Two journalists were killed, and several others were injured in a gang-led attack during the reopening ceremony of Port-au-Prince’s largest public hospital on Tuesday. The attack occurred on Christmas Eve as a group of journalists had congregated to report on the long-awaited reopening of the General Hospital, which had been closed for months due to escalating gang violence. Street gangs in Port-au-Prince have taken over an estimated 85% of the city, significantly disrupting daily life and services.
This was seen as an essential step towards restoration of the semblance of normalcy in the capital by the reopening of a hospital forced to shut earlier in the year.
Robest Dimanche, the Online Media Collective’s spokesperson, stated that the two journalists whose bodies were found are actually Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Others were reportedly injured during the attack, which was, according to Dimanche, carried out by the Viv Ansanm gang coalition, one of the biggest criminal groups in Haiti.
Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, publicly condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the victims, which included the police officers and journalists. He vowed that the culprits would not be let off scot-free, though he did not give details about the number of casualties or the severity of the injuries.
Haïti – Plusieurs journalistes blessés par balles ce matin, lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture de l’Hôpital Général.
Des individus armés ont ouvert le feu dans la zone pour saboter le déroulement de l’événement.#haiti #insecurite #hopital pic.twitter.com/JFrtrlJoav
— Journal la République (@JournalLaRep) December 24, 2024
Shocking Footage Surfaces From The Site
A chilling video posted online by trapped reporters inside the hospital describes the aftermath of the assault. The footage shows that two men are lying here, their clothes soaked with blood, one of which wears a press lanyard. It is as if a stark reminder had come for the growing perils journalists face in covering the increasing violence in the country.
Radio Télé Métronome reported first that seven journalists and two police officers had been wounded in the attack. However, the government officials and police took too long to respond to any queries on the situation. The leader of the gangs, however, took to media and claimed responsibility for the attack.
The gang leader of the Viv Ansanm coalition, Johnson “Izo” André, posted a video on social media saying he and his gang took responsibility for the assault. The video was from André who controls much of Port-au-Prince through his gang, stating that the General Hospital had not been allowed to reopen by the coalition, thus indicating the attack was a form of revenge for the government trying to reclaim the hospital.
This is not the first time journalists have been targeted in Haiti. In 2023, two local journalists, Dumesky Kersaint and Ricot Jean, were killed in separate attacks. These murders are part of a broader pattern of violence against the press in Haiti, where journalists are often caught in the crossfire between gangs, police, and government forces.
Haiti’s Struggling Health System
The attack on the hospital reopening is just one example of how gang violence is pushing Haiti’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse. The looting, arson, and destruction of medical institutions and pharmacies have left the country’s already fragile health infrastructure in ruins. As the violence continues, hospitals struggle to cope with an influx of patients, while medical resources remain severely limited.
The rainy season makes the situation even more miserable because it increases the chances of waterborne diseases such as cholera. Overcrowded camps and makeshift settlements add to disease spread due to poor living conditions. UNICEF reports over 84,000 suspected cases of cholera in Haiti, an indication that security and health intervention are needed urgently.
As the violence in Haiti increases, the battle between criminal gangs and a government fighting to stay in control means that not only healthcare workers but journalists are also increasingly becoming targets. The reopening of the General Hospital was meant to symbolize the return of normalcy; however, the deadly attack has yet again brought the seriousness of the challenges to the country into the fore.
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