Political violence rocked Haiti a year ago, when President Jovenel Moïse was gunned down at his residence in Port-au-Prince. The killing on July 7, 2021, ousted Moïse after four and a half years in power. There is still an ongoing manhunt for some of the gunmen and the mastermind behind the attack.
Haitian immigrants in Boston say they have felt uneasy watching their home country struggle after the assassination. Dr. Geralde Gabeau, the founder and executive director of the Immigrant Family Services Institute, a local nonprofit organization, told GBH News that there is outrage among Haitian people.
“After a full year [since] an assassination there is no real clear path for justice — not just for the president but for the country as a whole,” Gabeau said.
The country’s politics continue to be in a state of disarray, with the office of the president still vacant and with Prime Minister Ariel Henry serving as both acting president and prime minister.
For Gabeau, this political instability has added fuel to an already burning fire, with widespread violence and crime in the country.
“When you cannot trust those who are in power, everyone is left on their own,” Gabeau said. “We have cases where people are attacked in the street, they are being kidnapped and when they call the police, they say, ‘We cannot do anything, because we don't have the resources.’”
Some local advocates, like the Rev. Dieufort Fleurissaint, have watched from afar as the country experiences turmoil. Fleurissaint has not gone back to Haiti in more than three years. He still has ties to Haiti and keeps in constant contact with friends and family.
“Haiti has been infested by many gang activities and many kidnappings continue to take place in the country,” Fleurissaint said about the conditions on the ground. “The country has been plagued by many evil situations.”
The effects of the killing were felt not just in Haiti, but also in parts of the United States that have experienced a large influx of Haitian immigrants, including Boston.
“We have so many issues like kidnapping, gang violence and a lot of people are leaving Haiti like crazy to find a place to come," Gabeau said.
Gabeau, whose organization helps new immigrant families arriving in Boston, said that a lack of jobs is causing many Haitians to leave their country.
“We have so many young professionals, people who are medical doctors, engineers, just to name a few who have to leave their job behind, all of their opportunities they have, they have to leave behind to come here. Because they cannot function, they cannot work,” Gabeau said.
Looking toward the future, Fleurissaint hopes to return to his homeland. Even though about three years have passed, his intentions to go back remain strong.
“I dream of going back to Haiti, even though I have not been able to travel to Haiti. But I have been able to maintain a close tie to the country,” Fleurissaint said. ”I have many pastors at home, we pray throughout the week, three to four times a week with them via Zoom, for God to change the conditions in Haiti.”
