Voodoo accusations spark massacre: Three days of hell in Haiti | International

Three men broke into J. F.’s home on December 6 around 10 p.m. “They stabbed my father and then burned his body in front of me,” he says, his voice breaking. The victim, 76 years old and a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, had gone to bed early in observance of the Sabbath, the day of rest in his faith. His son attempted to intervene. “They beat me and forced me to watch,” he recalls, his hands trembling.This marked the beginning of three days of violence in the Wharf Jérémie neighborhood in Cité Soleil, a densely populated and impoverished commune in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. A series of home invasions followed by a manhunt claimed the lives of more than 180 people. All were accused by a gang leader of practicing voodoo rituals that he believed had harmed his son.Some of the victims were local shopkeepers. People like Jean-Robert, known as “Supporte,” who ran a grocery store, and an elderly woman named Marie Denise, who sold sweets, were also brutally murdered. The mutilated and burned bodies left a path of devastation through the neighborhood. The flames consumed not only homes, but also the remaining hopes of those who survived.“Supporte always helped the community; he didn’t deserve this,” laments his neighbor, L. J.All names in this report are initials only for security reasons.A woman runs for cover from gunfire during clashes between police and gangs in the Delmas neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Dec.Odelyn Joseph (AP)The following day, the violence escalated. Men affiliated with Monel Felix, the leader of one of the gangs terrorizing the capital, continued their attacks, this time wielding knives. The streets, stained with blood and scattered with lifeless bodies, echoed with screams of horror. Pierre Espérance, director of the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH), reported that at least 50 people died that day, based on the testimonies he gathered. Among the victims were young people who attempted to rescue relatives and friends trapped in the chaos.“I saw my cousin being stabbed and then set on fire. I couldn’t do anything,” recalled C. E., a witness still grappling with the trauma of the event.The gang not only murdered but also restricted the movement of residents, laying siege to Wharf Jérémie. No one could enter or leave without facing consequences.“We were trapped, listening to screams and seeing smoke rising from burning houses,” says R. B., another resident. “Even people who live outside the neighborhood are under threat,” adds A. M., a shopkeeper who lost his brother during the attacks.Witchcraft accusations served as the pretext for the killings. Some homes were searched for evidence of voodoo rituals. Monel Felix — also known as Wa Mikanò or Micanor Altès — accused the victims of casting a spell on his son, who had fallen ill and died, according to Fritznel Pierre of the human rights organization Konbit pour la Paix.An armored tank in the Poste Marchand area, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on December 10, 2024.Anadolu (Anadolu via Getty Images)On Sunday, December 8, the scene at Wharf Jérémie was bleak. The remains of victims still smoldered in some streets. “A pungent smell of burning flesh filled the air,” recalls S. L., who survived by hiding in a sewer. Stray dogs prowled around the abandoned bodies, and the few people who dared to leave their homes kept their eyes fixed on the ground, trying to avoid the most disturbing scenes. “There were bodies piled up near the entrance to the neighborhood, as if they were garbage,” says the 18-year-old.Reports indicate that more than 100 people were killed — 184, according to the United Nations. Most of the victims were elderly. Community testimonies suggest the real death toll is much higher. Pierre Espérance, director of RNDDH, explains that it is difficult to know the exact number, as many bodies were mutilated and burned in the streets. “Several young people, including motorcycle taxi drivers, were also killed while trying to save residents,” he adds. “And the sea is very close, where bodies can easily disappear.”Reports also indicate that Micanor Altès continues to massacre civilians, according to Esaie Bauchard, former mayor of the Cité Soleil commune, who spoke to EL PAÍS. The former mayor estimates that the death toll from the massacre has reached 300, as around 50 more people were killed on Tuesday and Wednesday, accused by the gang leader of leaking information about the massacre to the press.According to Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, the killings pushed the number of violent deaths in Haiti in 2024 to 5,000. Speaking at a press conference, Türk described the incident as an act of violence orchestrated by a powerful gang that controls much of Cité Soleil. “It is a tragedy that reflects the total state absence in these areas,” he said.“It’s like we’ve been wiped off the map”The victims’ stories reveal the scale of the horror endured. Marcel Cangé, a man known in the neighborhood for his work as a carpenter, lost his life along with his wife and two young children. “They were a hardworking and honest family,” says his neighbor, P. S. Ti Kepi. Another neighbor was executed along with other family members as they tried to flee toward the main road. Madame Colonel, an elderly woman who had lived at Wharf Jérémie for more than 50 years, was also killed. “She used to look after my children when I was working,” recalls E. D., a single mother who now fears for her safety.“I know at least 30 people who died during those three days,” says J. N., a survivor. The names of the victims have become a stark reminder of the fragility of life in a community struggling to survive in the face of violence. “It’s like we’ve been wiped off the map,” laments J. N.Wharf Jérémie is a neighborhood situated on the northern outskirts of Port-au-Prince, along the shores of the capital’s bay. It borders the industrial port and the ruins of Fort Dimanche, a former detention and torture center during the Duvalier regime. Known for its extreme poverty, the area has no sewage system. The streets are unpaved and littered with garbage, and the precarious homes are built from makeshift material.The neighborhood is part of the Cité Soleil commune, one of the most dangerous and impoverished areas in Haiti. This sprawling slum, home to more than 300,000 people, is a labyrinth of dead ends and small sewage canals that snake through the community. With virtually no state presence, armed gangs like Viv Ansanm have stepped into the vacuum, imposing their own system of governance.The coalition of gangs — which includes Micanor Altès — has been responsible for numerous massacres in recent years. The lack of government intervention and the weakness of Haiti’s security forces have allowed these groups to act with impunity, leaving residents in a constant state of fear. “Living here is like walking on broken glass every day,” says J. M., a resident of Cité Soleil.An uncertain futureIn 2025, the U.N. Security Council will decide whether to transform the Multinational Security Support Mission into a full-fledged United Nations mission. In the meantime, armed gangs continue to tighten their grip on Haiti. Government promises have rung hollow for many survivors, who feel abandoned and forgotten. “We just want justice and a chance to live in peace,” says M. B., whose family was dismembered during the massacre.The citizens of Wharf Jérémie have issued a desperate plea for swift and effective intervention from local and international authorities. “We need more than words; we need concrete actions to restore our peace of mind,” said J. M., who lost his brother in the attacks. Others are calling for immediate humanitarian aid to assist those left homeless. “We have nowhere to sleep, nothing to eat. Everything we had was destroyed,” said E. D.Residents are also demanding justice for the victims. “We want those responsible to face the consequences of what they did. We cannot continue living under the control of these gangs,” says R. B., who survived the massacre by hiding under his bed for three days.“The sacrifice of these souls will not be in vain,” the government declared in a statement following the massacre. However, such words bring little solace to the residents of Wharf Jérémie, who continue to face a grim reality marked by fear and uncertainty. The scars of the tragedy remain raw, and the pursuit of justice promises to be a long and arduous journey.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition