insecurity - Haiti Observer Blog

In Haiti, there are a lot of false ideas related to security in comparison to the rest of the Caribbean. It is felt that the rate of homicides is high which alarm everyone.

Effect Of Giving Importance To Homicides
Fed up with this kind of information, the opposition makes claims regarding the instability of the government in ensuring safety to organizations related to human rights as well as citizens of Haiti. The recent warnings being updated by Canada and the United Statese, only create a further bad impression.

A lot of importance has been given to homicides so much so that everyone seems convinced of the same. In such a condition where security is not guaranteed, it is difficult to develop the tourism sector which prevents business development.

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The Insecurity in Haiti does not discriminate. A cousin of President Michel, Lesly Martelly, has become the latest victim of insecurity in Haiti as he was shot by a gunmen during an attempted robbery in Delmas 2, Port-au-Prince.

The shooting incident took place Tuesday, December 18, 2012

According to Radio Kiskeya, the bandits opened fire on Lesly Martelly to rob his car. Martelly was taken to the hospital immediately where he had to undergo surgery. The victim is not in dangeras reported by government officials.

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On Saturday December 8, 2012, businessman Jules Edouard Moscoso who is close relative of the Moscoso children who were kidnapped about two Months ago and received their freedom after the intervention of the U.S government was assassinated in the city of Leogane. He was found shot dead in his business, next to a UN base, in Léogane Sunday. Some of the people interviewed declared to have heard gun fires during that night.

The 57 year old Jules Edouard Moscoso is the natural cousin of Robert Moscosso, the father of the two young Moscosso children kidnapped by the Clifford Brandt network. As you may know, Clifford Brandt, a son of one of Haiti's most prominent families, was arrested on charges of kidnapping. It is largely suspected that the killing of Jules Edouard Moscoso is not unrelated to the kidnapping of the Moscoso children and the arrest of Clifford Brandt.

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One thing in Haiti that seems to become successful in its decentralization is the new phenomenon of Kidnapping in Haiti. On Monday (11-19-12), several hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Jacmel to denounce the slaying of well known agronomist Jean Marie Patrice Etienne and the kidnapping of 3 years old, Jorry Maxy.

The population in Jacmel is saying enough is enough. This has become the latest flashpoint in Haiti related to kidnapping. It ignited anger, drawing a crowd of thousands on Monday in Jacmel.

The population took the opportunity to denounce authorities in the City for not providing a safe environment for the population in Jacmel. The cited recent increase in criminality and kidnapping occurring throughout the city. This was the second time in just a few weeks that the population in Jacmel rose up against kidnapping.

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In a bid to keep Haiti communities safe and secure, the authorities are now going after criminals and suspicious individuals. Commissioner of the Government Me Lucmane Delile launched the "Gason Pa Kanpe" campaign that is meant to catch criminals and stop them from inciting fear among the public. The campaign started strong, with more than 25 arrests in just a couple of days. Every kind of criminals, including kidnappers and drug dealers, are getting targeted by the campaign.

Lucmane Delile said the campaign"Gason Pa Kanpe" is just beginning, as they plan to go after criminals even harder. He shared that officials started rounding out criminals in the capital of Port-au-Prince, where they questioned and investigated a number of suspects. Officials are also setting their sights on various areas such as banks and neighborhoods with high crime rates. They are determined to make people safe in going to banks because there were instances wherein criminals went after their victims while the latter are doing bank transactions.

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Children are vulnerable in situations in which they feel uncomfortable, insecure, or frightened. Taught to obey adult authority without question, they are unable to act on their instincts when confronted with strangers who intend them harm. Here are some guidelines to keep your children safe.

• Sit down with your children and talk to them. Tell them if any stranger gets too close for comfort to run away as quickly as possible. Instruct them to yell as loud as possible as they run to safety.

• Don't allow your children to go anywhere by themselves. If they are young, have someone you know well accompany them. If your children are older, ensure they always travel with a friend. Keep tabs on your children.

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Ivan Simonovic of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights informed The Associated Press recently that he had learned from Haitian officials that the latest wave of insecurity, specially in Port-au-Prince, has been a result of gang warfare. The information was provided to him by Haitian police officials as well as Mr. Jean Renel Sanon, Justice Minister in Haiti.

Also record from United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti indicated that last July was the most violent Month for the past two years. However, something very interesting happened at the same time. The level of kidnapping decreased remarkably during that same Month.

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Bullying happens in every social context to individuals, groups, classes, races, genders, and sexual orientations. Researchers claim certain characteristics are present in people who bully. They are often authoritarian, dominating, controlling, socially underdeveloped, and prejudiced towards others. They are also emotionally volatile, coercive, habitually aggressive, paranoid, insecure, and prone to acting in robotic ways.

Bullying or hazing--as it is called on college campuses--has a shameful tradition that secretly legitimizes itself.

Research in psychology implies bullying begins in childhood. If bullying behavior is not dealt with then, the risk increases it may turn into a chronic disorder. Bullying works through mind-games, name-calling, or character assassination. It finds fertile ground in gangs and groups, often occurring in school environments.

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One excuse that the Haitian government has been spreading every time there is a kidnapping case in Haiti is that the government does not have control over the cell phones the criminals use to process their transaction such as contacting family members, requesting ransom, and actually getting compensation for the crime.

Is the Haitian Government soft on crime?

Hopefully a close regulation of the sale of mobile phones and SIM cards in Haiti will make it harder for these criminals. Actually, this is what the Secretary of State for Public Security, Réginald Delva, thinks. As a matter of fact, the Secretary of State for Public Security had for officials of the National Council of Telecommunications (CONATEL) that from now on to take the necessary steps to ensure that all sales of cell phones is registered and asked the National Identification Office (ONI) to help him identify criminals. Any operator of cell phone are now required to control the pre-activation of SIM cards.

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This is the job that I would like to have when I grow up, one where I am not responsible for anything or accountable to no one. That is the case for the position of Secrétaire D'état la Sécurité in Haiti which Mr. Reginald Delva is currently heading.

For the past few months, the level of crime in the Haitian population has been increasing at an alarming rate and as far as I ma concerned, it is unacceptable.

How does the authority responsible to protect the population responds? With the usual excuses.

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