Latin American Summary, January 1, 2023.
According to a report by the National Union of Haitian Police Officers (Synapoha), shared with the AlterPresse/AlterRadio platform, 37 national police officers were executed by armed gangs in the national territory in 2023.
Several other state police officers were injured by gunfire, particularly in the greater area of the capital Port-au-Prince.
On Friday, January 20, 2023, three (3) national police officers were killed, one (1) more (Wiclern Staniclas from the 20th class of the Haitian National Police) is missing, while another (Guillaume Pascal from the 31st class) is missing. He was injured by bullets fired by armed bandits at a police patrol in Métivier, a town near the town of Diègue and the suburb of Cacouille in the municipality of Pétionville (east of the capital Port-au-Prince).
Five days later, on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, seven national police officers (one of whom died in hospital from his gunshot wounds) fell victim to the murderous bullets of thugs in Liancourt (under Artibonite), recalls Synapoha spokesman Lionel Lazarre.
Synapoha did not provide figures on the number of police officers arrested for involvement in malicious acts or banditry.
The situation is extremely difficult and complicated. But the police are doing everything they can to enable the population to carry out their daily activities, Synapoha tries to reassure.
The National Union of Haitian Police Officers criticizes state authorities for not providing the Haitian National Police (PNH) with sufficient resources to adequately carry out its protection and service mission, and calls for provisions to better monitor the Haitian National Police.
“We must free the Haitian National Police from the clutches of politics. “We cannot speak of a strong police force in this political context.”
During an informal meeting before the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Monday, December 18, 2023, in New York, United States of America, the Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (Binuh), Ecuadorian María Isabel, spoke Salvador, stressed that with little equipment and personnel, the Pnh is powerless to fight against the heavily armed gangs in the country.
The Pnh's ability to deal with this growing crime is declining, says Binuh, recounting how more than 1,600 officers left the police institution in 2023.
Most of them are looking for opportunities to emigrate, says María Isabel Salvador.
“The remaining officers are in a difficult situation, struggling with inadequate equipment, training and salaries. “Which significantly reduces its effectiveness against increasingly equipped armed gangs.”
The leader of Binuh recalled a catastrophic security situation and the loss of trust in the police that forced some Haitians to form self-defense groups.
On Tuesday, December 26, 2023, armed bandits who had been trying since Wednesday, November 1, 2023, attempted to break into the Mariani area between the municipalities of Carrefour and Gressier (south of the capital Port-au-Port-au-Port- au-Mont-de-France) to establish a criminal base. Prince) murdered several young people on the road leading to the town of Ti Sous, according to AlterPresse.
The thugs accuse the victims of cooperating with the Pnh to carry out operations against them.
Likewise, on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, two (2) people died and three others were killed in exchanges of fire with a Pnh patrol in the municipality of Port-de-Paix (in the Nord-Ouest department).
The victims are believed to be members of armed gangs operating in the Ti Bwadòm area, near Bassin Bleu (northwest) and Gros-Morne (in the Artibonite department).
Source: AlterPresse