Haiti: Gang Kills and Burns Former Senator and Nephew

The violence in Haiti continues as a former Haitian senator was killed alongside his nephew in an upscale neighborhood near the capital, Port-au-Prince. The former senator was identified as Yvon Buissereth. He worked for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor.

Government Commissioner Jacques Lafontant told the Associated Press last Sunday that the gang did not just kill the former senator and his nephew, but also burned their bodies. It happened in the Laboule community, which is near where President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, inside his private home in Pelerin last July.

His nephew was identified as Ronald Joseph Monplaisir.

Yvon Buissereth and Nephew Killed in an Area in the Middle of a Turf War

According to Lafontant, Buissereth was traveling with his nephew in a government-issued vehicle. Their remains were found inside a charred car and said that a gang trying to control the area is likely to blame. He called their deaths a "terrible incident."

There are two gangs currently vying for supremacy in the area, but one is the likeliest to have killed the former senator and his nephew. According to the Haitian Times, members of the Ti Makak gang, which means "Little Macaques," are the likely culprits. They are currently fighting a turf war with the Toto gang over control of that area.

Haitians usually avoid traveling in that area due to gang violence and ongoing turf wars. Armed bandits also roam the area. The motives for the attacks are still unclear, according to authorities.

The former senator was serving as the current director general of the State Administration for the Promotion of Social Housing (EPPLS). The Caribbean National Weekly reported that Prime Minister Ariel Henry condemned his and his nephew's killings, and called it a "barbaric act." He vowed to have them "prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

Gang Violence Still Rising in Haiti

Gang violence was not really that big in Haiti. However, everything changed with the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Gang activity and violence erupted in the Caribbean country, and it has even shut down once-busy main roads. This includes the Martissant area where Buissereth and his nephew were killed. It connects Port-au-Prince with Haiti's southern region and is currently being controlled by warring gangs.

Gang violence has spiraled out of control, and the Haitian National Police have been overwhelmed. Resources are short in the island nation, and it only has 12,800 active police officers serving around 11 million people. They were simply outmanned and outgunned, and there were not enough of them to contend with all the gangs which poured out since the former president's assassination.

The United States and other countries are currently providing training and resources for the country's overwhelmed police force. For now, gangs are still rampant. The gang violence is also to blame for the recent surge in Haitian migrants trying to flee to the United States. They often brave harsh conditions and rough seas to escape the country in search of a better and safer life.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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