Cite Soleil Shooting

Christianie, who is one of our cooks wasn't able to make it to work yesterday due to the transportation strike and the problems in Cite Soleil. This morning when she came to work she told me about an incident that happened Sunday night in Cite Soleil. There was a Rockfam concert taking place in the Konbit area, not far from the Cite Soleil police station. A vehicle with tinted windows drove by and shooters shot out the street lights. The vehicle came back again and opened fire on the crowd. The police chief statement said that there were 3 people killed and several people injured. The gunmen also opened fire on the police station. Some news stations and people living in Cite Soleil say that 21 people were killed. A neighbour of Christianie was shot in the back and is in hospital. The incident happened around 11:00 pm. Christianie lives in the Bois Neuf area of Cite Soleil. She heard a lot of gunfire and then the voices of a lot of people screaming. Her family went outside to find out what happened. The gangs are causing a lot of problems for the people of Cite Soleil,, especially in the Brooklyn, Boston and Belecour areas, and also the rest of the city. Gangs control the outside markets. People from one area can not sell or buy in another area of Cite Soleil. The police and UN can't control the gangs. Last week when we bought paint at the hardware store I spoke with the owner. He said that Haiti needs democracy but a heavy handed president. He refers to the UN forces here as "scarecrows". The UN doesn't get involved in anything but act like a scarecrow in a garden preventin a gang situation evolving into a civil war like situation. Please keep the injured in prayer, and especially for the people who live in Cite Soleil. They are trying to go about their lives under the watchful eyes of gang members. Please pray for peace in Haiti.