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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 23 January 2023
As Haitian gangs expand control, cop’s family is left shaken

By MEGAN JANETSKY “I lost three men ... We’re
Associated Press not scared. We’re frus-
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) trated because we don’t
— Every day when Marie have enough equipment
Carmel Daniel’s husband to fight,” Serge said as he
put on his flak vest and watched a convoy of po-
walked out the door for an- lice trucks roll out from the
other day of fighting Haiti’s station. “We need ammo,
gangs, she wondered if he helmets, armored vehi-
would come home that cles.”
night. Analysts expect the blood-
Friday was the day her smil- shed to get worse, espe-
ing spouse of 18 years, Rick- cially after Haiti’s final 10
en Staniclasse, didn’t. elected officers ended their
One of the country’s near- Senate terms in early Janu-
ly 200 gangs ambushed ary, leaving the parliament
his police unit that morn- and presidency unfilled be-
ing, sending gunfire echo- cause the government has
ing through the streets in failed to hold elections.
an unexpected area — a Critics say that has turned
mansion-lined stretch of Haiti into a “de-facto dic-
the country’s capital, Port- National police control security on a street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. tatorship.”
au-Prince. Associated Press Meanwhile, people like
A gang led by Lionel Laz- Marie Carmel Daniel feel
arre battled the police could happen to us.” led by Prime Minister Ariel Meanwhile, police units hope drain for their country.
patrol under the swelter- The firefight was just the lat- Henry to further consoli- struggle to keep up. Daniel said her husband al-
ing Caribbean heat as of- est example of how Haitian date their control. While Canada and the ways hoped he could help
ficers desperately called gangs have grown in pow- The government has failed United States have sent ar- clean up his city. Together,
for backup. But help never er and expanded in reach, to ease the violence, forc- mored vehicles and other they built a home and a life
came, the country’s police leaving much of the popu- ing many to flee their supplies to Haiti, law en- together. Their 11-year-old
union said. lation terrorized. homes. News of rapes, kid- forcement officials say it is son dreamed of following
The fighting killed three of- While the United Nations nappings and ambushes just a fraction of what they in his father’s footsteps.
ficers, hospitalized a fourth estimates that 60% of Port- on police have become really need. “He loved people, he loved
with bullet wounds and left Au-Prince is controlled by the new norm. Tensions remained high to help people,” she said of
the 44-year-old Staniclasse the gangs, nowadays most Jolicoeur Allande Serge, Saturday, and in the after- her husband.
missing. Haitians on the street reck- director of the police unit noon Serge stood among But two years ago, violence
Daniel, meanwhile, was on that number is closer to that was attacked, said the a pack of armored trucks began to get so bad in their
terrified for herself and their 100%. Friday blitz in the Petion- dented with bullet strikes. neighborhood that they
three children. Haiti has struggled with en- Ville neighborhood was a Officers holding automatic applied for a visa to mi-
“My husband was fighting demic gang violence for sign of that. He noted that weapons, their faces cov- grate to the United States,
a lot with the gangs, and years, but the country spi- moving into upper class ar- ered by black masks, bus- hoping to join an exodus of
we don’t know what could raled into lawlessness after eas “benefits (the gangs’) tled about. people leaving Haiti. They
happen to us,” Daniel, 43, the 2021 killing of former economic interests.” A group of 50 officers was never got a reply.
said while curled up on her President Jovenel Moïse. Kidnappings and ransoms returning to the area where “I don’t know if he’s alive or
red couch surrounded by Powerful gangs have taken as high as $1 million have they fought Friday night to dead, but I’m worried,” she
neighbors. “I can’t sleep advantage of the political been a key part of the fi- try to break a gang block- said. “If we were able to
at the house anymore be- chaos and discontent with nancing for such armed ade and search for the leave the country, my hus-
cause I don’t know what the current government groups. missing officer, Staniclasse. band would be alive.”q

Report: Man loses testicle after clubbing

by Paris police

per Liberation quoted him legedly by an officer, while case of alleged gratuitous
as saying in an article pub- taking photos during a con- violence by French police,
lished Sunday. frontation between some a longstanding complaint.
The incident occurred dur- demonstrators and police. Liberation identified the in-
ing a spurt of violence at Another officer charged at jured man as Ivan S. and
a mostly peaceful march him and quickly planted his said he told the newspaper
Thursday by tens of thou- club in the man’s groin. he was suing “so that this
sands of people opposed Video of the incident circu- stops, because I’m not the
to a hotly contested lated on social media and first person to be subjected
government pension re- French television over the to violence by police.”
Riot police officers grab a protestor during a demonstration form plan. About 1 million weekend. Lucie Simon, a lawyer rep-
against pension changes, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023 in Paris. people marched in cities Paris Police Chief Laurent resenting him, said a lawsuit
Associated Press around France that day. Nunez ordered an inquiry for “voluntary violence by
PARIS (AP) — Doctors am- a police officer during a The 26-year-old, identi- into the exact circum- a person in authority lead-
putated the testicle of huge Paris demonstration fied in the French press as stances of the incident as ing to mutilation” already
a young man who got and who plans to file a law- an engineer, said he was outrage grew over what was in progress, French me-
clubbed in the groin by suit, daily French newspa- knocked to the ground, al- appeared to be a new dia quoted her as saying.q