On October 19th, 2024, the United Nations Security Council executed an arms embargo, expanding to include all types of weapons and ammunition, in response to rampant gang violence in Haiti. This came into effect following the Pont-Sonde attack, initiated by the Gran Grif gang, resulting in over one-hundred-fifteen (115) civilian deaths on October 3rd.
Previously, the embargo only focused on small arms, however, due to the worsening security situation, the UN has been forced to take further action. In response to the gang presence in the country and the forced seizure of the capital, Port-Au-Prince, by these armed groups, the Security Council has extended sanctions including travel bans on gang leaders and other individuals who have been linked to arms trafficking. With Haiti being one of the world's most impoverished countries, their nearly failed state structures and weak governance have allowed numerous gangs to take control of the nation and undermine the democratic process. It has even been stated that Jovenel Moise, elected in 2017, was working in concert with these gangs and assisted in massacres resulting in the death of hundreds of their own civilians.
The international community has called upon the United States to crack down on the illegal gun trade. After an investigation, officials discovered that these gangs received at least seventy (70) percent of their weapons from US arms dealers, who smuggle the weapons into the country. Many humanitarians also urge the States to place further restrictions on licensed weapons dealers, as many “straw-men” will purchase weapons leagally, without disclosing that the weapons are not for themselves, and sell them to Haitian gangs for a profit. Haiti itself does not mass produce weapons, however, these gangs seem to have no trouble accessing them, with catastrophic consequences.
Another impending issue is that of Haitian migration and displacement. Many Haitians have been displaced as a result of gang violence, with many fleeing to the Democratic Republic. However, the DCR has announced that as of October 7th, 2024, they would begin deporting over ten thousand (10,000) Haitian migrants per week. Humanitarians suggest that forcing them back into Haiti could leave them highly vulnerable to retaliation by armed groups and puts thousands of lives at risk. The actions of the Democratic Republic have been called a “violation of the fundamental principles of human dignity” by the current Haitian Prime Minister Gary Conille
Many humanitarians hope that this expanded embargo will help to effectively disarm many of these gangs, aiding in the mass displacement, food insecurity, and rampant violence in the country.
References:
Ioanes, Ellen. “Haiti’s Gang Violence Crisis, Briefly Explained.” Vox, March 26, 2023.
Karim, Oritro. “UN Announces Embargo on Arms in Haiti.” Global Issues, October 22, 2024.
Maya Al-Idrissi is a student at Queen's University and an Outreach Coordinator for WIIS-Queen's. The opinions of this blog post are reflective of the author and are separate from the organization, Women in International Security Queen's Unviersity (WIIS-Queen's).
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