The Complexity of Haiti’s Armed Groups and Struggle

To understand the current crisis in Haiti, one must first trace the evolution of the armed groups that have transformed the country into a war zone.

Over the past three decades, poor neighborhoods’ armed groups have emerged in Haiti (mostly in the capital) and fought each other to defend territory, resources, and influence. But a major change occurred when the armed groups formed themselves into alliances in 2020.

The initial coalition was the G9, but the G-Pèp was formed the very next day in response. The two armed coalitions fought bloody battles for the next three years, but in February 2024 finally succeeded in making peace and merging. They now operate under a common banner called Viv Ansanm (Live Together).

This merger, which began fitfully in September 2023, finally succeeded in February 2024, when they definitively united to drive former de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry from power.

The groups that joined the Viv Ansanm came to understand something fundamental: their strength could not be realized through disorganized confrontation but only through the unification of their means and power. As an organized alliance, the Viv Ansanm can coordinate its actions with a precision that baffles and outflanks the Haitian National Police (PNH).

However, the Viv Ansanm’s emergence is now being met with the rise of so-called “self-defense” groups.

At first glance, these groups appear to be communities that mobilize to protect their homes and their security. This is how the traditional media presents the picture. However, the reality is much more complex.

One must ask oneself: who arms these new “self-defense” groups with weapons of war and ammunition? Who is financing this “self-defense” that, moreover, often operates completely illegally?

We know that many of the neighborhoods that later became part of the Viv Ansanm were originally armed by the Haitian bourgeoisie and its political arms – like André Michel’s Democratic Popular Sector – to act as foot-soldiers in their battle with President Jovenel Moïse. Later, they were armed by Henry’s officials to fight against the revolutionary push in 2021 and 2022 of the G9, whose political demands were becoming sharper and more revolutionary.

Are the “self-defense” committees that we see in towns like Pont Sondé and Arcahaie, as well as in neighborhoods like Solino, again being funded by the bourgeoisie and state, today headed by the new leaders whom U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken appointed, Prime Minister Garry Conille and the nine-headed Transitional Presidential Council (TPC)? Is Washington also providing these “self-defense” committees with support?

Together, let us write a new chapter, that of a sovereign, peaceful, and prosperous Haiti.

These are not trivial questions. They reveal an uncomfortable reality: Haiti is caught in a power game where chaos has become a tool of control. It is the result of decades of manipulation, where every move is calculated to keep the country in a state of permanent controlled anarchy.

In short, there are puppet-masters behind the scenes, who work to perpetuate our division and oppression, to weaken us from within. They pull the strings in the shadows, content to see our country consumed by fratricidal violence.

There are an assortment of “human rights” groups and other advocates who pretend to be acting in the interests of “the people”, but it has been shown that they too are usually merely pawns in this much larger game of control and manipulation.

We must face the truth: as long as we fight among ourselves, we remain vulnerable and easy to manipulate. While we exhaust ourselves in internal wars, those who supply the weapons, who orchestrate the alliances, who finance the divisions, continue to pull the strings with impunity, invisibly, while watching our country descend into chaos.

Let us look at the patterns more closely.

When Viv Ansanm gains influence and control of entire territories, “self-defense” groups suddenly appear, armed, organized, and ready to fight. A civil war seems to be looming, no longer between rival gangs. The media now presents it as a battle between “the population” itself and the Viv Ansanm bloc, as if it is not also part of “the population.” This raises a crucial questions: Who really benefits from this division between communities?

Haiti’s ruling class and its neo-colonial masters have long economically and politically benefitted from strife within the masses, a strife that results from inequality, state abandonment, systemic poverty, and widespread corruption.

This class divide is disguised and hidden when the rulers and power brokers fan the flames of division and distrust among the masses, making them forget that their true strength lies in unity, in collective resilience and resistance, and in love for a common future. Hence the slogans: “El pueblo, unido, jamas sera vencido” or “L’Union fait la force.”

Every time we fight against each other, every time blood is shed, there are dark interests that enrich themselves, foreign agendas at play, invisible powers that gain control.

Haiti is at a crossroads, and the path we take today will determine the future of our nation for generations to come. We can no longer afford to remain prisoners of the hatred and violence planted among us. It is time to transform our pain into collective strength and build together a country where peace, justice, and human dignity are the foundations of a better future.

We need a collective awakening. To do this, we must educate ourselves, question ourselves, reflect on the social and political dynamics that surround us, and understand the power games we face. It is by knowing the root causes of our misfortune that we can put an end to it.

If we do not realize this, we will always be vulnerable to manipulation. Likewise, when we become aware of our power, we will gain the collective capacity to break this destructive cycle.

We must stop fighting each other for a power we never had. The real fight is for unity, for justice, for a strong and independent state, free from the external influences that fuel our divisions. Haiti will only be able to recover if we understand that we have been manipulated to tear each other apart. The future of Haiti depends on our willingness to unite, our strength to overcome patterns of manipulation, and our commitment to building a nation where everyone can live with dignity and respect.

We, the Haitian people, must take back control of our destiny. Our role begins with a conscious choice: to become aware of our role in this change, determined to no longer be puppets of foreign interests, but instead sovereign actors of our own destiny.

The real fight is for unity, for justice, for a strong and independent state, free from the external influences that fuel our divisions.

It is time to build a new social model, based on unity, cooperation, and mutual respect. This does not mean turning a blind eye to injustices or forgiving crimes. It means designing sustainable ways to ensure equitable justice, a system where the State no longer responds to private interests but to the common good.

Together, let us write a new chapter, that of a sovereign, peaceful, and prosperous Haiti. The time has come to create a culture of dialogue, in our neighborhoods, in our families, in our communities. It must include every voice, from the most marginalized to the most influential. We cannot change our situation by remaining locked in clans, alliances for survival.

Today, I appeal to every Haitian: reflect on the power-plays around you, the forces that profit from your divisions, the narratives that are imposed on you. Do not get caught up in struggles that do not belong to you. Be united, be aware of your collective value, and refuse to let others dictate the course of your future.

Together, let us transform destructive energy into creative force. Let us not allow Haiti to become the theater of external ambitions, nor the prey of divisions orchestrated by those who wish to see our country on its knees. Let us refuse to fight against each other for reasons that are not ours. Let us instead build a sovereign, resilient Haiti, where the dignity of each citizen is respected, where the people’s voice is heard, and where justice, education, and peace form the foundation of a free and enlightened society.

The future is in our hands. Let us no longer allow ourselves to be manipulated. Let us no longer be pawns in a history written by others. Let us write, together, the history of a nation that is recovering, that is reinventing itself, and that finally embodies the values of unity and respect.

The reconstruction of our country, our identity, our dignity begins today, by us and for us.