Daily gunfire haunts Ouanaminthe as stray bullets hit residents inside their homes

OUANAMINTHE— An increase in gang violence in the border town separating Haiti from the Dominican Republic has left residents living in fear, wounded by stray bullets in their homes.

Édiane Francisque, 34, was shot in the shoulder while bathing outdoors near her home, not far from the police station, on July 25, 2024.

This tragic event, which affected Francisque’s family, who were suffering from the loss of their sister, deeply shook the society.

“I was in the shower when I felt something hit my left shoulder blade,” he recalled. “It was a bullet.”

Francisque, a bank teller in the town, is among dozens of people affected by gun violence in Ouanaminthe, a northeastern city. Many local residents, including women and children, were injured due to stray bullets frequently hitting their homes. Residents of the area describe the city as surrounded by gunfire, with bullets flying through densely populated neighborhoods.

Herlande Joseph, a resident of the Calvera neighborhood, said, “Bullets are fired around my house every day, as if this is where the bullets are made.”

For more than a year, the streets of Ouanaminthe have been shaken by gunfire, aggravated by the flow of illegal arms. Victims describe their harrowing experiences and the lasting effects of their injuries.

Neighborhood residents are struggling with injuries due to financial difficulties

Wilson François, for example, was struck in the face by a stray bullet in early 2024. There are scars on his face, and the bullet still lodged in his jaw causes constant pain.

“While I was lying in bed, something hit my face. When I saw the blood, I knew I had been shot,” said François.

Financial constraints meant that François could not afford the surgery required to remove the bullet, forcing him to live with the wound. In his case, the cost of surgery in the Dominican Republic is approximately $20,338.

Eight-year-old Demidson Augustin is among the many children who were victims of the shootings. He continues to suffer from being shot in the neck and has difficulty with daily tasks, especially at school.

His mother, Chénane Pierre, said that their financial situation prevented them from seeking treatment outside Haiti, adding, “Every movement reminds him of what he has been through.”

Aware of her son’s concerns, his mother organizes an operation to remove the bullet from his neck, while hiding the fact that the family is having financial difficulties.

“We don’t have the financial means to go to Cuba to extract the bullets, which is very important for his education,” Chénane said. “After several attempts at local hospitals, they eventually referred us to Cuba for a surgery they were unable to perform.”

This situation significantly affects the child’s life and academic performance. He had a 7.81 GPA in the first quarter of the school year before the incident. But after being hospitalized for 21 days and enduring ongoing pain, he was forced to repeat a grade, his mother said.

The situation in Ouanaminthe reflects a broader security crisis worsened by political instability in Haiti’s northeast, the deportation of immigrants from the neighboring Dominican Republic, and the exodus of gangs fleeing intense police operations in the Port-au-Prince and Artibonite metropolitan areas.

At night, gunshots echo through once-quiet streets, and residents say they don’t feel safe even in their homes.

“There are gunshots every night,” said Néhémie Joseph, 29, a beauty salesman.

Another resident, Stanley Joazard, 30, said bullets are an ever-present danger in Ouanaminthe.

Law enforcement officials vow to take action

Local authorities are aware of the seriousness of the situation and have promised to intensify patrols. Ouanaminthe Police Commissioner Ronald Eugene stated that patrols will focus on preventing both illegal gun possession and misuse of legally owned firearms.

“We’re not the only armed force here,” Eugene said. “Police will continue to patrol the city, arresting those in possession of unauthorized firearms to help restore security to Ouanaminthe,” the commissioner of the Haitian National Police (PNH) in the city told The Haitian Times on Friday.

Meanwhile, Ouanaminthe mayor Démétrius Luma points out that the porous border with the Dominican Republic is a major transportation route. illegal arms smuggling.

“Criminal networks are exploiting the border to smuggle weapons into Haiti with little oversight,” Luma said.

He explained that the influx of firearms, combined with limited resources, complicates efforts to regain control over the region’s security.

The situation, which reported more than 10 victims, including women and young children, requires urgent intervention to protect residents. They are flocking to local radio stations and posting various messages on social media platforms to demand immediate government action to protect Ouanamintheans and address the root causes of the escalating violence.

“The people of Ouanaminthe, known for their resilience, are facing an unprecedented challenge,” said a local activist who asked to remain anonymous due to security concerns. As residents demand an end to the violence, it is clear that authorities and civil society groups must work together to restore peace and security in this besieged border town.