December
9, 2006: While there's still a lot of gang violence, and crime in
general, donor countries are satisfied with progress in reducing government
corruption. This is especially true when it comes to foreign aid, which in the
past was heavily plundered by government officials, and rarely reached the
Haitians who needed it most. However, the lack of law and order makes it
difficult to attract foreign investment, or even encourage Haitians to start
new businesses.
December
8, 2006: Gang violence in the capital left eight dead. The street violence is
largely a result of the government strategy of trying to negotiate with the
gangs. Warlords and private armies are an old Haitian tradition. Your armed
followers were the core of your political, and economic strength. Many Haitians
feel comfortable aligning themselves with a gang, and dying in defense of their
crew. The government doesn't want to take on the gangs with force, if only
because the gangs have more firepower. Even with the UN peacekeepers, the
gangs, as a whole, still have an edge. Although the gangs are divided by
politics, business interests, and personal animosities, they will form a loose
coalition to oppose any government attempt to put all gangs out of business.
December
3, 2006: Local elections (for mayors and the like) had a light turnout,
and some violence. At least four Haitians have died so far.
December
1, 2006: The UN is taking more media heat because of charges that peacekeepers
are abusing local women and girls. Peacekeepers almost always encounter
prostitutes, and sometimes commit rape (but rarely, because the local girls are
inexpensive, and rape causes more hostility from the locals.) The UN is in a
predicament here. Peacekeepers are hard to get, and if the UN tries to prevent
the peacekeepers from doing business with the prostitutes, it will be harder to
get peacekeeping troops. Same thing with corrupt peacekeepers, who go into
business for themselves (ranging from somewhat legit, to banditry).
November
23, 2006: About a hundred university students demonstrated against the UN
peacekeeping force. A bank security guard opened fire, and wounded two
students. Many high school and university students are radicalized, and keen to
carry on the Haitian tradition of political violence. A large faction of the
student population has aligned itself with gangs violent political
organizations.
November
22, 2006: Another American missionary was kidnapped and held for ransom.
He was released after negotiations. The missionary was part of an organization
that had been supplying medical and educational volunteers to Haiti for 25
years. In the past year, at least fifty foreigners have been kidnapped for
ransom.
