Haitian authorities are facing mounting challenges as they prepare to postpone the country’s general elections scheduled for December 13, according to a recent United Nations report. The report highlights the entangled relationships between political figures and armed gangs, which pose significant threats to the electoral process and public safety.
The UN Panel of Experts on Haiti compiled the 94-page report to address the country’s ongoing security crisis and to assist in formulating potential international sanctions. It identifies a pattern of violence driven by political interests in areas like Kenscoff and the Artibonite region, locations known for recent massacres.
“The Panel is concerned about collusion between some members of local authorities and gangs within public institutions,” the report stated. It noted an alarming incident where an active gang member, Gabriel Jean-Pierre, known as “Ti Gabriel,” was appointed to a municipal commission in Cité Soleil in May. The appointment reportedly aims to bolster territorial control and influence upcoming elections, drawing on Ti Gabriel’s political ties to a former member of parliament.
The report also casts doubt on the effectiveness of the UN sanctions currently in place. It found delays by Haitian financial institutions, including the central bank, in freezing the assets of individuals sanctioned by the UN, allowing them to transfer or hide their assets. Of nine individuals subject to sanctions at the time, only the assets of gang leader Kempes Sanon and former lawmaker Prophane Victor were frozen, and these contained minimal amounts. Victor’s frozen amount was less than $1,000, with no fixed assets identified.
“The hesitancy by Haitian authorities to take immediate action to freeze bank accounts and seize property of sanctioned individuals leaves” potential for individuals to circumvent sanctions, the report noted. It also indicated that the sanctions have not prevented serious human rights violations, including killings, kidnappings, and other abuses.
While the current electoral decree prohibits individuals under UN sanctions from running for office, the panel highlighted that this measure is unlikely to deter those connected to gangs, as many have not been designated on the sanctions list. “The vast majority of those involved in supporting gangs and destabilizing the country have yet to be designated,” the report emphasized.
Diego Da Rin, a Haiti analyst at the International Crisis Group, remarked that despite some reluctance among Security Council members to blacklist Haitian politicians, the panel’s findings reaffirm the link between political violence and criminal elements in Haiti. He stated, “Everybody agrees that Haiti cannot break the cycles of violence unless the longstanding ties between armed groups and the elites who support them are cut.”
As officials consider postponing the elections, the situation remains critical, with many calling for concerted efforts to address the complex interplay of politics and gang violence in Haiti.
