By Emmanuel Méréna, HaitiInfosPro, May 27, 2023
The "Bwa Kale" movement launched on April 24, 2023 by members of the population in response to the terror created by gang members seems to have borne fruit.
In a report published this Friday, May 26, 2023 entitled "Impact du Bwa kale sur l'insécurité et le kidnapping" (The Impact of Bwa Kale on Kidnapping), the Centre d'Analyse et de Recherche en Droits de l'Homme (CARDH) reveals that no fewer than 160 alleged bandits have been lynched and then burned alive by members of the local population as part of the popular revolt known as "Bwa Kale", that began on April 24.
The West department is the region where the most cases of kidnappings, with a total of 134 cases, or 83.75%. It is followed by the Centre and Artibonite departments, with five and nine cases respectively.
CARDH notes that this citizen awakening led, from April 24 to May 24 2023, to a drastic reduction in cases of kidnapping and other manifestations of violence, including killings and rapes. During this period, only 129 murders were recorded, compared with 146 cases during the first twenty-three days of April.
With these results, CARDH believes that this movement needs to be monitored with a view to ensuring lasting security. If not, CARDH warns that the armed gangs' response may be worse than the atrocities that preceded the "Bwa kale".
Ultimately, it recommends that measures be taken to limit any possible excesses within this movement. As for the criminal gangs of which the "Bwa Kale" movement is the result, CARDH recommends institutional measures to tackle gang leaders such as Ti Lapli and Izo.
Translated by CHIP editors
Posted June 16, 2023