The Barriers to Peace in Haiti: An In-Depth Analysis of Stakeholders and Interests
- Wilsonn Telimo Lwi
- Oct 12
- 5 min read
This message stems from a live discussion I participated in on TikTok with Barbecue. During the talks, he started reading a message that he promised to send out after the LIVE, aiming to raise awareness among the youth about the social forces that are hindering peace in Haiti, as highlighted by Kèvens Lwisen. A viewer who appreciated the way I expressed myself during the live broadcast shared the video with me, prompting me to transcribe it as follows:
The Barriers to Peace in Haiti: An In-Depth Analysis of Stakeholders and Interests
For over a year, Viv Ansam has been asking for peace in Haiti. They've been pleading for an end to the massacres, putting forth local agreements, and reaching out to communities. Despite these efforts, peace remains elusive. Why is this? Who stands in the way of what seems like a straightforward and humane request—to stop violence, allow children to resume schooling, and permit the markets to thrive?
The answer is harsh, yet clear: peace poses a threat to significant interests. But who is resisting this peace, and what are their motivations?
1) Armed Brigades:
First, we have the so-called self-defense forces, often referred to as Armed Brigades. In the diaspora, within the government, and among the elites, they are referred to as "brigades," a term that obscures the harsh reality. These groups are primarily local armed factions. They present themselves as protectors, but who are they really?
Most of them are unemployed young men—abandoned, lost, and hopeless—who take up arms as the only means to survive and advance in society. For them, weapons have become a way to secure food, reliant on those who pay them to "defend" a neighborhood. In return for their loyalty, they receive food, housing, and a bit of pocket money, along with weapons and ammunition. As they receive these arms, they become part of a growing danger within society. Who desires peace when their survival hinges on conflict?
The brigade can never aspire to peace as long as its livelihoods are tied to war. While these young men are victims of their circumstances, they also become complicit in the chaos, as violence turns into their lifeline. They continue to take the lives of innocent people within their own communities—areas labeled as "criminogenic," filled with crime. They kill neighbors, merchants, and hopeful youths. Each death ignites further resentment, feeding the cycle of violence and retaliation. Suppressing these "criminogenic" areas leads to civilian casualties, sparking revenge that justifies more military incursions, more funding, and an ongoing spiral of violence.
2) Haitian National Police:
The second group resistant to peace comprises the Haitian National Police, who have essentially become private security guards. Rather than serving the public safety of the citizens, they operate more like a private security firm for those in power. Many officers are assigned to protect affluent homes and businesses, often earning more in bonuses than their official salaries. For these officers, peace equates to losing these perks. When neighborhoods become safe, the flow of money into their pockets will cease. Thus, peace is not in their interest, as it disrupts their financial gain tied to their personal interests.
3) Oligarchs and Business Magnate:
The third group opposing peace includes oligarchs and business magnates who thrive on the turmoil. Major economic entities, certain entrepreneurs, and factory owners benefit from a chaotic environment, where the state is weak, workers are powerless, and wages remain low. This disorder intimidates workers into accepting meager pay, guaranteeing maximum profits for their employers. Stability, fair taxes, wage increases, and a strengthened state directly threaten their bottom line. Peace would entail tax redistribution and oversight, which would make them lose a significant amount of money, so they resist it, sometimes overtly and at other times through financial backing for private security or political maneuvering.
4) Non-Governmental Organizations and Multinational Forces:
We have non-governmental organizations and multinational forces that prosper due to the ongoing crisis. A large portion of international aid hinges on emergencies and prolonged crises, funding programs, employing consultants, and providing contracts that amount to millions of dollars based on the existence of chaos. Essentially, a continuous crisis means a constant stream of funding. As long as the turmoil persists, these organizations can justify their budgets and missions. Just as some international missions are compensated to handle crises without addressing the root causes of the problems, why would they relinquish the financial gains they're making to pave the way for peace, a situation that wouldn't benefit them at all?
5) Embassies and Foreign Entities:
The fifth group of individuals who resist peace comprises embassies and foreign entities that profit from the controlled chaos and organized anarchy in Haiti. These diplomatic and geopolitical interests—ranging from embassies to intelligence agencies—thrive in an environment of instability, where a sovereign, strong, and independent Haiti becomes harder to manipulate. In contrast, a fragmented Haiti that constantly seeks assistance and stabilization is much easier to control. For certain actors and nations, maintaining this orderly chaos is more advantageous for their geopolitical and economic agendas. So, who truly wishes for peace?
Moreover, it's crucial to remember that the senseless killing of innocents ignites anger and fosters cycles of revenge. Gang leaders often exploit these tragedies to justify retaliation. This cycle of violence becomes self-perpetuating: repression leads to civilian casualties, widespread outrage, armed reactions, and further militarization. We must speak up and denounce those who obstruct peace, addressing how violence has become a profitable business—who funds it, how it is propagated, and who suffers first and foremost: the people, their families, their children, and their communities.
To help break this cycle and propose nonviolent solutions, I suggest the following:
1) Transparency and Public Auditing:
Bring to light who finances the armed brigades, the security contracts within the country, and the nature of international aid.
2) Demobilization and Work Programs:
Transform the brigades into training and employment initiatives funded by clean money, steering away from ill-gotten gains.
3) Reform of the Haitian National Police:
Increase public sector salaries to mitigate the temptation for police officers to work solely for the wealthy. This includes addressing the issues surrounding the privatization of security services and establishing strong civilian oversight over the HNP.
4) Sanctions and Legal Proceedings:
Identify and prosecute oligarchs and intermediaries who fund violence in Haiti.
5) Reorient International Aid:
Condition assistance on achieving genuine peace outcomes instead of perpetuating crisis management. NGOs should enter Haiti with a clear mission to eradicate problems rather than manage them.
6) Mobilizing Citizens and the Diaspora:
Advocate for peace funding to stem from dismantling how the system controls us, which will ultimately help curb violence.
The envisioned peace of coexistence has been suggested for over a year; it is neither naive nor passive—it is urgent and practical. However, achieving peace requires more than simply a ceasefire; we must confront the interests that benefit from chaos to address the root causes of conflict. Unless we tackle these underlying issues—economic, security-related, political, and diplomatic—peace will remain just a word and not a reality. Let's pose the critical questions: Who stands to benefit? Who retains power while the people suffer?
We must respond with transparency, justice, and a focus on redistributing resources, ensuring that we don't merely swap names on a list of victims. Haiti deserves genuine peace, a peace for which we should not have to pay in blood or suffering.
Wilsonn Telimo Lwi.
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