By Weston Kelly
Violence erupted in Haiti, on March 3, following a massive prison break caused by gang uprisings both inside and outside a national penitentiary in the capital city, Port-Au-Prince. In the past few months, the violent crime rate in Haiti has skyrocketed, peaking with the prison break. Over 3,500 escaped convicts now roam the streets as police forces attempt to recapture them. These mass escapes were caused by targeted attacks on prisons in Port-au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets. Over 300,000 innocent civilians have been subject to “indiscriminate killing, kidnapping, arson and rape,” with over 1,100 instances occuring in January alone (CNN Haiti declares state of emergency). The cause of the weak defense and civil unrest lies in the depressive history of the country, and the constant poverty since its independence.
Haiti’s past is full of poverty and corrupt leaders, many participating in tax fraud, money laundering, and illegal drug trafficking. Laurent Lamothe, Prime Minister in 2014, was “designated… for his involvement in significant corruption” (U.S. Department of State). Laurent was found responsible for the embezzlement of at least 60 million dollars from the PetroCaribe infrastructure investment and social welfare fund. In essence, he stole $60,000,000 from a project working to better the living conditions of the country’s citizens. Events like this further subject the residents to poor conditions, and build hatred towards the political system.
Suprisingly, the poor conditions themselves are not caused solely by the corrupt leaders. Instead, they stem from the country’s early exploitation. When Haiti gained independence from France, they were forced to meet impossible demands from their previous rulers. In order to pay the “independence debt,” they took loans from French banks, effectively doubling the total amount owed. This ruthless extortion of the country lasted over 300 years, firmly planting poverty into the nation. Projects like the PertoCaribe fund make attempts to repair the lasting damages, but deceitful leaders have slowed down the processes with their greedy schemes.
Cycles of poverty, corruption, and growing unrest culminated in gang uprisings, attempting to overthrow the government and better their own lives. However, the methods to accomplish this have brutalized politicians and regular citizens alike, turning a fight for freedom into a terror-filled uprising.