Gang Fighting

The gangs are still causing problems in our area. A relative of our kindergarten teacher, Mdm. Node was killed by gangs a week ago. A business owner in the area saw motorcycle thieves approaching his business and hid. While in hiding the thieves took what they wanted from his business. During one shooting after killing the victim the shooter calmly went up to a food vendor, bought a pate and sat down to eat it. When he was done the pate he calmly went away. The people in our neighbourhood are very uncomfortable with the current situation. The other day when I went to buy some motor oil from a vendor who sets up shop in front of our house he apologized for not coming right away. He had gone for a drink to calm down. Mdm. Node slept for 3 nights last week at the Shalom church on Delmas 33. She is fearful for what may happen next. Please keep everyone in prayer and that the UN and police take action. Today I finally read something in the news that addresses the crime/gang problems that have been going on for the last few months. I don't know why all these problems haven't been made public before. Below is the article from Haiti Libre :

Haiti - Security : Deadly clashes continue in Cité Soleil...
(Haiti Libre) -

Monday the situation remained tense in Cité Soleil, where armed gangs have been fighting for several weeks. According to Isaïe Bochard, one of the interim agents of Cité Soleil, the increase in armed clashes last week would have made at least 8 dead and more than a dozen injured, stock unconfirmed by the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

For its part, the Defense National Network of Human Rights (RNDDH), estimates that since 2013, the clashes between gangs, made more than 200 victims, including 50 in the 4th quarter 2014, noting that since the beginning of the year, the situation seems to be beyond the control of the authorities.

The Mayor of the commune of Cité Soleil, Reynald Joli Fils, has indicated that the socio-economic activities are strongly disturbed, especially in the neighborhoods of Belecourt, Boston and Brooklyn where informal trade and schools do not work, noting that shots and bursts of automatic weapons, are heard frequently, especially in Simon and Pelé.

For the mayor, the police do not have sufficient resources and personnel to defeat these criminals and calls for a joint intervention PNH-MINUSTAH, to restore calm in the city and dismantle the armed groups that spread terror and mourning in the population.

The Divisional Commissioner Vladimir Parison, Western Departmental Director of the PNH, who believes that the upcoming elections approach is not foreign to this renewed violence, suggested that a plan was being considered with MINUSTAH, to address the problem.

Recalling that such armed bands had a powerful strike force, he stated that their capacity did not exceed that of the police, who are in a position to respond. He rejects the criticism of inability to act or understaffed of the Police, noting that the police can not intervene anyhow in these densely populated areas, in order to avoid collateral damage in the population, the police duty is to protect.

Pending the intervention of the authorities, Cité Soleil population is being held hostage by these gangs fighting to have control of the country's largest slum...