April 26, 2007:
After a four month campaign of raids and aggressive patrolling, the police and
UN peacekeepers have shut down the gangs that controlled the major slum areas
in the capital. For the last two months, the slums have been quiet at night,
and police patrols are no longer fired on. Over a dozen gangs had ruled these
shanty towns, openly displaying, and using, their weapons day and night. There
were several major gun battles as some of the gangs resisted the pacification
program. Over 400 gang members, including several gang leaders, have been
arrested. Many more gangsters have fled, or gone underground. While kidnapping,
and other crimes, are down, they have not been eliminated. In fact, at least
one gang has taken to kidnapping small children (seven or younger). And the
drug gangs, who were always low key and discrete, continue to thrive. While
some of the major gangs have been destroyed, most moved, reorganized and
learned to be unobtrusive. Economically, Haiti is still a basket case. But with
street violence down, schools and other public services have been restored in
most areas, and aid organizations can operate without fear of attack.
