The state of Haiti has a long, tumultuous history, but most recently, increased gang violence has wreaked havoc on the country. Most of Haiti’s citizens live in fear of the violent gangs that have taken over vast swaths of the country. Specifically in their capital, Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier runs the streets and forces those who live there to live in fear (Janetsky and Pierre-Richard). Much has gone into the increase in gang violence. Two years ago, Cherizier’s gang blocked fuel distribution from Port-au-Prince for two months, allowing more gangs to expand their power (Janetsky and Pierre-Richard). Then, the country’s president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated over a year and a half ago, plunging the country further into chaos (Buschschlüter). The country’s current leader, the Prime Minister, has made empty promises to hold elections, and many Haitians believe their government has turned somewhat into a de-facto dictatorship (Janetsky and Pierre-Richard). The people of Haiti cannot trust their government, nor can they trust that they are safe in their homes, causing a dire humanitarian situation in Haiti.
The first article, Haiti Gangs: Three Churchgoers Kidnapped After Mass, by Vanessa Buschschlüter, was written for the BBC. In this article, her report is very factual, with little opinion involved. The article discusses the many brutal kidnappings by gangs and how recently they have been targeting more clergy members and churchgoers. The author then briefly discusses gang violence in Haiti more broadly. However, the journalist’s use of evidence is intriguing. She quotes the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who described the situation as “‘a living nightmare’” (Buschschlüter, p 4). She then again cites a UN report and another quote from a UN High Commissioner on Human Rights. While all of these sources are great for factual information, she cites the opinions of people who have no connection to Haiti. Due to this specific use of sources, her article’s depiction of Latin America is from an entirely outside perspective. The article depicts the gangs as malicious people with no real intent behind their actions. In this article, Haiti is portrayed as essentially a war-torn country with no hope in sight for a better future.
The second article Gangs Take Control in Haiti as Democracy Withers, is by PBS NewsHour with contributing Associated Press journalists Evens Sanon and Fernanda Pesce. The second article is much more focused on the personal stories of the people involved in the conflict. The journalists seem to argue not for or against anything while acknowledging the horrible events. The contributing journalists seem to have gone to Haiti and interviewed gang leader Cherizier and a young nine-year-old girl and her mom. The article directly quotes from Cherizier, who talks about how he is not a thief involved in rapes or kidnappings but is carrying out “the social fight” (Janetsky and Pierre-Richard). The article also quotes a mother who was terrified that her children would be shot or kidnapped so she had to move her family away from home. This article’s depiction of Latin America is very personal and brutal. The article simultaneously acknowledges the atrocious acts committed by gang members and its effects on the community while also getting the perspective of a gang leader. Getting multiple perspectives creates a different picture than what many outsiders view Haiti as. By focusing on individuals, the authors do not paint a war-torn country but a country with two sides who believe they are doing what is best for the state.
While focused on the same subject, these two stories differ significantly concerning their evidence and how that impacts the perspective of their story. The first article is very much an outsider’s perspective. They are condemning the gangs and speaking about the horrible situation without any first-hand accounts. The second article is the opposite. The second article gives a very personal account that provides insight into the gang leader’s perspective and what Haitian people have endured first-hand due to the violence. The second article writes the story from multiple points of view, which is vital in understanding an event. The first article gives facts and does not look at the side of gang members or their motives at all, which causes it to fall short as a reliable source. When looking at an event and trying to understand what is going on, it is essential to get all sides of the story, no matter the violence or what the reader might think. An event cannot be fully understood or grasped without the perspectives of the perpetrators and the victims. The second article using first-hand accounts, also brings the articles to a personal level, whereas the first does not. The first article uses quotes from people who have nothing to do with Haiti and only have an outsider’s perspective. An insider’s perspective is also a sign of a reliable and more in-depth article.
Specific sections of these articles that relate to class discussions are the gang members targeting clergy members and churchgoers and the self-proclaimed revolutionary gang members. In a few of our class discussions and readings, we discussed religion’s importance in Latin America. Many people in Latin America are very religious, so the gang members targeting these people and places is a huge deal. Places of worship in history have been places of refuge and where people go to feel safe, so it is deeply concerning that gangs would target someone that so many Haitians go to feel safe. Another way it relates to class is through gang members saying they are fighting for a cause. It looks pretty similar to our discussions about the uprisings throughout Latin America. From the perspective of the second article, gangs are people who are upset with their government and are trying to make a difference similar to the uprisings that turned into a revolution in Mexico that were just discussed in class. Latin America has a long history of overthrowing their governments when they see fit and this situation in Haiti might be no different.