US Charges Haitian Man for Role In Kidnapping

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Facts

  • On Thurs., the DOJ formally accused Jean Pelice, an alleged member of Haiti's '400 Mawozo' gang, of taking part in the abduction of American Christian missionaries on Oct. 16, 2021.1
  • This comes as a 27-year-old Haitian man also known as 'Zo' appeared for the first time in a US court. He was extradited to the US in May to face charges of hostage-taking for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping.2
  • Pelice is the second person charged in the US in connection with this crime as Joly Germine, a leader of the gang, was also transferred to US custody in May under accusations of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and weapon trafficking.3
  • 17 missionaries - 16 Americans and one Canadian - from the Christian Aid Ministries, including five children, were abducted after they had built an orphanage near the country's capital, Port-au-Prince. The 400 Mawozo reportedly demanded a $1M ransom per person and the release of Germine, who was in jail, in exchange for their freedom.4
  • Two missionaries were freed on Nov. 18 and three on Dec. 5, but it was unclear whether a ransom was paid for their releases. The remaining 12 were held for 61 days until they reportedly 'escaped captivity' on Dec. 16.3
  • While gang violence has been an enduring problem in Haiti, a surge in kidnappings has been seen since the killing of Pres. Jovenel Moïse on Jul 7, 2021. The UN estimates around seven abductions take place every day in Haiti and it has reported 200 murders and 198 kidnappings in May alone.1

Sources: 1Al Jazeera, 2VOA, 3CBS and 4Breitbart.

Narratives

  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Miamiherald. Haitian police are unfairly positioned to tackle gang violence. While the criminals are heavily armed with smuggled US-made assault-style rifles, security forces are underequipped and must rely on seized weapons as US laws ironically restrict their access to arms. Foreign governments aren't doing enough.
  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The Defense Post. The US has been taking bold measures to help Haiti to counter the concerning surge in gang violence, including providing armored vehicles and weapons. The possibility of establishing an international coalition involving Canada and France to back Haitian law enforcement agencies is being examined, and US personnel are expected to train Haitian defense forces this year.