The recent kidnapping of 17 missionaries, including five children, has increased public awareness of Haiti’s collapse as a country. The island nation now has the highest per capita kidnapping rate in the world.
During the first six months of this year, there were 395 kidnappings in Haiti, compared to 88 in the first six months of last year. Victims span all social classes, and ransoms range from $100 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The gang that kidnapped the missionaries is demanding $1 million per person. Experts blame this horrific rise on growing desperation, compromised police, and a political vacuum. In Port-au-Prince, gangs parade down the streets with AK-47s. During the first week of October, seven fuel trucks were hijacked; overall fuel stocks have dropped 60%. Commercial firms are now leaving Haiti.
Haiti has been a “republic” since its founding in the early 19th century. In reality, it has been ruled mostly by dictators. Its last dictator, Baby Doc Duvalier, was ousted in 1986; and elections first held in 1990. Unfortunately, electoral freedom has not worked well for Haiti. Plagued by corruption, instability, and multiple military coups, it was never able to firmly grasp rule-of-law. The assassination of its president last month sent the country into freefall. In theory, a republic should have a succession plan that keeps it running smoothly despite leadership changes. This was not the case in Haiti. The resulting confusion and political jousting allowed the country to fall apart. It seems that Haiti would have been better off with a king (which Baby Doc Duvalier arguably was, having inherited his position from his father, Papa Doc Duvalier). Kingdoms don’t rely as much on rule-of-law.
It is unclear how much the gang keeping the missionaries will accept for their release. Since kidnapping is a major source of income for the dozens of gangs running about, there will be little abatement until a strong form of government emerges, perhaps one of the gangs themselves. It won’t be pretty. But a failed nation-state, where chaos and death reign, has to be worse by comparison.
Source: Widlore Merancourt and Anthony Faiola, “Haiti Faces a Crisis as Kidnappings Skyrocket,” Washington Post, 10 Oct 2021, A1; see also https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/19/americas/haiti-kidnapping-epidemic-intl/index.html
Photo: Associated Press