Several People Dead After Gunmen Fire Upon Protestors in Haiti's Latest 'bloodbath'
PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti – The Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Court of First Instance of Croix-des-Bouquets, is reported to have summoned the pastor of a church that organized a protest march in Canaan last Saturday that left at least seven people dead and several others injured or kidnapped after gunmen fired upon them.
Followers of “Pasteur Marco,” armed with machetes and clubs, took to the streets last Saturday (CMC Photo)The parishioners, some armed with machetes, were marching through a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, when the members of the gang, believed to be those in control of the suburb of Canaan, fired upon them with machine guns.
Officials fear that the death toll could rise given the number of persons badly wounded, while others have been kidnapped.
A video being circulated on social media showed people being shot at in the street, bodies lying on the ground and people who appeared to be hostages saying they thought the march was peaceful and had no idea it was about taking on the gang.
The non-government organization, Fondasyon Je Klere (FJKL), which says its mission is to guide Haitians in their quest for change in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, has condemned the actions that led to the “painful events” on Saturday.
“This march organized by the Evangelical Piscine Church of Bethesda led by Pastor Marcorel ZIDOR alias “Pastor Marco” was preceded by a pastoral speech advocating violence, calling on citizens to arm each other against others in order to disrupt armed gangs through violence.
”These calls for violence in order to bring citizens to replace the forces of order have multiplied lately in the total indifference of the established authorities who let society go to its decline,” FJKL said in a statement.
It reminds citizens that urging people to arm themselves against each other, provoking violence in pastoral speeches are criminal acts provided for and punished by the Haitian Penal Code with three to 15 year jail terms,
“It is time to enforce the law. Those who by their speech provoked this massacre as the perpetrators of this massacre must answer for their actions, the FJKL said, noting that while it sympathizes with the relatives of those killed, it is also hoping “that justice will be ruthless against the perpetrators and accomplices of this massacre”.
The suburb of Canaan, which was founded by survivors of the devastating 2010 earthquake, is controlled by a gang led by a man identified only as “Jeff”, who is believed to be allied with the 5 Segonn “5 Seconds” gang.
Gédéon Jean, director of Haiti’s Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights, is quoted by the Associated Press news agency as saying that that he watched the event unfold online and planned to ask the Ministry of Justice to investigate.
He also accused the pastor who organized the march of being irresponsible adding the “police should have stopped them from going. It’s extremely horrible for the state to let something like this happen.
Haiti has been thrown into turmoil since the July 7, 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, with the interim government of Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry urging the international community t send in a multi-national force to maintain peace and security in the country.
It is not known whether a ransom had been paid for his release.
