Gang violence in a metropolis

The people of the Republic of Haiti are suffering from the domino effect of the unfortunate killing of their president, Jovenel Moïse, in July 2021. 

Three years later, cases of lawlessness continue to increase because some local groups continue to take the law into their own hands. As a result, thousands of innocent people have been killed on the streets, in their homes, and even from places where they ran for refuge. The local population is too afraid to go about their normal day-to-day activities.

So, local Haitians must take cover for fear of being killed. These are some of the negative reactions to a social problem. There will be suffering for the local population, and this retards any socio-economic steps that communities take to try and make themselves better. 

There is a need to make efforts to stop gang violence. There is a need to disarm the groups that carry weapons to maim communities. For now, the problem of gang violence in the Caribbean state has become so alarming that calls by the international community to stop is not working. 

As has always been the case, the humanitarian community continues to provide the necessary assistance to the vulnerable people facing the wrath of crimes. In the absence of such crimes, humanitarian help would be taken to many communities in other parts of the world that are in a bigger mess and bleeding because of the many injustices.

Therefore, as the drivers of humanitarian suffering continue, the humanitarian community continues to meet newer challenges from every corner of the globe. From the Caribbean (where people in Haiti have been bleeding) to South Sudan, we continue to witness a variety of causes of human suffering. 

The rate at which causes of this suffering are emerging is higher than the rate at which they can stop. Hence, an increase in the number of displaced people who run away from their homes with the hope of finding a better social environment in their new homes. It indicates the inability of the humanitarian community to solve the causes of suffering permanently. Yet the causes of conflicts are known, and therefore, the consequences that we should expect. 

We expect political and socio-economic differences and inadequate social and economic balance within communities, especially in poor states. Poor political administration leads to uncertainty and, thus, the large movements of people to seek ‘better’ conditions. That is why states like Haiti continue to see wave after wave of violence – gang violence. The state of disorder is more than one can imagine. Many parts of the world now continue to be infiltrated by groups of organised youth who are trying to survive off unsuspecting people.

Today, communities live in fear of being tortured and killed by youth who are also trying to find their means of survival. They bushwhack pedestrians who are walking home from work. They use all kinds of objects to disable innocent people and take away their possessions – money, mobile phones, and other valuables that they carry with them. They are never afraid to attack people in places that have cameras installed. Such crimes have been allowed to continue for too long without a solution. Many people have lost their lives to such cruel acts of unkindness. People should be able to move without the fear of being attacked by such organised groups of people. As we continue to find solutions, the government should engage the youth to ensure they engage in more beneficial activities that bring meaning to their lives.

The best solution is to work with the leaders of these groups. Identify their needs and set the leaders to convince their members to stop crime. It will help to eliminate crimes like drug trafficking, use, and abuse.

Simon J Mone Wodobalim, Civil Engineer, [email protected]