security Force is poorly armed and cannot effectively counter the armed attacks by professional criminals.
• According to President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, more than 5,000 people were killed in the country during the years of exile, and the criminals responsible for these deaths are still walking free.
• A recent robbery at a currency-exchange office near the National Palace resulted in the deaths of two people and the theft of $41,000 in cash.
• The Haitian police force lacks the necessary training and equipment to effectively combat the armed gangs, with officers admitting that they are no match for the sophisticated weapons used by the bandits.

Statistics:

• More than 5,000 people were killed in Haiti during the years of exile under the military junta.
• A recent robbery at a currency-exchange office resulted in the deaths of two people and the theft of $41,000 in cash.
• A senior member of the Haitian interim police force was shot and injured by unknown gunmen.
• Four buses were ambushed on a highway north of Port-au-Prince, killing a driver and wounding 14 passengers.
• A member of the Haitian Interim Security Force was quoted as saying that police are "no match" for armed attacks by professional criminals.

Sources:

• Reuters News Agency
• Interview with Fito Boniface, employee at the currency-exchange office robbed on Saturday
• Interview with Jacques Edmond, 18-year-old student who witnessed the robbery
• Interview with Lieutenant MacGregor Thelisma, spokesman for the Haitian Interim Security Force
• Interview with President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.