Christian Topics

Christian persecution is sadly not an uncommon event in a global context. Seven victims have so far been confirmed dead in Haiti and that number is expected to rise. The incident occurred on the 26th of August when a machine gun fired into a march organised by Pastor Marco. The march was in protest of the local gang that ruled that suburb of the capital. Machetes and makeshift weapons were held by the protestors, which suggests the protest was not completely peaceful and could have members from the Bwa Kale vigilante group. Machine guns ripped into the protesters causing at least ten confirmed kills and many other casualties.

The story has been reported by Premier Christian News https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/at-least-7-killed-after-haiti-gang-opens-fire-on-church-led-protest-rights-group

Gangs reportedly own up to 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince. and the cops are outnumbered.

What is the solution?

The country’s most important city is ruled by gangs, and prospects for Haiti seem bleak.
The country has a population of around 11 million people with a police force of around 9,000 cops. The country has a serious under-policing issue. Mix under policing with 14% unemployment and a political vacuum caused in 2021 by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. You have the perfect storm. Addressing these issues could unlock the potential of Haiti which has always alluded to the Caribbean nation.

Chicken and the Egg

Where do we start? Political stability would be the best place to start, however, is unachievable if there is weak enforcement of the law. Logically one would then assume that the police force is where the focus should be first. The Haitian economy has suffered contractions over 2019-2021 and inflation has reached 26.7 percent during 2022. With the police force being a dangerous job and economic prospects poor, Haiti may not have the means to increase the size of its police force.

Economic improvements could be targeted as a priority. The largest Haitian industry is agriculture. It had an economic downturn after a poor farming season in 2021. Though through charity work it may be possible to increase the prospect of the agricultural industry and even create jobs in nature conservation, it does leave one glaring issue. Port-au-Prince. It does not address the employment rate inside Port-au-Prince. It’s in the city where the violence is worst. Economic solutions need to be implemented in Haiti’s capital too to address all the issues. With crime so high, it would be impossible to get any sort of investment in Port-au-Prince.

The solutions to Haiti’s current situation are not easy to come by. Perhaps as Christians, we should not undermine the power of Jesus. Around the globe, there are Christians who have changed their lives from murderers, drug dealers, and gang members to evangelists, pastors and mature Christians. Perhaps it’s time that there is an organised movement where Christians who know the gang life are called to evangelise in what could be the most dangerous city in the world.

Would a movement of Christians who understand the mentality of these gang members be effective? It would be hard to say. I can see the merit of it, but the risk to these evangelists would be that of a prophet in the time of Nero.

What schemes are currently active in Haiti?

There are the usual charities that carry out the usual humanitarian aid, such as the Red Cross and Concern Worldwide. They provide urgent care to those who need it and are great causes. They offer hope on the ground to those who live in Haiti. Their work is important but does not do anything to cure Haiti. They are only treating the symptoms. F.A.R.M Haiti is a Christian-led charity. They mentor the local population, teaching skills in agriculture and sustainability while spreading the faith in Jesus Christ. To me, it seems as though the charity understands the full extent of the issues Haiti faces and is trying to offer a way forward.

Conclusion

Christians died on Saturday the 26th of August when they were led to protest by their pastor, Pastor Marco. Before that event many more have been killed in the violence, many who did not know Jesus.

This tragedy has been brewed through political instability, after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Made worse by the poor economic hardship and outnumbered police force.

Hope from charities like F.A.R.M and the Red Cross could help bring an end to the troubles. Though as stated earlier, to see an end to the fighting, The answer lies in Port-au-Prince. An expansion from F.A.R.M or a charity like F.A.R.M into the urban areas of Haiti would be the radical step I believe is required to end the suffering. Such a task however would require immense courage from the Lord. Courage is very easy for me to express behind my laptop screen sipping tea.

God bless the people of Haiti. You are all in my prayers.

Alex
Christian Topics
Co-Founder

Below are the links for articles and databases I used to write this article including the charity pages.

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/haiti-market-overview
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66442177
https://www.concern.org.uk/donate-haiti?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0bunBhD9ARIsAAZl0E34QS4Um7EcSSfOmTpzqzZbzJb7Ly8VZZ7ru87TOsbukCjxOUihF7MaAopeEALw_wcB
https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/haiti-gangs-violence-political-crisis-security-bwa-kale/
https://farmhaiti.org/ [F.A.R.M]
https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/americas/100000009059836/haiti-shooting-pastor-protest-gang.html