Latest Haiti Democracy News

Gang Violence Flaring

The U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights says in the first two and a half months of this year 531 people have been killed. “Most of the victims were killed or injured by snipers who were reportedly randomly shooting at people in their homes or on the streets.”

Haiti Project’s Push for International Aid

Since 2017 the Haiti project has consistently pushed first for retaining, then returning the U.N. mission to Haiti to avert complete disaster. Here we reprise our recent published articles and also look back on our earlier efforts to save Haitian elections

Elegy for the Fallen Police

By Dr. Frantz Large, valued participant in the Haiti Democracy Project’s 2009 conference for a Strategy of National Salvation. “Ce soir notre cœur se serre pour la disparition au Champ d’honneur des agents de la PNH . . .Ce soir, des épouses se retrouvent sans mari, et leurs pauvres mains chercheront en vain sous les couvertures un corps désormais rigide et froid. Ce soir de petites mains attendent en vain un père”

U.N.: Haiti Needs International Force to Beat the Gangs

Le besoin d’appui par une force internationale spécialisée « demandée par le gouvernement haïtien depuis octobre sans réponse concrète: La réalité est que sans ce déploiement international, opérant de manière intégrée avec la Police, les effets très positifs du processus politique et des sanctions resteront fragiles et susceptibles d’être inversés ».

Seven More Police Killed

They were killed defending a police station in the Artibonite on January 25 as 150 gang members stormed it. Since January 10 almost one policeman per day has fallen. Disaffected police threatened the prime minister’s office and the airport. Some arms sent to the police have ended up in the hands of the gangsters. A top reporter of Le Nouvelliste says the police are beginning to crack, but the police chief vows, “Nous n’allons pas baisser les bras.” There has been no follow-up to the sanctions, without which the targeted individuals await the moment to strike back.. Fourteen prisoners were killed in a jailbreak in Gonaïves

What must Be Done for Haiti to Survive?

By the Haiti Democracy Project for the Inter-American Dialogue. Washington is living in a dream world. It believes it can fight the Russians to the last Ukrainian and the Haitian gangs to the last Canadian. It believes that Haiti will conveniently go away next year, a U.S. election year. It’s time to put away these fantasies and concentrate on the few essential, doable tasks we need to do near our border

U.N. Secretary-General’s Warning

“Gang-related violence reached levels not seen in decades . . . Armed gangs sought to expand their influence into neighbourhoods of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area that were considered relatively safe until recently . . . Despite the end of the siege of the Varreux oil terminal, I reiterate the urgent need for the deployment of an international specialized armed force.”

Three Police Killed

A driver was also killed and another policeman injured in Petionville on Friday, January 20. Update: “Face à la puissance de feu des bandits du gang Krazé barrière, 3 policiers ont été tués et un autre porté disparu.” The tragedy is sowing discord between the top brass and the rank-and-file

Programme chargé

Full agenda for 2023: Les femmes candidates ont un programme chargé pour la nouvelle année, notamment le ralliement des candidates dans l’Artibonite, l’aide aux femmes détenues dans de mauvaises conditions au Cap-Haïtien et la lutte contre la violence électorale, en particulier contre les femmes handicapées. The project’s women candidates have a full agenda for the new year including rallying women candidates in the Artibonite, aiding women prisoners held in poor conditions in Cap-Haïtien, and countering electoral violence especially against handicapped women

Going Door-to-Door to Stop Cholera

“I have been working in Cité Soleil for eight years. The situation has deteriorated . . . the people are very fearful about the return of cholera.”

Taking Haiti Concerns to the Hill

On December 15, 2022 a Haiti Democracy Project staff delegation saw Rep. James McGovern, chairman of the House Rules Committee, to raise issues of security and migration. Our delegates were Wilby Louis and Rev. Garry Théodate.

Jacques Bernard: Elections the Solution

Marking one-year anniversary of his death. Originator of the Tabulation Center, organizer of the freest and fairest election in Haiti’s history, administrator of the last election to draw a majority of the voters

Lowering the Boom

How a sanctioned senator made himself a multimillionaire in five years, where he got his money, and how he reacted to the news of retribution by Canada and the United States

Tous unis contre les violences sexuelles

Le Regroupement National des Femmes Candidates du Haiti Democracy Project a participé à une conférence des Nations Unies à Port-au-Prince sur la prévention de la violence envers les femmes et l’augmentation du nombre de femmes candidates. Parrainé par l’ONU et le Canada et tenu à l’hôtel Montana.